AVOID THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE SOON
My sincere advice for someone in the marketing looking for renting: AVOID THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE SOON.I will explain my experience with Martin & Co in more detail below, but for those who may not wish to read the full account: please avoid them. You will only see the friendly smiles and polite faces when you are signing the contract – or, at best, during a renewal. After that, everything changes.Towards the end of my tenancy, I began to notice a few concerning things. Martin & Co arranged viewings for new tenants while I was still living in the flat. I was present during them, trying to be polite and helpful. Unfortunately, the agent from Martin & Co was less than honest. He provided misleading – and in some cases blatantly false – information to the prospective tenants. Not once, not twice, but on multiple occasions. I genuinely tried to believe he might have been having a bad day or was perhaps unprepared. But it quickly became clear that this was not an isolated incident. It appeared that honesty was being sacrificed for the sake of a quick deal.When I returned my keys, I visited the Martin & Co office and brought with me a few letters addressed to the next tenants or to the agency – routine letters regarding TV licensing, utilities, and so forth. They were clearly not for me, but for the new occupant. I handed them over politely, only to be met with a rather sharp and dismissive response: “What are these? I do not need these letters – throw them in the bin.” All the courtesy and professionalism had vanished. As soon as they cannot profit from you, their true colours begin to show.I then asked – again, very politely – about the return of my deposit. I was told, in an annoyed tone, that it was a matter for the landlord and that tenants like me always “bother them” after leaving asking for a date of deposit release. However, since I had paid the deposit to Martin & Co (before signing the contract), it was entirely reasonable to ask about the process and expected timelines from them. Instead of being helpful, the agent made me feel like I was being a nuisance. I was too tired to argue, so I simply left and contacted my former landlord directly.Despite multiple attempts to reach both the landlord and Martin & Co, over thirty days passed with no communication, no check-out report, and no proposed deductions. Only after I sent a message giving 48 hours' notice to resolve the issue did I finally receive a report – more than a month after moving out. It listed several deductions which I strongly disagreed with. As most tenants know, the law in England states that if there is no dispute, your deposit should be returned within two weeks. At that point, there had been no discussion, no report, and no proposed deductions – just silence. The so-called inventory and check-out report were highly questionable.After reading reviews from others, one thing is absolutely clear: document everything. Take photos. Get all communication in writing. Because, unfortunately, they do not tell the truth, and they will try to rip you off.My experience with them is still ongoing, as I have now escalated the matter to a formal dispute. But regardless of the outcome, I want to share my honest opinion: this was an exhausting, disappointing, and frankly unacceptable experience. I hope it helps someone else avoid the same.
Willames Martins
An astonishingly bad experience.
An astonishingly bad experience.We were tenants of Martin & Co from May 2018 to late 2022 – a solid 4.5 years, with an excellent record and a very good relationship with our landlord.In August 2022, our circumstances changed unexpectedly and we needed to leave Abingdon at the end of the year to move to another country. We notified Martin & Co immediately – hoping for a constructive dialogue. Instead, we encountered rigidity, opacity, and a distinct lack of decency.Martin & Co informed us that they wouldn't even contact the landlord until we paid an "early release fee" of over £2000 to them. When we asked for a breakdown or justification of this amount, we were told flatly: “We do not need to provide you with any evidence of costs, because this is an early release fee which we are allowed to charge you for.” Our request to discuss this in person was also refused.In the end, under legal advice, we paid this sum under protest so we could move. Tenants were found within three days of the property being listed – using recycled marketing materials from years before – and signed within the week after a single viewing. The landlord raised the rent, meaning he actually gained financially from our early departure.To add insult to injury, days after paying the early release fee, we were told we must pay an additional 3 days' rent “just in case any jobs are needed to be carried out.” Again, failure to pay meant we would not be released. Another sum, paid under protest.In our view, these charges constituted prohibited payments under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. We made every effort to be reasonable and cover legitimate costs – but Martin & Co offered no transparency and no evidence that the fees were anything but profiteering. Having reported them to the Property Ombudsman, we recovered most of these costs.In addition, deductions were made from our deposit, which were outrageous. One example being evidence of mould on some curtains. The photos used to justify this were photos we had previously raised with the agent and prior to having the curtains dry cleaned and repaired at our cost. These photos were provided in the checkout report, but were in fact our own photos we had previously shared with the agent. There were charges for the lawn not being lush and green despite damaged caused by the intense summer. Most of these charges were returned to us following a complaint to the DPS.We would urge other tenants to proceed with extreme caution. Ensure every i is dotted and t crossed, ensure you are well covered. The interactions were perfectly good during our tenancy, but incredibly hostile afterwards.
Angus McLean
Excellent service and communication
I recently sold my shared ownership house with Martin & Co in Abingdon. I would highly recommend Martin & Co for the superb level of service they provide for both sales and rental (I have previously rented a property through them). My agent was very efficient and always on the end of the phone to help with any questions I had and to provide me with feedback from viewings. If my agent was unavailable, another member of the team dealt with my enquiries very swiftly. My agent proactively chased my buyer's solicitors and other agents involved to help ensure that my sale and onward purchase remained on track. Overall, Martin & Co provide a professional and efficient service.
Alice Muntzer
