Darlows Avaliações 

Obviously, I am in the minority category here with my 1* review, but I would like to share my experience with some of the staff based in the Pontypridd branch and Darlows/Spicerhaart as a whole. Although lengthy, please take the time to read it.

If my negative experience helps just one person, my time is not wasted.

All started very well when I marketed my property with Darlows, the valuation etc was carried out by Diane Rumble. Shortly after this, I was asked to submit a review, naturally, I gave a 5* review, as up to this point all was in order.

Diane was very personable putting me at ease, having never sold a property before, it can be a little daunting. Most of the information I needed was provided with exception of their fees. Subsequently, I emailed the branch for this information and was told 1.25% there was no mention that vat was to be added.
I proceeded on this basis.

When Diane attended on the second occasion to take photographs, at my request, she brought literature with her as I had mislaid what had been previously sent to me.

I needed to show evidence of my identity by way of a driving licence, household bills etc. This was duly noted on the paperwork which Diane had brought. I was then asked to confirm these documents with my signature.

Whilst this was partially true, what I was actually signing was the contract/agreement. I duly signed where indicated in the belief that I was confirming the validity of the documents because, that is what I was told!

I fully accept this was my mistake but Diane had gained my trust and I believed what she told me. Had she told me I was signing a contract, I would have taken time to read it throughly. It was all about the wording she had used that caused my confusion.

I cannot categorically say she misled me, however, she was not clear.

Having signed this contract/agreement, what followed next was out of my control and the actual crux of the matter in relation to this review.

I only had 1 viewing of my property which I left in the hands of Gayle Chapman, and upon my return approximately 20 minutes later, the viewing had concluded.

There were 3 males present, 2 of which walked back to their vehicle. The remaining male was stood in my front garden whilst Gayle was stood at the gate entrance. He didn’t appear to be in any particular rush to leave, consequently, I offered my thanks to Gayle and closed my front door in the hope he would leave.

I was in the process of removing my outside footwear when I heard a loud rattling sound. I was outside within seconds to find the male violently shaking my drainpipe. He told me it was broke and could get it fixed for me, I found this very strange.

Unfortunately, due to child care commitments I had to rush off, however, I emailed Gayle approximately 30 minutes later to complain that she had watched this happen.

Long story short, this individual alleged that he was trying to fix my pipe which was damaged.

Not only do I dispute this allegation as I had not experienced any visible leakage of water from this pipe, even if what he says was true, he had absolutely no authority to attempt any repairs without my consent. Furthermore, the viewing agent made no attempt to stop him!

The cost of this repair was £40 which I requested was reimbursed by Darlows.

After many weeks of emailing Senior Staff at Spicerhaart, and issuing a small claims in Court, this is my warning.

Contained in the small print of their agreement is a clause which states that - Darlows are not liable for the actions of any persons they bring to your property! Therefore, if anything is broken or damaged they are absolved of any and all responsibility!

Furthermore, expect them to close ranks and in my case, “prepare to go on record” that they told you something they definitely did not.

For example, had I been told the true costs of their fees in my home why on earth would I need to email for this information as explained earlier.

In addition, although the viewing agent was stood a few feet away, she denies hearing the conversation between myself and the male, who I allege, either caused or made a minor fault far worse.

I could have evidenced everything I have stated in this review as all emails were retained. Unfortunately, Courts deal in facts, and the fact of the matter is, I signed this agreement all be it, that was my bad judgement.

It must be remembered, estate agents are salespeople at the end of the day, they can appear to be friendly, trustworthy, and have your best interests at heart…

Sorry not in my case, they caused me stress, upset, and left me with a financial loss.

What I cannot tolerate is lies, I know they lied and they know they lied!

Ongoing case with the Property Ombudsman so 🤞I can get some redress.

Thank you Jessica for your help and making our visit pleasant.

Thanks jess you made a difficult time very easy

Would like to thank Sophie Peake for the help and support the past few days with myself and baby moving and dealing with the gas check that needed to be done. You was so understanding and supportive and very patient.. Thankyouu.

I am very disappointed with Darlows Est Agent Merthyr Tydfil. My wife emailed the office and telephoned them twice to requested a property viewing, she was assured that they would contact her to arrange an appointment this was three day ago and have not heard anything back from them. This is not good for Darlows

Rented in Cardiff. Viewings were professional and support was great. Didn't have any problems during tenancy.
However, after almost a year, we were informed that the landlord wished to stop renting out the property and we would have to vacate by the end of tenancy. Enough notice was given so this was fine.
We were then informed that we could go into a rolling contract so there wasn't much rush to move out, this was good news. Later on, we were told we had to vacate by end of tenancy, very back and forth now and pressure to find somewhere was higher.
I believe the issue was down to lack of communication within Darlows.
Thankfully we found a place by the end of tenancy and vacated, only to be told the rolling contract was still an option...
Overall, decent experience, just wasn't great to be told different things at the end. Unnecessary stress!

I have dealt with louise Pugh on many occasions, she has helped us out quick and easy with no hassle, shes always there to help, always had good experience with darlows, brilliant service.

The worst experience I have ever had with letting agents. Communication so bad that I had a breakdown. We were made me to believe that we were being considered for a property, constantly told to expect a call back and email that we never received. We got in contact two weeks ago, told that a virtual viewing was booked in, but no confirmation and it never happened. Left in the dark the entire time while being told to wait for contact. Taking time out of our schedules to get in contact while being told to wait and that they are 'very busy' again and again Two weeks and apparently to busy to even send an email telling us to look on. I'm baffled as to how a company could be so busy that within two weeks not one email could be sent out. All we ever asked was to be informed. This entire experience was a waste of our time. After calling numerous times, we were hung up on multiple times and constantly relayed to the consiegre team (when calling directly to the branch that managed the property we were looking at) and told to wait AGAIN. It became clear that we were just being intentionally ignored. The most unprofessional and appalling service I have ever received. Cowardly service that instead of informing us just left us waiting/ignored and dismissed. From previous reviews it is clear this has been going on for a very long time. The most recent positive reviews I feel almost certain are entirely fake. Please listen to the huge amount of terrible reviews and trust that this company is not worth your time or money. I looked at these reviews a while ago and thought the good evened them out enough. This was a mistake and I wish I had disregarded this company as soon as they showed signs of their extreme incompetence. I do not wish this experience on anyone and want to warn of the extreme distress they have caused me personally. It is not an exaggeration. If this company doesn't change...... I don't see them surviving for long. I am disgusted and shocked at how bad this entire ordeal was. Please do yourself a favour and look elsewhere.

Fantastic experience through Nicole at Darlows, Merthyr Tydfil. She's diligent, takes the time to understand my needs and always delivers on her promises. I can't recommend her highly enough!

Thanks to Jess I'm on the way to purchase a lovely home. I received great communication and can happily report I'm pleased with the service. Jess is a natural with people and leaves you feeling you are in capable hands with Darlows. Thanks

Really impressed with the high quality standards at Darlows. Sean was really helpful through the whole process and seems to have a lot of knowledge. Really pleased with the whole experience.

Never again stay away from darlows ..waste of time this letting agent will put u in anxiety and depression. It has worsened by anxiety and depresion ..stay away they r horrible with awful customer services..they nver respond to email when u call them u Nvr get a response u hve to chase them .all they want is money ..extremely unpleasant customer service ,I had to wait two days to get my key fr flat from the day I was expected to shift …I had to Tke day off frm work just because of darlows unprofessional service !!!!the person on phone tells u all r busy whilst u make a call frm ur busy schedule ..stay away from darlows ..(Merthyr)

My experience with Darlows left me with panic attacks and eczema for how stressful it all was.
Our landlord switched letting agent mid-contract. Darlows NEVER got in touch. We found out we have been switched over when we had to look for them for a repair that never happened. The woman who was our reference left after 4 months and no one told us. When we had to move out and have our house inspected we met a second representative who gave us the green light to get our full deposit back. HE LEFT THE COMPANY THE NEXT DAY. Not having released our deposit, this started a 3-week battle to get our deposit back and our only point of reference was a third person who worked for Haart across the country. I will never, ever, ever again interact with this business. Our landlord switched to another letting agent whilst we will moving out.

Wow, Darlows took you 5 hours to reply to a bad review but when I was struggling and needing my deposit it took you a week to get back to me and find someone to sort it out. #Priorities

I have lived in private rentals managed by agents and without doubt Darlows is the worst of them all, especially the Rumney branch. I wish I read other people’s reviews before letting from them. Customer service is so poor I had to deal directly with the landlord most times. They never answer their calls nor respond to emails.
I had a 6-month tenancy and agreed to renew at the end as it was in the middle of the pandemic. They increased the tenancy to 12 months without asking me and I signed the documents in good faith as they kept bombarding me with reminders (that’s the only time they get in touch, when they need something off you). I asked for an internal review of this as I never requested a 12-month extension but this was a waste of time as I could tell they did absolutely nothing. I had to leave the property before 12 months and they are charging me £270 for reletting and the rent for the months till they get a new tenant. I dealt with Kate Benjamin for my end of my tenancy, it takes her weeks to reply to an email even after followup emails and calls; and when she does, her response shows she has no recollection of your last correspondence.
It’s no surprise the amount of negative feedback from customers on their page. Whoever owns this business, it needs an entire restructuring before you loose any credibility left in the business name; the quality of service they offer is a joke. Most of the reviews over the past year consistently complain of poor communication and it appears nothing has been done about this. This is appalling for a business, it feels like no one is in control and customers are not listened to.
Stay away from Darlows and Spicerhaart; it’s not worth the trouble at all.

We moved into a rented property based on a 'virtual viewing' because rentals were moving so quickly during the pandemic. When we got the keys we found rotting food in the oven, the hob rings furry with mould, dirt, detritus and black mould in numerous locations, damage to walls and fittings, very few light bulbs and the heating wasn't working. It took two weeks for Darlows to arrange a cleaner and they have refused to provide any compensation for the fact the kitchen was unsanitary during that period or the days the property was unheated. When I complained in writing using the escalation process I was told that the property was inspected the day before the tenancy and apart from a couple of exceptions it was clean and well maintained. This inspection report was contained numerous inaccuracies and ommissions and withheld from me until a month after I moved in, so I was not able to dispute it at the time I moved in. Darlows have been unable to provide any evidence that the inspection actually took place on the date the claim, so it is unclear whether old photos have been used to make it. I have numerous datestamped photos proving the poor conditions when I moved in.
After moving in Darlows have been very difficult to reach, rarely answering the phone (which doesn't have voicemail), ignoring numerous ring back requests and emails. I understand that renters have a right to properties to be sanitary and heated. Darlows let a property that failed on both counts and I intend to take it up with the regulators.
I did manage to find a number for the property owner, who is very nice. She is very disappointed with Darlows as she says hadn't even agreed to new tenants or a move in date. Apparently Darlows just notified her on an old email address and didn't get any confirmation from her. She is very annoyed at the property damage from the last tenants which was not identified in the inspection (just the photos I sent to her). She is rightly aggrieved that Darlows have failed to deduct the cost of the repairs from the previous tenants deposit. She has decided not to use Darlows again.
I would recommend avoiding Darlows as either as a renter, or as a landlord.

Dan from Darlows Brynmawr has been very good. We have sold our house through Darlows and throughout the process they have kept us informed with regular updates. They always ring back, they always showed up when they said they would, and we've consistently found them helpful and reliable. I would use them again.

Stay away from Darlows and Spicerhaart. They are horrendous at managing properties and tenancy agreements.
They don’t care if you have no electric or damp or heating.
The 5 years they managed our rental property they caused immense amounts of stress.
The advisors they have working for them are utterly clueless.
They’ll never return your call or answer emails. Stay away.

Anyone thinking of renting their property or needing to rent a property through Darlows should stay clear of them. Their service is worse than appalling and they never answer emails or telephone calls. They are a complete shower of charlatans who are happy to take money but do nothing in return. If they approach you then run like the wind in an opposite direction. You use them at your peril.

If I could give zero I would. Absolutely appalling tenant care from Darlows Albany Road and Darlows property management, Cardiff.
Our boiler broke last winter and we had an absolute nightmare trying to get it fixed. We just could not get hold of property management, they only really answer before lunchtime. Then when a contractor was finally appointed to us they took 5 days to come out and look at it, and then told us he needed a few more days to get the part to fix it! This was during the winter when it was snowing too so we spent a week without heating in the freezing cold!! (luckily still had hot water). We asked for reduced rent to compensate for this but they would not entertain the idea (i am aware this is probably not a ‘done thing’ by lettings agents)
Not only this, but now our boiler has broke again! We used their automated fixflo website when it happened last night, our situation was deemed of high importance but not urgent. The automated message said that a contractor had been assigned and would get in touch with us within an hour. That was 19 hours ago! But now we don't have hot water or heating (currenrly November) and now we’re having the same struggles with property management.
All i can say is thank god I am moving out of this property soon, they are an absolute shambles of a company. I will be formally complaining to both their head office and my local council.
AVOID RENTING WITH DARLOWS IF YOU CAN I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS SORT OF EXPERIENCE!!!

Edit: Boiler was repaired day after reporting as we called Darlows’ head office. Boiler has not been fully repaired and was temporarily fixed (pending on landlord’s approval for a boiler service)

Appalling customer service from Cardiff rental office. Struggling to find a decent rental house and called/email this company as they advertised a house I was very keen to view. About 30 calls (each time a call centre picks up and take your details for a call back) and 4 emails, but no luck. Managed to get through to the branch twice and both times they said they'll respond on email, but nothing happened. 10 or so follow up calls later and I've given up. Shocking customer service.

Edit: In response to the company's response, the email supplied was used on a few occasions before with no acknowledgment or return emails from them.