Martin and Co - www.martinco.com

We’ve been tenants with this agency for only a short time, and the experience has been appalling. Despite reporting several maintenance issues that were present from the start of the tenancy (and clearly not caused by us), the agency has failed to resolve them. Their lack of action has left us feeling ignored and unsupported in a home we’re paying to live in.

Adding insult to injury, they’ve now scheduled a “routine property visit” without proper consideration for our convenience. While property inspections are understandable, giving us an inconvenient time window of 6 hours is unreasonable, especially since we’re expected to be available or else have them let themselves in with their own set of keys. This feels like a total invasion of privacy, especially when they’re failing to address more pressing issues like the repairs we’ve repeatedly requested.

The mention of needing to “secure our property” and ensuring we have enough keys to re-enter is unnecessarily patronising, particularly when key management and security should be part of their professional service. The tone of their communication lacks any empathy for the disruption caused or acknowledgment of their failings as a management service.

If you’re looking for a letting agent that values tenants and takes maintenance and communication seriously, I’d strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

Please don't be misled by the positive reviews below; most of them seem to be written by their own people. If you want to save your money, time, and energy, stay away from this company. They are only interested in taking money from people while providing zero customer service or assistance with any issues you raise.

I'd like to highlight a few individuals who have been of absolutely no help and perfectly represent the company's poor practices:

These people will tell you that they cannot assist you with anything. They are just here to take your money. Avoid this company at all costs.

We made a mistake by choosing this company to rent an apartment. After all the issues we've experienced, we are still waiting to get our deposit back. As usual, we're receiving nothing but excuses for more deductions and delays. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this company and its people.

If I could give a zero rating I would. Martin and co took over our tenancy from our private landlord of 11 years last year. 12 years as tenants, received email stating landlord would be selling and would have 3 months notice, no formal notice was served. We were lucky to secure a new property through a different letting agent. 6 months of emails back and forth regarding our deposit being returned and still waiting, asked for contact details of where our deposit is lodged with as per scottish law, and everything we get back get told has been forwarded to landlord. Bit the bullet as house is now sold, and contacted who we signed our original tenancy with, to be told not to contact them, as everything has to go through Martin and Co, still being mucked around. Appalling service for tenants

TRADESMEN BEWARE!!! if you want to be paid for your hard work then avoid martin & co doncaster. When you want paying you will be met with rude and condescending staff and you will have accusations thrown at you as the manager and her staff think they are above every human on this planet!!!

It sickens me as a veteran that I have to bare scars for the rest of my life for rude, uneducated and unprofessional people like the staff at the doncaster branch.

TRADESMEN you have been warned you all know the type of customers you don't want and martin & co doncaster are deffo those customers, I feel sorry for all landlords as good skilled tradesman like myself will avoid.

Well done martin & co for being yet another poor company who treat the honest common folk like dogs

I'm a landlord and had Martin & Co Paisley rent out my flat. They found a couple with a 5 year old child and said they had been vetted etc. Turns out it was a family with 2 small children. Who completely ruined my flat: Large red stains on carpet which needed replaced, food crushed into carpets, chewing gum stomped into carpets, handles off walls, food splashed up walls, paint ripped off walls. This list was endless.

Fortunately we had a trades person that we know to go in and replace thermostat valves on the radiators (still unsure how they were all missing??), because the gas engineer that M&Co. had to quote decided we needed a new radiator etc etc and the quote was over a grand! This was not required at all!

Our gas engineer advised us on the very bad situation in our flat and I requested M&Co. carry out an immediate inspection. A week after the inspection I had to contact them to request an update. Shockingly, the agent I spoke to said that there was nothing wrong with the flat and that 'some people have higher living condition expectations than others'. Hmmm. yes tenants ruining my property is certainly my problem. As expected I challenged the agent's report to only be told that he had made a mistake and that the report he had given was of the flat above. The audacity of this company is next level.

Eventually they admitted that there was a problem in the flat and that they had spoken to the tenants that they needed to clean up the mess.

Thankfully these awful tenants moved out but I was left with a big mess and had to redecorate, replace carpets, take their broken belongings to the dump (yes the disgusting tenants left all their rubbish for me to dispose of, like I was their personal slave). They didn't even pay their full rent for the last month. Horrific creatures. And all along M&Co. kept taking their fees and making claiming the measly deposit and my rent extremely difficult.

AWFUL COMPANY. NO PROFESSIONALISM. WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS LOT. COULDN'T ORGANISE A PEACE UP IN A BREWERY. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!!

Where do I start with this? From the get go I could tell this company was extremely unprofessional. I viewed a flat. I met a person from Martin and co. The current tenants were there and they showed me round and answered the questions I had. I suspect they were leaving their tenancy early and it was in their best interests not tell me a boy what horrors would await me. The flat was very cluttered and hid a lot of the problems I later realised. I agreed to let the for 6 months. They used extremely corrupt and underhand tactics by saying that suddenly

There was someone else interested and would I increase my already high rent of £1000! This was the first red flag. I collected the keys and to my horror the worktop was rotten and black. I immediately emailed the landlord who is also the director of Martin and co. An arrogant person who assured me it would be replaced. An absolute liar. There were also other problems. Handrail very loose. Top of the stairs banister loose. The grade 2 listed windows in an awful state of disrepair. My list went on. The only thing he bothered to fix was the loose hand rail and made a botched job of the unsafe banister at the top of the stairs. The gas man leaned on it once and it nearly

Snapped. He called me and practically whines about how much it would all cost! I think this man is in the wrong ‘profession’. The only way he tries to get out of this is by saying well I emailed you asking to pick the ‘wrap’ that he was going to use to cover up the rotting surface. I had no preference on this. I was not going to stay there long term. Not even if someone paid me. I was locked in the flat at one point because workmen had done something to my door. My children were locked in a bedroom because the handle had not been secured with a vital screw that prevents this from happening. I decided to move out early I was very concerned about the safety of the whole building. As I knew he was asking contractors in to do things so cheaply. I knew nothing had been done to a high standard. The oven which did not close properly was right next to the fridge freezer. It was starting to burn the cupboard. The hob did not work. I gave up telling this excuse for a landlord the problems in the end. It was completely futile. The best is yet to come. I left the flat in a good standard there were even improvements such as the banister. He sent me a illegitimate looking invoice from a dubious company with things like replace a door stop £30. Remove curtains £10. Even expecting me to pay for it to be cleaned £80. It was already clean. £90 to repaint a ceiling where there was a mark on the ceiling. I could not reach the ceiling to clean it off. He took £370 from the deposit. For work that would cost £75 maximum. The inventory people were also not a real company. The landlord was so obsessed with me he told me I was a disgrace to my own profession. I am extremely hard working in an honest profession. I do not appreciate dishonesty I have extremely standards and I don’t think he had come across anyone as assertive especially me being female. I’m so glad I am out of this. But I do feel

Sorry for other people enduring this treatment. I plan to take this further and speak with the council and their trading standards

Team.

(Quick note for landlords, ours had a very poor experience with Martin & Co and communicated to us several times that they were fed up and considering moving to a rival company.)

BEWARE: A reasonable and professional company until the moment your tenancy ends. They will then come after your deposit with cleaning charges at 250% of market price for end of tenancy cleaning for even the most minor things. In our case they also tried to charge us £47.50 to replace a toilet seat that didn't fully "stand up on its own". Communication during this process was abysmal and muddled, which I can only guess is a tactic to confuse tenants who are unfamiliar with the process of contesting deposits.

I can see from the other reviews here that this is a pattern of behaviour. Martin & Co clearly has no shame trying to fleece its loyal tenants (4+ years) of their deposits the moment they are no longer an income stream from rent. Exploitative and callous behaviour in a cost of living crisis, don't trust them with your money.

Waste of time went to a viewing, waiting outside in the wind and rain with a baby and no one turned up. fricking useless wish I could swear on this review

Had a Lovely viewing today with Martin and Co. Would highly recommend. The process is quick and easy and all staff are friendly and reliable.

Appalling lack of integrity and honesty shown by the person apparently running this office. Utterly shocking.

I cannot stress enough that any student and/or parent should avoid renting with this company and go to a reputable agent in Winchester.

This person's dishonesty caused havoc with my daughter and two weeks later, I am still furious. His disregard for the wellbeing of a young person is beyond belief.

Avoid if you love your child.