If you're a professional I would steer clear of RMA Properties. They have no respect and will treat you like one of their student clients. If you're a student I would also keep well clear. The customer service is appauling, the quality of fixtures and fittings is not up to standard, they will show people around your property 5 months into your 12 month tenancy, staff turnover is very high so you never speak to the same person, staff knowledge & reporting is non-existant, they enter properties without consent and provide poor quality repair/remedial work.
On the plus side, they didn't do the proper financial checks or collect appropriate references. We were new to Oxford & the UK and all other agencies were asking for 6 months rent in advance, so it worked out initially in our favour! Not sure if it was worth the hassle though.
However, if you ever need to deal with RMA Properties, then always check:
Parking with the Parking Shop
Oxford Licensing Applications with the Oxford City Council
Always check with the utility companies that your account has been set up. It will solve a few issues later on when you come to move.
Never trust anything Kate Popiol or Dave Morgan say, we've never met such compulsive liars. There must be a reason for everything they said. Lets hope their new careers allow them to gain respect for people and for Kate to develop some management skills, after all she deserves it!!. But then it could have been part of the job description for RMA Properties.
Always check that you have an out of office contact. Insist that you get this otherwise fire alarms can be a complete nightmare, even if a Property Manager has been assigned (they are not always around).
Always clean your property properly, then it provides no excuse for your deposit to be returned in full!
Be aware that their incompetence could cost you! During a fire alarm a tenant said that their washing machine leaked and caused damage to the floor. They were charged over £150 for this. It was actually down to poor installation! So check for signs of water damage before signing the inventory!
Don't expect any assistance if the post is stolen either, their response will be 'it is expected due to the area'! They just don't care as long as they get their rent money!
Final note: Always check for RMA Properties reviews online before you even contemplate entering into any agreement with them.
We have been with our alternative landlord for a few months now and it has been plain sailing all the way through. Long may it continue!
If you are a professional looking for accommodation to rent in Oxford city, I think you would be best advised to avoid RMA Properties at all costs! This blog represents an insight into actual events that happened over a twelve month period. We are also seeking other tenant stories, so if you've had dealings with RMA Properties we strongly encourage you to contact us or leave a comment!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
RMA Properties Reviews: Check out & Inspection
We received a letter from RMA Properties stating that checkout would happen at 11.30am, without even consulting us. We emailed and advised that this was impractical and easily arranged an alternative time.
When the appointment time came, there was no sign even though in the confirmation it states 'allow ten minutes either side of this time'. After a phone call and 25 minutes the check-out team arrived! This must be something to do with the unfortunate organisation of RMA Properties again.
We were lucky as the full deposit was signed back to us, and our time with RMA Properties came to a thankful close!
When the appointment time came, there was no sign even though in the confirmation it states 'allow ten minutes either side of this time'. After a phone call and 25 minutes the check-out team arrived! This must be something to do with the unfortunate organisation of RMA Properties again.
We were lucky as the full deposit was signed back to us, and our time with RMA Properties came to a thankful close!
RMA Properties Reviews: Staff Turn-over
In our time dealing with RMA Properties the following staff all left: Richard the Office Junior, Dippy Dave, Kate, Simon, & Veronica. Just goes to show what it must be like working for RMA Properties, perhaps the lies and deceit required to rent properties just gets too much!?
RMA Properties Reviews: Viewings
In the rental agreement it states that the landlord will leave you to live in peace. Well this is what has happened through all tenancies we have had, until this one.
We received an email stating that the landlord wanted to show people around our property five months into our tenancy! We called RMA Properties to say that we had a further seven months to go on our agreement and whether they had the right property. We were told that the landlord wanted to show prospective tenants the property.
We were fortunate, as other tenants had scores of people through their properties. One even had there property left completely unlocked all day! There is no respect to existing tenants from RMA Properties!
RMA Properties Reviews: End of Agreement Notice
We received the standard letting stating the landlord was going to take possession of the property, so it was a perfect time to hand in our notice. The RMA representative was a little taken back, and wasn't sure of the next step! RMA Properties is a letting agency! Perhaps she couldn't understand that a catalogue of issues over the previous ten months had forced the situation.
However, what shocked us most was that the representative accepted this. There was no 'are you looking for something else?' or 'can we help you find another property?' - not that we would have taken any offers of help. RMA Properties are in a very comfortable positon where they don't have to worry about client loyalty, because they have a new influx of clients in the form of students every year. So that don't have to manage client relationships during the year, and unfortunately it shows.
We received an email stating that the landlord wanted to show people around our property five months into our tenancy! We called RMA Properties to say that we had a further seven months to go on our agreement and whether they had the right property. We were told that the landlord wanted to show prospective tenants the property.
We were fortunate, as other tenants had scores of people through their properties. One even had there property left completely unlocked all day! There is no respect to existing tenants from RMA Properties!
RMA Properties Reviews: End of Agreement Notice
We received the standard letting stating the landlord was going to take possession of the property, so it was a perfect time to hand in our notice. The RMA representative was a little taken back, and wasn't sure of the next step! RMA Properties is a letting agency! Perhaps she couldn't understand that a catalogue of issues over the previous ten months had forced the situation.
However, what shocked us most was that the representative accepted this. There was no 'are you looking for something else?' or 'can we help you find another property?' - not that we would have taken any offers of help. RMA Properties are in a very comfortable positon where they don't have to worry about client loyalty, because they have a new influx of clients in the form of students every year. So that don't have to manage client relationships during the year, and unfortunately it shows.
RMA Properties Reviews: Fire Alarms
There was a procedure when the alarm sounded everyone would evacuate the building and the Property Manager would be responsible for turning it off and ensuring that everyone was accounted for.
Unfortunately, our best friend Kate found that it was a bit of a bind when the alarm went off. She was either in the shower or in bed, and as she was the alleged Property Manager she would have to run to the office to get the keys. Perhaps someone wasn't really trusted to 'manage' the property, we're surprised she didn't have to phone the landlord to get permission to turn the alarm off!
The first time the alarm went off it took over two hours for it to be turned off. It took three people from the office to check the property for smoke or signs of burning - it was actually the steam from the shower activating the sensor over the bathroom door!
The second time was when Property Manager was in bed. It took some time for her to emerge. The third time was more of the norm, back to two hours again and the fourth was almost two hours again. This was due to the contractor being in Gloucestershire! This is RMA Properties at their finest! They just couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.
Numerous requests for an out-of-hours number were placed, but RMA Properties being as they are were unable to organise themselves to provide that information. It was even suggested to them that tenants could be responsible, but this went to a meeting but probably wasn't discussed.
It was unfortunate during these periods that the residents got together and we always discussed our experiences with RMA Properties. Be assured that the it was a shared experience!
Unfortunately, our best friend Kate found that it was a bit of a bind when the alarm went off. She was either in the shower or in bed, and as she was the alleged Property Manager she would have to run to the office to get the keys. Perhaps someone wasn't really trusted to 'manage' the property, we're surprised she didn't have to phone the landlord to get permission to turn the alarm off!
The first time the alarm went off it took over two hours for it to be turned off. It took three people from the office to check the property for smoke or signs of burning - it was actually the steam from the shower activating the sensor over the bathroom door!
The second time was when Property Manager was in bed. It took some time for her to emerge. The third time was more of the norm, back to two hours again and the fourth was almost two hours again. This was due to the contractor being in Gloucestershire! This is RMA Properties at their finest! They just couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.
Numerous requests for an out-of-hours number were placed, but RMA Properties being as they are were unable to organise themselves to provide that information. It was even suggested to them that tenants could be responsible, but this went to a meeting but probably wasn't discussed.
It was unfortunate during these periods that the residents got together and we always discussed our experiences with RMA Properties. Be assured that the it was a shared experience!
RMA Properties Reviews: Maintenance
Be assured that eventually someome, actually it would probably be Paul & Sonya, will answer a call to come and mend something. They'll tread building muck all the way through your property and probably won't clear up properly after themselves either.
Don't expect the job to be a quality one either. Our shower screen was replaced and to stop that one leaking a good helping of silicone sealant was added to the hinge, which glued it to the top of the bath! Really useful! They've probably got a lot of work on though, hence why the don't talk much either!
Don't expect the job to be a quality one either. Our shower screen was replaced and to stop that one leaking a good helping of silicone sealant was added to the hinge, which glued it to the top of the bath! Really useful! They've probably got a lot of work on though, hence why the don't talk much either!
RMA Properties Reviews: Organisation
You could talk to a different person everytime you called RMA properties, each sounding as brainless as the other. It's almost as if the right hand doesn't speak with the left. On numerous occasions we felt like we were talking to a brick wall in trying to get things organised. There was:
1. Being locked in the property on the first night by the maintenance crew.
2. Placing a heat sensitive fire alarm sensor near the bathroom, which was set off by steam - not the brightest of RMA Properties ideas.
3. Postcode issue, which stops services being provided/supplied to the property.
4. Bin collection, where the bins remained unemptied for three months due to an issue RMA Properties and Oxford City Council.
5. Parking, where the issue was never resolved because the office just couldn't cope and put it in the 'too hard basket'.
6. Fire Alarms, time taken to deactivate, not helped by using a contractor in Gloucestershire or a pretty useless Property Manager who wasn't allowed the deactivation keys, so had to go back to the office.
1. Being locked in the property on the first night by the maintenance crew.
2. Placing a heat sensitive fire alarm sensor near the bathroom, which was set off by steam - not the brightest of RMA Properties ideas.
3. Postcode issue, which stops services being provided/supplied to the property.
4. Bin collection, where the bins remained unemptied for three months due to an issue RMA Properties and Oxford City Council.
5. Parking, where the issue was never resolved because the office just couldn't cope and put it in the 'too hard basket'.
6. Fire Alarms, time taken to deactivate, not helped by using a contractor in Gloucestershire or a pretty useless Property Manager who wasn't allowed the deactivation keys, so had to go back to the office.
RMA Properties Reviews: Communication & Property Access
As a professional we all expect a level of customer service. You won't find it at RMA Properties unfortunately. This is due to a high staff turnover, limited property knowledge, lack of customer satifaction provision and the desperate need to fill properties. All this can lead to a very unsatisfying experience when dealing with RMA Properties at all levels.
Do not expect the required 24 hour notice before RMA Properties access your property. This happen on numerous occasions, here are some examples:
1. Received one missed call on mobile phone, but no message is left. Our friend Kate enters the flat with a set of keys from the office. She a little taken back by my presence there, and states that 'you're hard to get hold of'!
2. Maintenance is done on the outside of the building, however they enter the property, break a lamp and hang a dressing gown on a window handle that neither occupant can reach. A call to the office about this is rebuked with 'no-one accessed your property' - what?!?!
3. Office staff let themselves into your property without notice, but fail to lock the door correctly - easy sign if someone has been in!
4. Receive an email the evening before someone is due to view the property for the next day. Some staff have issues with using a clock to calculate 24 hours and also fail to lock the property properly, invalidating any insurance.
5. Majority of communication is through email, you might be lucky if you receive a call because there is something urgent, however this is not guaranteed!
6. As a professional don't expect all emails to respect your status as a valued client.
Do not expect the required 24 hour notice before RMA Properties access your property. This happen on numerous occasions, here are some examples:
1. Received one missed call on mobile phone, but no message is left. Our friend Kate enters the flat with a set of keys from the office. She a little taken back by my presence there, and states that 'you're hard to get hold of'!
2. Maintenance is done on the outside of the building, however they enter the property, break a lamp and hang a dressing gown on a window handle that neither occupant can reach. A call to the office about this is rebuked with 'no-one accessed your property' - what?!?!
3. Office staff let themselves into your property without notice, but fail to lock the door correctly - easy sign if someone has been in!
4. Receive an email the evening before someone is due to view the property for the next day. Some staff have issues with using a clock to calculate 24 hours and also fail to lock the property properly, invalidating any insurance.
5. Majority of communication is through email, you might be lucky if you receive a call because there is something urgent, however this is not guaranteed!
6. As a professional don't expect all emails to respect your status as a valued client.
RMA Properties Reviews: Fixtures & Fittings
RMA Properties obviously have to do everything to cost. This showed in the quality of the fixtures and fittings. As previously mentioned the bed was just four foot wide. The matress was turned regularly but even so you could see that it had been used and would need to be replaced. The wardrobe and chest of drawers had to be handle carefully - a sure way to claim against your deposit?
The bath had silicone sealant in the bottom, which had been left during installation. The surface of the bath became patchy and worn. The original shower screen leaked and the boxing around the pipes was poorly finished. The single layer of tiles that the Property Manager was so proud was completely useless and should have covered the entire wall! The toilet constantly blocked because the plumbing was incorrect, this was without doing number two's!
The lounge furniture was basic sofa with an inconceivably large glass coffee table. Not sure who thought that a small property could take that size of table. Actually it may have been the Property Manager again - should have been an interior designer Kate! We had to store ours elsewhere due to its size. Do professional really just have a sofa and a large glass coffee table for lounge room furniture? TV dinners anyone?!
The kitchen had a cheap sink & draining board that would mark at the slightest sign of water. The hood extractor didn't actually work correctly, as the fan wasn't connected to the extractor pipe and just blew across the Kitchen. This wasn't even picked up when an electrician accompanied the Property Manager came to check its function. See the Property Manager wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, although compared in the RMA Properties box she may have been!
A lounge window jammed open, it could not be closed and required a plastic bag to be taped to the open aperture. It took a couple of days before RMA Properties to organise the installers to come and rectify the situation. The Property Manager was also present and aksed if this would happen again, the fitter said it would because of the design of the window. Another cost-cutting exercise by RMA Properties and another inconvenience to the client again!
The bath had silicone sealant in the bottom, which had been left during installation. The surface of the bath became patchy and worn. The original shower screen leaked and the boxing around the pipes was poorly finished. The single layer of tiles that the Property Manager was so proud was completely useless and should have covered the entire wall! The toilet constantly blocked because the plumbing was incorrect, this was without doing number two's!
The lounge furniture was basic sofa with an inconceivably large glass coffee table. Not sure who thought that a small property could take that size of table. Actually it may have been the Property Manager again - should have been an interior designer Kate! We had to store ours elsewhere due to its size. Do professional really just have a sofa and a large glass coffee table for lounge room furniture? TV dinners anyone?!
The kitchen had a cheap sink & draining board that would mark at the slightest sign of water. The hood extractor didn't actually work correctly, as the fan wasn't connected to the extractor pipe and just blew across the Kitchen. This wasn't even picked up when an electrician accompanied the Property Manager came to check its function. See the Property Manager wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, although compared in the RMA Properties box she may have been!
A lounge window jammed open, it could not be closed and required a plastic bag to be taped to the open aperture. It took a couple of days before RMA Properties to organise the installers to come and rectify the situation. The Property Manager was also present and aksed if this would happen again, the fitter said it would because of the design of the window. Another cost-cutting exercise by RMA Properties and another inconvenience to the client again!
RMA Properties Reviews: Utilities & Services
Setting up the utilities was taken over by RMA Properties, who said that they would contact all the suppliers to ensure that the accounts were set up. We had issues with setting up the telephone, as the property's postcode was not recognised. It turned out that RMA Properties had not filled out the correct paperwork and activated the postcode. This caused a further two week delay while this went through. We assumed that the utility accounts also had issues, as the Gas account was never arranged by RMA Properties.
This shows how disorganised the office is, with the alleged Property Manager unable to cope with simple requests. Her response the majority of the time was 'I'll speak with the landlord', 'But you're the Property Manager! (Oh, that doesn't really mean anything does it!)'.
This shows how disorganised the office is, with the alleged Property Manager unable to cope with simple requests. Her response the majority of the time was 'I'll speak with the landlord', 'But you're the Property Manager! (Oh, that doesn't really mean anything does it!)'.
RMA Properties Reviews: Parking & Planning
Within a couple of days of signing the agreement it came to our attention that our property wasn't part of the residents parking scheme after speaking with the kind people at the Parking Shop and Planning Department. So we had been lied to by three different people within RMA Properties; Richard, the Office Junior, Kate & Dippy Dave. A number of telephone calls and emails requesting assistance with parking fell on deaf ears. We got 'I'll talk to the landlord' and never heard anything about it again. Some time after we realised that we weren't the only ones to be lied to, as three other tenants had also been advised that their properties came with parking.
It turns out speaking with the Parking Shop and Planning Department that RMA Properties did actually have the opportunity to keep the parking permits, which were assigned to the original property. However, probably due to laziness and cost failed to do this, which would have made the property a bit more attractive and won't have required staff to lie.
A search of Oxford Licensing Applications revealed that the commercial 'office' had a licensing application pending. From this point forward bullshit deflectors were required with every conversation.
It turns out speaking with the Parking Shop and Planning Department that RMA Properties did actually have the opportunity to keep the parking permits, which were assigned to the original property. However, probably due to laziness and cost failed to do this, which would have made the property a bit more attractive and won't have required staff to lie.
A search of Oxford Licensing Applications revealed that the commercial 'office' had a licensing application pending. From this point forward bullshit deflectors were required with every conversation.
RMA Properties Reviews: Check In
Looking back this happened two, three may be four weeks too early as the property was not finished. We had no curtains, the bathroom had no storage, dodgy electrics and the shower leaked, there was no post box, there weren't even any rubbish bins.
However the Property Manager was very happy to inform us that an extra layer of tiles had been added at the end of the bath. She was also very excited as she had chosen the colour of the blinds and curtains!
Our 'furnished' property didn't have a sofa or table as listed on the inventory. The bedroom furniture was the cheapest stuff that could be found and any proper use would return it to it's cardboard origins. The bed was described as a 'double', it wasn't a standard double it was a 4' wide double, just 6 inches wider than a single. All this in a property marketed at professionals! It was also absolutely filthy from the building works!!
Our concern grew when we went to the office to collect the post box key, which had been finally been secured in place. We noticed that the administrator's desk was covered in Deposit Dispute forms. We wen't sure whether to put this down to the type of clientele RMA Properties actually specialise in or this was something for the Christmas Party fund.
However the Property Manager was very happy to inform us that an extra layer of tiles had been added at the end of the bath. She was also very excited as she had chosen the colour of the blinds and curtains!
Our 'furnished' property didn't have a sofa or table as listed on the inventory. The bedroom furniture was the cheapest stuff that could be found and any proper use would return it to it's cardboard origins. The bed was described as a 'double', it wasn't a standard double it was a 4' wide double, just 6 inches wider than a single. All this in a property marketed at professionals! It was also absolutely filthy from the building works!!
Our concern grew when we went to the office to collect the post box key, which had been finally been secured in place. We noticed that the administrator's desk was covered in Deposit Dispute forms. We wen't sure whether to put this down to the type of clientele RMA Properties actually specialise in or this was something for the Christmas Party fund.
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