Our Complaints Procedure - How To Register A Complaint

Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients and customers. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.

We will where appropriate, make reasonable adjustments for consumers who might be disadvantaged because of factors such as their age, infirmity, disability, lack of knowledge, lack of linguistic or numeracy ability, economic circumstances, bereavement or do not speak English as a first language.

If you have a complaint, please put it in writing, including as much detail as possible. We will then respond in line with the timeframes set out below (if you feel we have not sought to address your complaints within eight weeks, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Property Ombudsman to consider without our final viewpoint on the matter).

What will happen next?

We will send you written acknowledgment of the receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally be dealt with by the office manager who will review your file and speak to the member of staff who dealt with you. A formal written outcome of our investigation will be sent to you within 15 working days of receipt of the original complaint.
If, at this stage, you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a separate review to take place by a senior member of staff.
We will write to you within 15 working days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final viewpoint on the matter.
If you are still not satisfied with our final viewpoint (or more than 8 weeks has elapsed since the complaint was first made) you can request an independent review from The Property Ombudsman without charge.

The Property Ombudsman

admin@tpos.co.uk

01722 333 306

www.tpos.co.uk

To make a complaint, click this link: Make a Complaint – The Property Ombudsman (tpos.co.uk)

Please note the following:

You will need to submit your complaint to The Property Ombudsman within 12 months from the date of our final viewpoint, including any evidence to support your case.

The Property Ombudsman requires that all complaints are addressed through this in-house complaint procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.

To find out more visit any Samuel Estates branch or call us on 020 8090 9000. Alternatively, you can email our Managing Director, Nicholas Samuel MARLA MNAEA nick@samuelestates.com

Protecting your Deposit

We are a member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme which safeguards your deposit. It also aims to resolve any dispute over the return of your deposit swiftly, inexpensively and impartially.

Further details are available www.tenancydepositscheme.com

Please be aware the landlord may wish to hold and register the deposit themselves. If this is the case, we will advise you accordingly and a provide you with the certificate.

Download our Complaints Procedure here

Your Assurance of Quality Service

We work to deliver best service in everything we do. This includes the support and protection offered by our range of professional memberships.

The Property Ombudsman Scheme

The member agents comply with a Code of Practice which lays down standards of business conduct. The Property Ombudsman provides landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers with a free, independent and impartial complaints resolution process. There is a Code of Practice available in all our offices, and we are happy to provide you with a copy, on request.

Office of Fair Trading

This regulatory body sets out the legal regulations for the estate agents.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA)

ARLA sets out a code of practice for letting and managing properties. It helps us ensure clear and successful arrangements between landlords and tenants and provides a full understanding of the latest regulations. It also includes:

Correct handling and accounting procedures,
A bonded scheme to protect the landlord’s income from letting,
Complaints and disputes procedures,
Clear, practical information for landlords and tenants,
Professional indemnity insurance.

National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)

We are proud to be a fully licensed and regulated member of The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). The NAEA is the UK’s leading professional body for estate agency. Its 10,000 members both in the UK and overseas, are bound by strict rules of conduct to ensure they offer you the highest level of integrity and service. At the same time, the Association’s entry qualification means you can be sure you are dealing with an expert.

Member of the Tenant Deposit Service (TDS) and Deposit Protection Service (DPS)

TDS protects your deposit, ensuring it is returned promptly at the end of tenancy where there is no dispute. It also provides an independent solution, should there be any dispute.

Our latest properties

To Let

Crampton Street, Elephant & Castle, SE17

£2,050/pcm

Bed: 1
Bath: 1
Flat

To Let

St Georges Court, Colliers Wood, SW19

£1,600/pcm

Bed: 1
Bath: 1
Flat

To Let

Cresta House, Alma Street, Luton, LU1

£1,350/pcm

Bed: 1
Bath: 1
Flat

To Let

Rosedene Avenue, Streatham, SW16

£2,750/pcm

Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Terraced House

For Sale

Churchill Lodge, SW16

Guide Price £375,000

Beds: 2
Baths: 2
Flat

What our customers say

Kashyap Desai

Tricky letting agent in Croydon and surrounding. Avoid renting property from this agency. They care for the money and especially for landlords. Once your tenancy contract comes to an end, they will deduct your deposit money upto 60-70% for maintaining the property and raising the property value for the landlord so that they can re-let the same with higher rent. They don't care about tenant, what they see is their incoming rent and commissions.
Jose Souto

We were tenants with Samuel Estates for nine years, and Jade Moeller was our property manager throughout. Her professionalism and consistent willingness to go the extra mile really stood out. She was always quick to respond to the usual small issues that come up when renting, and her communication – whether by phone or email – made us feel genuinely valued as clients.Everything seemed to run smoothly with Jade and the wider Samuel Estates team, which made our long tenancy feel effortless. If you're looking for a letting agency that’s reliable, approachable, and professional, I’d definitely recommend them.
linda tirou

Whitney has been really responsive even if some issues were not taken care as quickly as we would have liked, we always felt listened to.
Antonio Dabraio

We have had a great time as tenants through Samuel Estates. They have always been professional, reasonable and helpful every time we have had an issue.Particularly, I'd like to thank Jade Moeller as a great Property Manager, always helpful and empathic in her approach.I would definitely recommend to rent through Samuel Estates in south west London!
Salomé Bronkhorst

Very satisfied with Luke's help and support. We honestly don't ever have to think or worry about the property - it is brilliantly managed.
Asim Israr

I have used Samuel Estates to fully manage the letting and attempted sale of my buy-to-let in Tooting for a number of years.

Jade Moeller was the person who dealt with all management issues. I have had a number of properties across London, and I can honestly state that she is probably the best managing agent I have dealt with. When I had to completely refurbish my property, including a new roof, she was in full control and managed everything for me. She alone is worth 5-stars!

However, whilst the letting side was flawless, the sales side was anything but. I thought that the sales team would be of the same quality as lettings, how wrong I was!

I decided in January 2024 to put the property up for sale. I was assured by the sales team that it should be marketed at £475k, which I was very happy with. Even though the property was tenanted, I told them that I was keen to sell and wanted to make sure that the price was set to appeal to buyers. After a month went by, there was no offer or even any interest. I was even told that it was probably due to the time of year, and potential buyers might be on holiday.

I was constantly calling them, and I just did not get the same sense of confidence and control of the issues as I did when I would speak to Jade.

I was the one who kept asking them whether the price was right, and if I should reduce it. I felt as though I was more determined to sell than they were.

After a few months of no interest, I felt that the situation simply could not continue. I had a discussion with the lead sales agent, and he told me that I should consider auctioning the property. I was absolutely astonished to hear that remark as effectively he was admitting they could not sell it, that they had failed. A first floor two-bedroomed fully refurbished property near Tooting Broadway station, and yet they could not sell it!

I immediately contacted other estate agents, and they told me that based on what had been advertised, the property should be valued at around £400k. I even had a RICS level 2 survey that came back and confirmed that the value should be £395k.

The inability to be able to properly assess the property, buyers' interest and the wider market meant that I wasted many months needlessly.

In conclusion, the lettings team, managed by Jade Moeller, was excellent and deserve 5 stars. The sales team was a complete failure and get just one star. As a result, I think that a 3-star rating for Samuel Estates as a whole is the only fair assessment.
Ben van Biljon

Poor customer service when renting. Customer service is unreliable and has become worse. Depends on who you deal with. Service improves close to extending your lease, and only if you escalate issues. Genuine problems are not dealt with in a timely way, and is a lack of accountability.
Evi Xu

Excellent service from Luke! He handled my tenancy renewal smoothly and efficiently, ensuring all documents were sent over promptly. Communication was clear and professional throughout, making the entire process stress-free.
Alison

We followed Luke’s recommendation for the lease renewal and the whole process went very smoothly. We are very satisfied with the result and with Luke’s efficient management of the process and communication.
Jessica Stegeman

We have good dealings with Samuel Estates and they are efficient in answering any queries. We have dealt with Luke, the Renewals Coordinator who has been helpful and communicative.