Aston Fox

Worst experience with the letting agent AstonFox, Eastham......

1. I got my first rent after 4.5 months! Although the agent mentioned that there are various ways in which they take rent, I wasn't clear when they told me about it in a hurried way over the phone before I gave them the contract (although it was mentioned in the contract). After the tenant moved in, they didn't tell this explicitly to me that they will take 2 years commission first and the start giving me the rent. When I asked the agent what if after the 1st year I decide to not rent anymore or the tenant decides to leave as per the break clause, he didn't know and said that it's a tricky question. I will think about it and get back to you. But never got back to me.

2. I was supposed to get my 1st rent after 4 months. But it further got delayed by 45 days due to some issues. But the agent and his colleagues didn't update me timely about what was happening. I had to keep on following up with them as they were not responding to my emails and texts in a timely manner. Eventually, they did respond after I said I will go to the cops, Ombudsman and other agencies. To which he said don't threaten me. I don't work that way. I will block you etc.

3. I got my 2nd rent after a delay of 25 days where I had to chase Aston Fox each day. The major part of this delay was due to the fact that the tenant went for a 3 week holiday without paying the rent.

4. You will be at the mercy of Aston Fox and will have to beg for your own rent and you will get bullying in return.

5. On an average, they used to reply once for every 7 emails sent across over about 14 days. And later stopped replying.

6. The tenant decided to leave and told Aston Fox to get the rent from the deposit protection scheme. Aston Fox called me and told that I would be getting the rent after about 40 days(14 days DPS will wait for the tenant to reply back to them + 14 days to get a no objection certificate from a solicitor + 10 days for something).
My 50 inches TV was missing, new curtains missing, oven was not working because the main on/off switch was broken, the previous tenants had spilled stuff on the carpets and I had to pay for it. Nothing was taken off from the deposit as the tenants didn't pay the last month's rent and left.

7. After the tenant left and a new tenant was to move in, Aston Fox told me that a new contract will needed to be signed. Which was fine but they said that the remaining 1 year agency fees that I had already paid will be forfeited as per the company policy and hence I will have to pay the agent fees again. But they will make sure that it will be less. The total agency fees that I paid them was about £4400. Out of which the 2nd year's fees was £2200. So basically they were saying that £2200 will be forfeited as per company policy!!!!! I'm waiting for them to get back to be with a figure that I need to pay again. As per my calculation it comes to £700. They charged me again for the second year!

8. I was fed up of them and wanted to end the contract as 2 years were complete. However, they hadn't paid £1400 to me since 1 year!!!
Finally after 1 year of following up one day the main manager told me that he is ready to pay that amount however he will deduct £748 from it just because the tenants continued to stay at my property after the contract between me and AstonFox finished after 2 years.

9. I think they are fraudsters. The 2nd year's tenants were promptly paying their rent to AstonFox but AstonFox was not paying it to me.

10. AstonFox initially were not agreeing that the tenants pay the rent directly into my account. They were taking the rent from the tenants and not paying me. So I had to insist and they finally agreed that the tenants paid rent into my account directly. It took them almost 1 year to pay me the rent which the 2nd tenants had paid them. And that too was paid only 25%.

11. This morning when I called their office asking for the last pending £325.60. The receptionist spoke initially and later pretended as if she couldn't hear me and disconnected the phone.

I would definitely NOT recommend AstonFox in Eastham. I hope this helps others to not fall in their trap.

Thank You.