Tenancy review for 386 Mill Road in Romsey, Cambridge rented from Blossom Stephan rented via Bush Lettings

Landlord rating: 7

We had no communication with the landlord - if they were needed for approving repairs, they seemed to do that fairly quickly.

Agency rating: 4

The agency were usually quick to respond to emails but were never particularly polite - we often felt that we were treated like surly teenagers, rather than young professionals, and regarded with deep distrust. Their customer service left a lot to be desired. On one inspection, they seemed to take issue with the tidiness of the house, rather than the actual condition of the building, which is what the inspection was for. It took a lot of unnecessary backwards and forwards emailing to persuade them to let us put a dishwasher in. They were always very prompt with house inspections and with renegotiating rent (ie putting the prices up) each year. The fees, like everywhere, were extortionate.

Property rating: 5

The downstairs was quite open plan, and there were three bedrooms upstairs (one master bedroom and two tiny others). As an end terrace it was quieter than most houses, though you could hear the neighbours on that side. Most of the house and garden was not particularly well kept - the windows in particular were cracked and stiff, and seemed to let a lot of heat out. The bathroom was prone to mould, as was the master bedroom. There is a lean-to/shed/conservatory around the back of the house which is very useful for drying clothes in, and growing plants. The kitchen is the lightest and most spacious room in the house. We persuaded the agency to install dishwasher plumbing, as we had our own dishwasher to install.

Area rating: 9

The area in general (ie Mill Road) is thriving and vibrant, and very close to the centre. The traffic is awful, but there are lovely back ways to travel into town by bike. There is a cafe opposite, a new mosque, plenty of shops and a giant sainsburys just around the corner. Romsey Lakes and the brook are a very short walk away.