Hi all,

Couple students looking for a flat for September in Edinburgh.
Heard Grant Management is very dodgy, any others to avoid?
Any recommendations?

Ta, Duane.

Friends have used VMH Letting and Hadden Rankin, both got good feedback and good service. Different people had used them as tenants and as Landlords.

hth

any others to avoid

Er, most of them?! I've yet to deal with or hear of a decent agent in Edinburgh, bar turin's recommendation above. The one's I've had the misfortune to use directly (Zone Letting and A B Letting) have been totally illiterate when it comes to tenant's rights and attempt to shaft you for every penny they think they can get away with.

Stay away from Grant Management 🙂 Even though I did get most of my deposit back the flat was rented out with me agreeing for open viewings between certain time, so people would come round and view the flat. Someone rented the flat after that viewing so I got £75 extra, however they charged me for cleaning the flat and some stupid cuttlery and plates that were all there as I checked it £82, so all in I didn't see the extra £75… My other friends, 3 quiet girls, cleaned the flat spotless, somehow Grant Management managed to put 3 people there and make them clean the flat for 4 hours and took over £200 from the girls deposit. Thieves. Plus the flats are bad most of the time.

Next flat was from a private landlord and that was good (found it on Gumtree) worth checking as well but again it can be hit and miss. My other friends had surprise visits from the landlord to check up on them. I on the other hand stayed in the flat for 3 years, saw the landlord twice, everything was always sorted on time and I got my full deposit back no problem.

I recently moved and now I'm renting out from Southside Properties and right now it seems ok after nearly 3 months. Prices are good and they don't charge You with that stupid £200 extra on top of the deposit. No stupid lease agreement like in another agency where I felt like I need to provide them with references from my grandfather or the Queen or something.

Check the internet for any reviews but You may need a bit of luck to find a nice and well priced flat. Check private landlords as this may sometimes be better than renting out from an agency.

Try <http://www.littlejohns.ltd.uk/&gt;

Letting Agents are uniformly dreadful in Edinburgh, you choose the level of incompetence and outrageous fees you are prepared to tolerate.

But having said that, I use Fineholm (as a landlord) and they seem to be quite good. Although they did once re-let the flat without asking me, signed a lease and everything but in their defence I was working away for two weeks so never got the letter. Not sure how they squeezed out of that as I nixed the tenants !

And now I think about it, they did try to charge me as a landlord a £200 "internet fee" when they let the flat, although did back down when I pointed out that I had checked every day and not once did the listing hit their website, they rented to a walk-in within about two hours of it becoming available, which I knew and they knew that I knew as I was in the flat when they came to look.

Ive been a tenant with Zone Letting the Edinburgh office for a couple of years; Ive had such good service from these guys in that time. They are really on the ball extremely reactive to any issues and always return calls promptly. Before that I was with private landlords but I wouldnt do that again. good luck

My brother had good results with Rydens. Not cheap but very good.

Grant Management I’ve had other dealings with, not a company I’d choose to do business with.

Jonno1001, just joined today and first post is biggin up a company someone has slagged off, I smell a fishy

Avoid Dunedin down in davidson mains.
I’ve heard dodgy things when it comes to deposits and repairs!

I’m currently trawling through finding an Edinburgh flat at the moment. Grant only show photos of properties from the outside. From the couple I’ve viewed, this was the best feature.
I’ve had really bad experiences with Alba in the past. I’ve completely ruled them out this time.

Today I viewed three flats. The first was immaculate (but not really suitable for me) through Forth Lettings who were by far and away the most helpful and friendly people I’ve spoken to so far. My circumstances are not straightforward and not everyone is prepared to be helpful. They were moving furniture around and clearing out cupboards for space for my bike.
The last flat I saw was with a private landlord that was so run down it gave me that itchy uncomfortable sensation.

However, the best flat I’ve lived in here was with a private landlord – rent was way cheaper than it should have been too.

With what I’m looking for right now everything is so much of a compromise.

avoid all agencies if you can. Try gumtree. If you have to go thru an agency find out if you can contact the landlord direct.

Email me if you want expensive but nice -0 I know of a great flat going but it wilL not be cheap .

Yeah, Gumtree is good for finding private landlords but I find it disconcerting that so many ads offer neither photos or more than a very loose idea of location. I’m becoming a bit frustrated. Can you tell?

Kunstler, Duane, we have a flat for viewing and rent right now in Musselburgh. Furnished, complete redecoration, secure bike storage…. 2 bedroms…

Its on ESPC website. Contact us through the forum if interested

HTH

I’d be tempted to say all edinburgh landlords are thieves, but to be fair, apart from the outrageous and totally unjustifiable admin fee (£100 each for what exactly?) Albany are pretty good, no major tussles over deposits and relatively approachable.

Dealing with letting agencies does leave me feeling tired and dirty for weeks after though.

I’m a landlord in Edinburgh. I use a company called O’Niellto manage my lets. They are IMO a highly professional outfit. I’ve had excellent service from them them & I’d be astonished if they did’nt extend this to thier tenants. It’s not a one sided picture. I’ve experienced a couple of non payers who have been treated with what I saw as “kid gloves”, although they did eventually have to pay the arrears.

I’d recommend O’Niells.

D.

😳 Ahem, sorry Davesport, I meant to say ‘letting agents are thieves’, not landlords. Dealing privately with landlords has been (on average…) a far more civilised affair.