Our Experience as Tenants with Martin & Co Unfortunately, our experience as tenants in a property managed by Martin & Co was disappointing and frustrating overall. Starting with the negatives: One of the major ongoing issues during our tenancy was a persistent fox problem in the garden. Throughout our stay, foxes frequently dug holes, brought in rubbish, and left faeces, making the garden completely unusable. It was clear this was a long-standing issue—evident from the presence of ineffective, low-cost deterrents and corroborated by neighbours who confirmed the landlord had dealt with this before. Martin & Co’s response was to suggest we sprinkle sand, chilli powder, garlic powder, and pour boiling water under the decking where the foxes nested—none of which resolved the problem. We eventually informed them that we would not accept responsibility for any garden damage caused by the foxes. Sadly, this issue left us unable to enjoy the garden space at all. We also experienced mould in the built-in wardrobes, which ruined several items of clothing. The mould was clearly due to poor design—wardrobes placed against a cold external wall, directly in front of a radiator, causing condensation. A simple solution such as installing ventilation grilles was not permitted, so we were left with no option but to keep the wardrobe doors permanently open. Martin & Co’s response was to send us a generic leaflet on managing mould, which felt dismissive and unhelpful. Additionally, we found interactions with one particular staff member, John Frost, to be consistently unprofessional. We requested that communications from third-party contractors be done via email, not WhatsApp. Despite this, John repeatedly insisted that “WhatsApp is a common form of communication” and even told us we’d need to WhatsApp to notify the third parties that our contact preference is email. At one point, our personal number was shared with an unknown international contact, which felt like a violation GDPR. The dismissive attitude and lack of basic customer service skills were incredibly frustrating and made communication unnecessarily difficult. At the end of our tenancy, we returned the property in better condition than when we received it, as confirmed by the checkout report which showed improved scores compared to check-in. Despite this, Martin & Co attempted to withhold £150 of our deposit for a bush that slightly overhung a path—exactly as it had when we moved in—and £20 for light fittings that required a qualified electrician to replace. As tenants, we are not permitted (nor qualified) to carry out electrical work, so this charge felt unreasonable. While they claimed the landlord had made these requests, Martin & Co should help landlords apply some common sense toward fair and reasonable deductions instead of facilitating exploitative predatory practices. Only after we indicated our intent to escalate the matter to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) did they accept a £20 counteroffer, which still felt unjustified. Thankfully, schemes like the TDS exist to help tenants push back against these ludicrous cash grab attempts. On a more positive note: There were a few occasions where maintenance issues—such as the oven wiring melting, the bathroom sink breaking, a leaking kitchen tap, and a loose front doorstep—were addressed promptly. We also appreciated the professionalism and kindness of a couple of staff members, particularly Kerri and Libby, who were polite, helpful, and respectful throughout our interactions. They were a refreshing contrast to the overall experience and are a credit to the team.