Martin & Co Oxford Lettings & Estate Agents

GROSS NEGLIGENCE & MANAGEMENT FAILURE: A Warning to Property Owners ON THEIR "LEVEL OF SERVICE": Martin & Co Oxford's actual level of service is allowing vandal tenants to damage properties while looking the other way, sabotaging DPS and TPO procedures, and avoiding accountability. They only assist when it costs them nothing. Their priority is not to deal with serious landlord or tenant issues once a contract is signed, it is to handle only easy tasks and maintain a facade to attract new business. Once they have your money, their level of service goes down the drain. CRITICAL UPDATE: One has to wonder why receiving basic paperwork regarding a tenant's damage (held right inside Martin & Co Oxford's database) requires formal legal steps. If they did nothing wrong, why are they spending time and energy withholding standard invoices? SECOND UPDATE (Reply to MCO's reply below): The Property Ombudsman did not conduct a thorough investigation, nor did Martin & Co Oxford (MCO cannot be judge and party in their own case). Following my SAR (Subject Access Request) to TPO, I obtained evidence that MCO failed to provide TPO with their complete company file. TPO wrote to me that they were "UNABLE" to reach a conclusion. FIRST UPDATE: Director David Rebe has formally refused to provide the renovation invoices and inspection reports for the works carried out at the property before the tenancy (works that MCO supervised on behalf of the former owner). These documents are essential to quantify the damage caused by the tenant and to pursue my claim. Their refusal has caused a direct loss of opportunity. This will be referred to the court. CONTEXT: My experience with MCO (Martin & Co Oxford) resulted in £15,000+ in damages and zero accountability: 1. SYSTEMATIC MANAGEMENT FAILURE: Ignored documented vandalism. After supervising pre-tenancy renovations on behalf of the former owner/landlady, MCO claimed "everything was old" to dodge work after the sitting tenant had vandalised the property. Water-saturated hardwood floors were dismissed by Head of Property Management & Compliance who wrote: “We cannot force a tenant to live in a certain manner.” Also, unauthorised diversion of funds for an unnecessary 4-month boiler service (which they had had installed themselves). 2. SABOTAGE OF DEPOSIT CLAIM (DPS): The agency fundamentally undermined my legal position: - Invalid Inventory: They failed to have the tenant sign the initial inventory. The branch manager claimed this was “not a legal obligation,” which allowed the tenant to dispute the property’s original pristine condition with impunity at the DPS. - Withholding Evidence: They systematically refused to provide the renovation invoices supervised by their own office, which were essential to prove the value of damages in court. 3. CONTRADICTIONS & ILLEGAL OCCUPANCY: Formal complaints revealed a pattern of documented inconsistencies. Senior staff provided three different, contradicting excuses for leaving a critical inspection after only 5 minutes. When challenged with their own emails, they simply ceased communication. Also failed to act on an illegal occupant breaching contract. PROOF ATTACHED (8 technical extracts): a. Boiler report: NO leak (disproves damp excuse) b. Carpenter: confirms 2022 flooring & water damage c. Windows specialist: trickle vents functional d. Management: £9k quote slashed to £3k without site visit e. Email: Director called structural damage "best advice" FINAL VERDICT: MCO sold this property as "pristine," then enabled its destruction. Severe risk to any landlord or buyer. Note to MCO: Defensive replies will be met with further public factual updates.

Mudassar Rana at the Central Oxford Office has provided a first class service to help us sell our apartment, from finding potential buyers to faciitating completion. He is professional, positive and practical in his approach. We highly recommend him.

I found the team at Martin & Co to be very helpful when assisting with my move. Abi and her colleagues were very responsive and easy to deal with. Very easy process!

We are very grateful to Martin & Co, especially Kaycie, Abi, and Hannah, for helping us find a lovely place to live and guiding us through the tenancy process!

Thanks so much to Maz and colleagues at Martin and Co for handling our purchase and sale. Throughout the process, Maz was helpful, calm, and communicative. We really appreciated his proactive response to problems and collaborative approach. Thanks again Maz!

Excellent service from start to finish. I had a great experience working with Martin & Co Oxford Lettings & Estate Agents with the agent Mudassar Rana. They were professional, responsive, and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. Communication was always clear and timely, which made what could have been a stressful experience feel straightforward and manageable. I especially appreciated their attention to detail, efficiency, and proactive approach. They were easy to work with and consistently kept everything on track. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell a property.

Martin & Co Oxford represented by Maz facilitated the smooth sales process of my mother’s flat. Maz introduced us to a very competent law firm and liaised with the buyer to move the process along. We are most grateful for the successful outcome.