Hotblack Desiato

Note: The process hasn’t ended yet so this review may change.
Easy: called to ask about properties. Got a list back. Viewed one I liked. Was advised on how to bid on it by the professional lady who worked for HBD, negotiated the rent and sundries (we went back and forth on the break clause but got there in the end) and got the property.
HBD were helpful and professional throughout. I prefer to deal by email because I’m busy during the day at work, and the agent was prompt and clear throughout.
Their fees are much lower than previous agents I used (Felicity J Lord and Stirling Ackroyd) — so far just a referencing fee of £90.
The thing I like, and which makes me like these agents is that they are proactive and helpful, but don’t speak nonsense. The flat I’m going to rent is good, but has flaws — the agent agreed with me when I pointed them out and suggested ways to fix them (e.g. require the landlord to steam clean the carpets and bathroom). I’ve had previous agents show me horrible flats and pretend they’re amazing. Nothing irritates me more.

Hot Black Desiato meet all the worst stereotype’s of an estate agents. We viewed a flat with them this summer and they were very keen for us to view it as soon as possible. The estate agent turned up late, not hugely but just enough to make you doubt you’d got the right time. It turned out he hadn’t phoned the landlord ahead and that people were actually in the building doing repairs. An awkward time was had by all as we tried to view the flat without disturbing the builders’ progress. The estate agent laughed at my boyfriend’s small talk jokes so loudly you would have though I was going out with Bill Bailey.
In the end we made an offer on the flat and thought it had been accepted– a message on my answering machine said as much. It turned out to be a huge breakdown in communication between various members of staff and the landlord. We tried phoning numerous times to see what was going on but funnily enough our agent was always away from his desk and could only be contacted by email. His manner of asking about our finances was not at all discreet, in fact I found it quite blunt and offensive when he challenged us on how we were ‘actually going to afford this place anyway’. After this we found another lettings company and realised that the whole process didn’t need to be as hard as Hot Black Desiato had made it. To be avoided!