Estate Agent Milton Keynes | Chris Durrant

This is by far the most unprofessional agency I’ve dealt with. I left the flat in very good condition,clean and with everything in working order. Yet I received a message saying £250 will be deducted for professional cleaning. Had I known this would happen, I wouldn’t have gone to the effort of cleaning, just for them to come up with a reason to take my money. Over the phone, I was told everything was fine, but the email said otherwise. I would upload photos to show exactly how I left the flat, just to give others a clear picture of how things are handled by this agency. Very disappointing experience, especially with the manager, Joanna Betts.

I generally do not write reviews, but I felt it was important to share my experience with Leaders Lettings to help others make informed decisions. From the outset, the experience was completely unprofessional. I had pre-booked a property viewing and travelled a considerable distance at my own expense (approximately £50 in travel costs), only to be told by the agent (Katie) that the keys she had were not working. As a result, I wasn’t able to view the property I had arranged to see. There was no prior notice, no apology, and no effort made to reschedule promptly. Out of the few properties that I have viewed later, I chose to proceed with one by Leaders. However, I was repeatedly pressured to opt into a £60-70 “No Deposit” scheme, despite politely declining multiple times. Once I made an offer on the property, I was told I’d hear back the same day — but no response came. I had to follow up for three consecutive days with no clarity or consistent communication. Only when I mentioned that I was moving forward with another property did they finally respond. When I received the draft tenancy agreement, I noticed multiple concerning clauses. Several of them were extremely tenant-unfriendly. These included: • Mandatory professional cleaning charges upon exit, regardless of the condition or whether the property was professionally cleaned at the start. • Vague “other charges” clauses, which left room for potentially unlawful deductions. • Clauses that made the tenant responsible for costs like boiler, insurance price surges(for the insurance the landlord is responsible for, not the tenant insurance), which should legally fall under the landlord’s responsibilities. • Ambiguities around deposit deductions, clearly structured in a way that could lead to unjustified financial loss for tenants. In total, there were over a dozen red flags in the agreement. Thankfully, I consulted a solicitor friend who confirmed that many of these terms were legally questionable or potentially outright non-compliant. When I brought up these concerns with the agent, her attitude shifted drastically. She initially introduced herself as “Molly” but later turned out to be someone named Lauren. I was told that if I wanted to proceed, I had to accept the agreement as-is, with no amendments, not even discussions allowed. She even attempted to persuade me to sign the agreement first and “discuss changes later,” (and not agreeing to write an email confirming it) which is a highly unethical and manipulative practice. When I asked about withdrawing without penalty if the changes weren’t made, I was told I could not get my holding deposit back, which again contradicts fair practice. What was most disturbing was the underlying attitude: “If you don’t want it, someone else will — demand is high.” This disregard for tenant rights, coupled with the unwillingness to act in good faith, made it clear that their business model hinges on exploiting people urgently looking for housing. After reading several other reviews, I realised my experience wasn’t unique, many former tenants reported unjustified deposit deductions and similar treatment in google reviews. In summary, I found Leaders Lettings to be deeply unprofessional, rude and dismissive of legal standards, and openly exploitative in their dealings. I strongly urge prospective tenants to read agreements thoroughly, seek legal advice, and approach with caution. Or better steer clear of them completely.

Fantastic choice to go with Leaders in Milton keynes.The service and staff were helpful throughout the moving process. A big thank you to Katie and molly for there exceptional customer service and complete understanding of me and partners needs. Definitely recommend Leaders to anyone.😀👍