Choices letting agency

mimihops

Any experiences good or bad with this crowd? Looking at apartments to rent and some are managed by them but as I have been burned before by letting agents not giving deposit back etc I would like to hear peoples experiences with them first!

Faith

As far as I know, they're pretty much universally hated.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056667251

Malari

Only bad things to say about them! They contacted me several times demanding to know why rent hadn't been paid, up to a year and a half after I'd informed them I had moved out of one of their places :rolleyes:

Frere Jacques

I remember a time when they rang us at the start of the week wanting a house inspection a few days later. My buddy told them we were all working and that the time wasn't suitable. He pointed out the two weeks notice thing but said next week would be no trouble.
Thing was, I wasn't working, I was in between two night shifts so was asleep for the day. Next thing I know, I'm woken from a deep sleep by someone, let's just call her "K" walking into my bedroom. I let out a "WTF" and she panicing said who she was as she ran out the door. I thought it was gas but one of the lads was livid about the invasion of privacy and rang her and let rip. Don't think we had anymore inspections after though!!
Apart from her manner I thought they were okay but to be honest we had a good house and not too many reasons to be ringing them.

honerbright

Renting a house through them now, and (touch wood) they seem ok.
My only complaint would be that the house was very obviously not cleaned properly before we moved in. The amount of random stuff I found under the couch cushions etc :eek:

Grim_Wreeper

I think we were lucky, we went though them as a letting agent, but after we started renting the house we pay and deal with the landlord directly. They don't manage our rent. So that's something to maybe check.

Gamb!t

Avoid Avoid Avoid.

mimihops

Gosh I read that other thread too and they seem like an awful shower. Such a pity as they have a couple of places that look ideal, but there's no way I could deal with them invading my privacy by coming in unanounced for an inspection! I'd go mad! Thanks for the feedback everyone, would prefer to deal with the landlord directly so will keep looking I'd say.

honerbright

Grim_Wreeper wrote: »

I think we were lucky, we went though them as a letting agent, but after we started renting the house we pay and deal with the landlord directly. They don't manage our rent. So that's something to maybe check.

Us too, they don't seem to have much of anything to do with us.

Milly33

I would say avoid avoid. I havent rented myself with them but know two or three who have. One friend they said the place was not clean enough and made them hire a cleaner recommened only by them for €200 odd euro to clean the place before they left, and took no responsibility as agents either. another bunch they were renting and could not get a 1,000 eurp deposit back off them dont know if they ever did.. The last couple think the house is ok but again they have been at them to paint the place and have odd jobs done and they are usless..

I would stay well away, from all the horror stories, them and era are a bit daft

TwoTokeTommy

Unpleasant and difficult to deal with when anything goes wrong. Avoid them if possible! (They do usually have some decent places but ruin that by making it unsatisfying to deal with).

BillJ

Wish I had looked them up before renting through them.

They are useless. Been living in the new place two months and there's basic things that need to be fixed. Numerous calls asking to get it sorted and they just say "ya we've reported it to the landlord, we'll get back to you". Never hear a word back.

Avoid them op, they don't deserve anyone's business. They are not interested if you have a problem once they have you signed up

babo9

BillJ wrote: »

Wish I had looked them up before renting through them.

They are useless. Been living in the new place two months and there's basic things that need to be fixed. Numerous calls asking to get it sorted and they just say "ya we've reported it to the landlord, we'll get back to you". Never hear a word back.

That's all I ever got when I was renting with them too. The only time I ever got anywhere was when I'd threaten in writing to withhold the rent until xyz was repaired or sorted out, having numerous emails to them being ignored, I had more than enough evidence to justify this. Or I'd need to give them a friendly reminder that the lease/law said this and that the PRTB wouldn't be too happy.

sandin

Useless and Rude staff imo.

Sherry fitzgerald lettings and Frank Sheahan / Cork Homes are both good to deal with.

BanzaiBk

They are ok up until the point where you actually sign anything. If anything goes wrong or you have a query be prepared to be stonewalled.

hufpc8w3adnk65

Was actually in with them looking around a few day's back...Think ill avoid them now!Whats the going rate for a two bed apart or 3 bed house at the mo guys in the City Area?

BillJ

Kellan Narrow Publisher wrote: »

Was actually in with them looking around a few day's back...Think ill avoid them now!Whats the going rate for a two bed apart or 3 bed house at the mo guys in the City Area?

Best avoided MrMac.

For a two bed you'd be looking at 700+ a month. When I was looking anything less than that really wasn't great and you might even have to go up to 900 for something decent. All depends on what you think is decent though, I was used to living the student life for the last four years so your standards might be a bit higher :pac:

hufpc8w3adnk65

Looking into Rose properties now....Any horror storys?

quietsailor

Kellan Narrow Publisher wrote: »

Looking into Rose properties now....Any horror storys?

Unfortunately yes,

The brother rented off them a few years back and he had serious difficulties getting them out to repair problems that were dangerous ie not a squeaking door.

1. The shower kept tripping - your having your shower whenever and the switch trips, unless your prepared half way through your shower to completely dry yourself off - all you can do is go down and reach into the fuseboard and reset the switch. It's not the safest idea to be flicking large power electrical switches when your wet :eek:

2. The seal around the oven door didn't seal and the hinges on the oven door wouldn't close properly so all the heat and cooking smoke escaped - this set off the fire alarm so if you were cooking the fire alarm had to be covered/battery taken out.

Numerous calls to Rose never got it sorted (~3 months as the switch tripped more frequently) until the brother eventually told them he was getting it fixed himself and deducting the cost from the rent. Then and only then did they do anything.

As regards minor repairs around the house and taking care of the exterior - we ended up doing it ourselves as it was just too draining fighting them to get the minor stuff dealt with ie lawn and hedge cutting.

Really though trust no letting or management agency. If your the kind to take care of a house* tell them you want to go around with them and a camera before you sign the lease and make out a proper inventory and snag list. Make sure you take the photos with your camera!

(* = you know the house will look the same at the end as you won't damage it and they can't use the photos then against you when returning the deposit)

If you find problems be very gracious and tell them while your willing to pay the deposit you will hold the rent until the problems are fixed PROPERLY. They won't accept this but it serves them notice that you won't take sh*t from them either.

If they (any agency) try to soft talk you or even bully you into paying rent without the problems being fixed then just walk away. If the're not prepeared to fix the house to get you in at the start they certainly aren't going to fix anything once your in there.

quietsailor

One other thing, go to the Soc forum, Accomodation and Property sub forum and you can read threads about dealing with landlords and agencies, there is a wealth of information there

tweeglitch

Wish i searched up about this crowd first.

Renting from Choices, was hoping to move in today and over the weekend.

Was given a key to the communal door for the block, turns out to be the wrong key.
Was given the number for the lift's keypad, turns out to be the wrong number.
Was given a front door key which broke in the door, it must have already been bent or made of tinfoil.
In the contract there is an emergency number if you find yourself locked out, it seems permanently engaged.

I can not get in.

Something needs to be done about these people.