How to Write the Perfect Landlord Review on Marks Out Of Tenancy

Renting can be a minefield. From broken boilers in the middle of winter to letting agents who vanish the moment your deposit clears, every tenant has a story. The problem? Too often, those stories go untold — leaving the next renter to make the same mistakes.

That’s where Marks Out Of Tenancy comes in. It’s a platform that gives renters a voice: a place to share their experiences of landlords, letting agents, properties, and neighbourhoods. But for our platform to be genuinely useful, reviews need to be honest, balanced, and detailed.

So, if you want your review to help the next tenant (and maybe even encourage landlords to do better), here’s how to write the perfect one.

Why Your Rental Review Matters

Think of your review as part consumer guide, part accountability tool.

• For future tenants: it can be the difference between someone moving into their dream flat or walking straight into a nightmare.
   
• For landlords and agents: fair feedback highlights what they’re doing right, and where they need to step up.
   
• For the bigger picture: reviews collectively push for higher rental standards. When issues are exposed repeatedly, they become harder to ignore.

In short: your experience doesn’t just end when you hand back the keys. It can help shape better renting for everyone.

The Anatomy of a Great Landlord Review

The most helpful reviews tend to follow a loose structure. Here’s what to include.

1. Set the Scene

Start with context.

• How long did you live there?
• What type of property was it (flat, house, HMO, student let)?
• Who was involved (landlord direct or via letting agent)?

This frames your experience so readers can compare it with their own situation.

2. Talk About the Positives

Even if your tenancy was rough, try to find something that worked. Maybe the rent was fair, maybe the landlord was easy to contact, maybe the location was brilliant.

Why bother mentioning the good? Because balanced reviews are taken more seriously. If it’s all doom and gloom, readers might dismiss it as a rant. But if you give credit where it’s due, your criticisms will land harder.

3. Don’t Shy Away from Negatives

This is where your review becomes invaluable. Highlight what went wrong, but do it with specifics.

Instead of: “Maintenance was terrible. Try: “When the boiler broke in January, it took 12 days and four follow-up emails before an engineer arrived. During that time, we had no heating or hot water.”

See the difference? One is frustration, the other is a fact. Facts help future tenants prepare — or avoid.

4. Be Specific With Examples

Details matter. Dates, timelines, outcomes. For example:

• How long did repairs take?
• Did you get your full deposit back?
• Were fees clearly explained?
• Did promises in the listing (furnished, double glazing, parking) match reality?

Concrete examples not only help other tenants but also protect you — they keep your review factual rather than emotional.

5. Reflect on Communication

So much of renting comes down to communication.

• Did the landlord reply promptly?
• Was the letting agent professional or dismissive?
• Did you feel respected as a tenant?

Sometimes a property with a few flaws is made far more bearable by a responsive landlord. Conversely, even a great flat becomes a nightmare if you’re ignored.

6. Give Tips for Future Tenants

This is where your review goes from helpful to gold dust. Imagine advising a friend who’s about to rent the same place. What would you tell them?

• “Check the windows — ours let in draughts.”
• “Make sure the deposit terms are clear.”
• “Ask about how quickly repairs are usually handled.”

These nuggets of wisdom are priceless for people weighing up a rental.

7. Wrap It Up With a Fair Verdict

Finally, tie everything together. Would you rent from this landlord/agent again? Would you recommend the property?

Keep it short and clear, something like:

• “Overall, I’d give them 3 out of 5. The flat was lovely but the letting agent made the experience stressful.”
• “On balance, I wouldn’t rent here again. Too many delays with repairs, even though the rent was reasonable.”

A neat summary helps future tenants make a quick judgment, even if they don’t read the full review.

Staying Within Legal Requirements

When writing your review, it’s important to keep it fair, factual, and legally safe. Marks Out Of Tenancy has clear guidance on what you can and can’t include.

Do:

• Stick to facts and your own experience. Dates of repairs, how long you lived there, whether your deposit was returned — these are all safe to share.
• Frame opinions as personal views. Phrases like “I felt…” or “In my experience…” make it clear you’re sharing your perspective.

Don’t:

• Include private details. Never post your landlord’s phone number or email address.
• Mention unverified allegations. Don’t accuse someone of theft, fraud, or other crimes unless it’s legally proven.
• Be disrespectful. Abusive, threatening, or defamatory language won’t just weaken your review — it could land you in legal trouble.

In short: be honest, be specific, and be respectful. If you write from your own experience and avoid personal attacks, your review will be both powerful and legally sound.

Find out more about what you legally can and can’t write about in a landlord review in our useful guide.

How to Use AI to Write a Review

If you’re not sure how to structure your tenancy review, ChatGPT can help turn your experiences into a clear, balanced write-up. Below are three simple prompts you can copy, paste, and personalise — each designed to make your review on Marks Out Of Tenancy more useful, fair, and easy to read.

1. Structured Review Builder

“Help me write a detailed Marks Out Of Tenancy review. I lived in a [flat/house/HMO] in [city] from [start date] to [end date]. The property was managed by [landlord/letting agent]. Please include: positives (what worked well), negatives (issues I faced with specifics), how responsive communication was, how the deposit was handled, and a fair overall verdict with advice for future tenants.”

2. Balanced Pros & Cons Format

“Write me a Marks Out Of Tenancy review in a pros-and-cons style. I want it to feel balanced, highlighting what went well and what went badly during my tenancy with [landlord/agent]. End with a summary of whether I’d rent with them again and what score I’d give out of 10.”

3. Legal-Safe Review Helper

“Draft a Marks Out Of Tenancy review that stays within legal guidelines: stick to facts I can evidence, frame opinions as personal experience, avoid personal details, and keep the tone respectful. Here are the details I want included: [list your experiences].”

Example Property Review

Here’s how all those elements might look in practice as a good example of a landlord review:

“Lived here for 18 months (Jan 2023–July 2024) in a two-bed flat in Bristol, managed by [XYZ Lettings].

The location was great — close to the city centre but still quiet. Rent was reasonable for the area, and the flat itself was modern and spacious.

Unfortunately, we had recurring damp problems in the bedroom. We reported it three times, and although an engineer was eventually sent, the issue was never fully resolved. In winter, this made the room very cold and musty. The landlord was polite in communication but slow to act — on one occasion, it took nearly three weeks to get a response.

On the plus side, the deposit was returned in full and without dispute, which we appreciated.

Advice for future tenants: ask about heating efficiency and check the windows for draughts. The flat is nice overall, but be prepared for slower maintenance.

Final verdict: 2 out of 5. Good location and fair rent, but ongoing damp issues and slow repairs meant I wouldn’t rent here again.”

Final Thoughts

Leaving a review on Marks Out Of Tenancy isn’t just about sharing your frustrations (though that’s fair game). Done well, it’s about creating a record that:

• Helps future tenants make informed decisions.
• Holds landlords and agents accountable.
• Pushes the rental market to improve.

The perfect review is honest, detailed, and fair. And when lots of tenants contribute, the renting landscape becomes that little bit less uncertain.