Tenancy review for 32 Horwood Close in Headington, Oxford rented from Oliver Brocklehurst

Landlord rating: 1

I would give 0 if I could. After the boiler blew up before Christmas he took 5 days to respond to any of our messages. There was a gas issue and we could see he saw the messages but just didn’t reply back (thank you WhatsApp). It took a formally written email for a response, but even then he didn’t answer our concerns. It took 23 days for a new boiler to be fitted (old one was 30 years old), this is partially to do with Covid however while we got a lot of lip service, blame for lack of temporary heating was placed onto the company covering the boiler. Took 2 weeks for him to come over and get heaters out of the shed out back (which is locked) and again push the blame onto this other company. When we were finally told there was an immersion heater we quickly found out it had been broken for ages (confirmed by the engineer who came later). I then got blamed for framing photos of the heater and the tenant writing emails was accused with threatening and lying (these emails had been checked over by all tenants before being sent). I called the council seeing as when I asked the question “have you got a date booked for someone to fix the immersion heater?” He gave a 10 minute drabble about unrelated past tenants. I asked him again specifying that I wanted a yes or a no and he started to chatter again. So I called the council. Then got a call saying someone was coming over today to fix it. Also told by his FATHER that whoever called the council was going to regret it (this is the short version). On the topic of calls when we were informed of framing photos and lying/threatening, the tenant had been called and had abuse thrown at them. He also has it made up in his head that this tenant has said that the switch for the immersion heater was broken - in fact she said that it didn’t look safe as there was tape over it and the insulation around it had burst. Now all tenants who could move out have moved. My house mate had £85 deducted for blocked drains despite me putting drain cleaner down it before they left (multiple times) and I have £130 taken for “general cleaning”. He has given me a rent refund (and I am currently the only one to receive refunded rent) for the period in which the house was uninhabitable however this £130 has not been specified if it was taken from the deposit or the refunded rent. He has not even given me a breakdown of the deductions which is a legal requirement. Also said internet was included - it was in the contract, on the advert, yet we were paying another tenant for it on top of the rent. Had to fight him to sort it as everyone else was moving out/wouldn’t be there long enough to warrant taking it out under their name which shouldn’t matter because it was in the contract. In my last conversation with him he said we could go to court which I brought up the WiFi again. Apparently him saying that it was a mistake would be enough to solve this. Also wouldn’t accept the videos I had of me cleaning my room saying my room wasn’t satisfactory and the videos wouldn’t matter.
In short the contract doesn’t matter with this guy, he will push blame and responsibility onto others, and won’t listen to you unless you get an authority on your side.

Property rating: 5

Older property, the furnishings are tended to be rather old and worn. The kitchen has an oven which looks like it’s from the 70’s. The carpet in my room was moth eaten and hadn’t been replaced before I moved in. I was fine with this as it was mid Covid and I just wanted a place to live.

Area rating: 7

Lovely area with lots of shops. The park nearby is a nice stroll and there’s a chippy opposite which is a personal favourite.