Opinions on Tapton Estates

[Minisprite 10]

[Note: This thread relates to Tapton Estates based in Crookes, Sheffield. All opinions expressed in this thread (and any other) are those of the poster and not necessarily of the forum owners. Please do not infer that you were conned or tricked without providing to us (before posting) hard evidence of such an event. Please do not use words like 'unethical', 'sneaky', etc. Please do not name individual employees of the company. Please ensure that anything you write is as an honest expression of opinion based on true facts and posted as a matter of public interest. If you have any concerns please contact us]

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Have had bad experiences with these landlords/estate agents, as have some friends of mine - rude and unhelpful, badly maintained and expensive properties. Thought I'd pass that on - a year's contract is a big commitment!

[HarrietStar 10]

oh dear that doesn't sound good. We are currently considering a property with them, a 'proffessional let' but with reccomendations like that we're now not sure. Has anyone else had similar experiences with Tapton Estates?

[crystalball 10]

We currently rent a house from Tapton Estates, the house is really nice, rent better than most of my friends, and they have been good, we even got a bottle of wine when we went in at xmas! so not sure what your experience was but they are university registered so can't be that bad!

[little spiky 10]

We rented off them for a year and they were pretty bad. The property was a bit of a state when we first saw it, but they said that they were acting as agents, and had only just acquired it and that they'd sort out a load of stuff, which they never did. Eventually we ended up ringing the Landlord direct. Some stuff got sorted after that, but in general we found them pretty unhelpful, and I don't think I'd rent off them again.

Edited November 24, 2009 by little spiky

[claiireee 10]

I looked at a couple of places with Tapton for next academic year and they were pretty manky. Had the same thing though "we're just an agency, we'll pass your information onto the landlords". My friends also rented with them last year and Tapton claimed they would do work on the summer but it never amounted to anything. I've since walked past the house and looked in and it's exactly the same. They also charged my mate for dirtying the sheets it came with. As soon as they moved in my frined put his own sheets on, when they left he replaced them with Taptons. Hmm.

 

Just be wary is my advice.

[HarrietStar 10]

ok, am definatly in two minds now due to mixed opinions expressed on this thread and via pm (thanks geoff) and I don't know whether to trust them or not. I guess we'll just have to re-view the house and make up our minds based on our own impressions. I'd be interested to hear how tapton respond to this sort of criticism though. Thanks for all the people that gave their opinion

[Tony Ruscoe 10]

Well... I rented a house on Crookesmoor Road through Tapton Estates with 3 friends in my 3rd year at university. I thought that they were really good. So good, in fact, that I'm now renting through them again now - 4 years later!

 

Whilst at university, we got 2 bottles of wine off them for keeping the place clean and tidy, and we got all our deposits back in full!!! (Unlike many of my friends who went with private landlords.) Before we moved in, the house had quite a bit of work done to it and the builders hadn't really cleaned up. We told Tapton Estates and they got it thoroughly cleaned within a few days.

 

Also, they've recently been very helpful and understand when we enquired about us extending our contract for a period of less than 12 months. (Many agents wouldn't even consider this as an option!)

 

It's true what they say about them only being agents. If a house isn't in good condition, they can't just strike it off their books. Let's face it, most students are willing to live in complete shedholes, so if they struck it off their books, some other agent would just get it on his and he'd get the money. (They are running a business after all!)

 

You'll find that all agents have poorly maintained properties on their books somewhere - so just make sure you view the property and think about it properly before you sign anything. (If you don't, you've only got yourself to blame.) Also, don't just assume that all the agents properties will be the same quality. Tell them that you were wanting somewhere a bit nicer and I'm sure they be honest with you!

 

When you move into any property, be sure to tell the agent about anything you thing isn't up to scratch. We gave Tapton Estates 2 sides of A4 paper listing even the smallest of problems so they knew we had reported them (i.e. really small cracks in windows, scuffed wallpaper, etc...). If you do this, they can't charge you when you move out.

 

Still, I can only go off my experiences. But since they're 4 years apart and I still don't have any complaints, I think I'm justified in saying you should have no problems with them providing you're a good tenant!!!

[taptonestate 10]

Hi, in reply to you all, Tapton Estates is now under new management, I have worked there for over 10 years and although a well established company for over 20 years, I wanted to make a difference. I am concerned to hear if you feel you have been poorly treated but i can only hope to improve this in the future, if you would like to assist me with this then i would be pleased to hear from you. Unfortunately i cannot comment on your individual experiences as i do not know the facts..

 

 

With regard to expensive & badly maintained accommodation we offer a full range of accommodation starting as little as £30pw and have often been told that we are cheaper than most. Our most expensive property is a newly refurbished, beautiful flat, brand new everything, double beds in all rooms, i would live there in a second, and only £57pw!!!!it is your choice check out our website (http://www.taptonestates.co.uk (blatent plug,sorry)) decide for yourself if our houses are to expensive & badly maintained.. This week i have in fact insisted a landlord lower his price from £60 to £55 before taking him onto the books.

 

Tony makes some excellent points we do act for different landlords with many different styles, you must look at a variety of accommodation before you decide, each one is different, but we are here to help you if you have any specific requirements.

 

We have, in fact, removed landlords from our books when we felt that tenants safety was being jeapordised, but we do not remove them for simply not having "brand new" furniture because there are lots of students out there wanting that style of affordable housing.

 

Unlike many landlords we allow prospective tenants to view the property with the current tenants, you cannot get a better, more open opinion than that, they have lived in the house and been managed by us so ask them the questions.

When moving into a property we provide paperwork so that you are covered when you leave, and we ask that everything be put in writing, again this is to protect you.

 

So HarrietStar, and anyone else, please go back to the property and ask the questions! Our door is always open for anyone and your comments good or bad welcome, sarah@taptonestates.co.uk) I hope that the new and improved Tapton Estates can be of assistance.

[richard 10]

This is the fourth year I have been with tapton estates. i have found that any essential work is done as quickly as their tradesmen can do, usually that is quick. They installed a new boiler when the old one started playing up and repainted the back door when it started looking grotty. We have an attic room and the stairs were falling in, I told them and the next day someone was sent around to rebuild the staircase.

 

When it comes to more decorative issues they are not so good, there is still bare plaster around the sides of the staircase and the carpet on the stairs doesn't fit properly. Also, the poor person who will be getting this flat when I move out is having to pay £100 more per month than what I am paying, so they are getting more expensive.

 

I have found the staff friendly and professional, I'm leaving because I want a garden to laze in on warm summer evenings.

 

They have a annual support contract with Failsafe and so heating problems don't cost them anything (as far as I can tell) so you should never have to worry about heating if you go with them.

[gembob 10]

DO NOT GO WITH TAPTON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! EVEN IF YOU ARE DESPERATE! I promise that they will screw you over no matter what you do.

First of all, from my own experience, and from reading the posts here, all the houses are dirty and disfunctional. Second, they treat you like sh?t, I assume because we are students.

 

I am at the moment studying abroad, but i had a house with them last year, and i am still waiting for them to return my 250 pounds deposit, even though the contract ended in June. Also, they have informed me they are charging us 150 pounds for a cleaning bill, and also billing us for new beds and desks, the cheek of them i tell you. Anyway my boyfriend phoned up and asked to speak to the billing department and they suddenly changed their minds and said we werent going to be charged for new furniture.

 

When we moved in the house was dirty, the hoover was of course broken (i think this is their trademark), my room was damp, the light in the toilet didnt work, the hedges over the front door were so overgrown that it was very dangerous walking up the gravel path to the door, i fell down the path at least twice, wish I had sued them for it now. I left the house in December cos it was, in my opinion, unliveable in, and the hedges, light and damp were still not sorted.

 

We need to start a proper boycott of tapton. We could seriously affect their business and punish them for all the trouble and worry they have given so many people.

[sheff_minx 10]

Have a look at this thread for my opinions of them.

 

We've had nothing but trouble and the house is so damp that there is water dripping off the walls at times and the wallpaper is all crumbling away.

 

Every time we have reported a problem to them, it has taken several attampts before they will even record it on their "to do" list.

 

To be honest, the only saving grace of Tapton has been Tony - he's been brilliant, often going out of his way to do extra bits and bobs for us and reinforcing our opinion that the house is so damp that it is unhealthy to live in.

 

When a bedroom ceiling fell in recently, Tony came round to have a look and said that he'd told Tapton that this was going to happen several weeks previously but they'd done nothing.

 

File a report on Agentwatch.co.uk to get your experiences heard!!

[Sidh 10]

I have to say that Tapton is not a great estate agency. We had mice on our building for six months, the problem got reported by several tenants, they laid bait (after many babies had been born), but the problem is still there in the top floor apartments. They said that they would seal the holes, but they never did. With winter coming, I am sure the problem will arise again! As others have said it does take many many reminders before they come to do anything and when they come to take care of normal wear and tear they threaten to stick you with the charges! Then you have to threaten them back! Our building has been put under their management in the past year, and I have to say the quality of maintaining the property has seriously gone down hill.