I contacted Gradding for assistance in…
I contacted Gradding for assistance in finding suitable accommodation. I was promptly contacted by your team and paid an initial fee of £50 for the service. I clearly communicated that I was looking for a room suitable for a couple, and your team connected me with an individual . After receiving some photos of potential accommodations, I expressed my interest in proceeding. However, they informed me that an additional £50 was required for the second person, despite this never being mentioned earlier. This miscommunication led me to pay the extra amount.
To my dismay, I was later informed that the properties initially shown to me were no longer available. Instead, I was sent photos from SpareRoom website listings, but when I requested specific details such as the postcode, I was repeatedly provided with incomplete information. This pattern of vague communication and lack of transparency continued, causing significant frustration.
One particularly troubling incident occurred when they presented a property listed at £720 per month. After I transferred the payment, he informed me that the actual cost was £820 with bills included. He admitted that he had overlooked the listing details, which clearly stated that the rent was £820 for couples and £720 for single occupancy. This lack of attention to detail and subsequent excuses are unacceptable.
Additionally, your team assured me that a WhatsApp group would be created with the landlord before moving in, allowing me to communicate my requirements. This never happened, and they instructed me not to mention to the landlord that the booking was made through an agency. Furthermore, they delayed providing me with the landlord's contact information until the actual moving date. When my partner contacted the landlord, we were told that we could only stay for one month, contrary to what was promised. They claimed ignorance of this issue, blaming a dispute between the main landlord and the agency. However, the landlord informed me that this was due to issues with the agency itself.
Despite repeated promises, they failed to find a suitable accommodation for me in line with my specified preferences regarding location, rent, and transport facilities. Instead, he offered me properties that did not meet my requirements or were available at a later date. At one point, I found a property myself on SpareRoom for £800 per month, but they later presented the same property for £850, which was both frustrating and unprofessional. When confronted with this, he offered no explanation and pressured me to take the room.
On the day of my move, they finally presented me with a property without providing the necessary details such as the postcode. He only shared a screenshot of a conversation dated 16/08/2024, which was highly unprofessional, especially as this was the day I was supposed to move.
It was clearly stated that I would be entitled to a refund if the agency was unable to meet the service outcome. When I requested a refund due to the consistent failures and poor service, I was met with silence. They then suggested that I refer friends to the service and use the money for them, which is completely inappropriate and nonsensical.
Furthermore, I asked for contact information of a higher authority within your organization to escalate this issue, but neither they nor the team provided any response.
I am deeply dissatisfied with the service provided by Gradding and demand a full refund of the money I paid. Additionally, I expect a proper response to this complaint, addressing all the issues raised.
Note: they keep blocking from social medias