Francislouis Reviews 75

Francis Louis is an awful company. They refused to return my entire deposit. They refused to return money that I overpaid them on a water bill. One of the partners, Adam Friend, threatened me with legal action after I told him that I was filing a claim with DPS and small claims court to have my money returned. After months of headaches dealing with rude, dismissive, and sometimes threatening emails from Adam, he eventually returned my money after receiving notice of the small claims court and DPS claim that I had opened against them.

I would urge any person/student to not use Francis Louis under any circumstances unless they want to risk a similar headache in getting money that is owed to them returned.

For context, the reason Adam Friend gave for the refusal for the return of my deposit was that it was my responsibility to contact the future tenant to send their deposit to me, despite me not knowing the future tenant and despite the fact that it went against the terms of the deposit protection scheme my deposit was held in.

The reason Adam Friend refused the return of my overpaid water bill was that I had paid it late (I had not; I paid it the same day the money was requested), and that Francis Louis was keeping the overpaid money so that it could be paid towards next year's water bill (despite the fact that my tenancy was ending and that I would not be a tenant for next year's water bill).

Do not give business to a company that threatens you with legal action for filing claims for the return of money that is rightfully owed to you.

I had a very poor experience with how a tenancy deposit issue was handled during a change of tenants.

Rather than managing the deposit transfer properly through the appropriate deposit protection process, the situation was left for tenants to resolve financial matters directly between themselves. This created confusion and put unnecessary pressure on incoming tenants to pay funds outside of a clear, documented process.

At one point, there were also demands for additional payment at very short notice, alongside instructions that existing deposit shares would be withheld and reallocated between tenants. From a tenant’s perspective, this lacked transparency and made it unclear how the deposit was actually being held or protected.

Overall, I found the process poorly managed and lacking clarity at a time when clear communication and proper handling of tenancy deposits should have been a priority. Tenants should not be left to navigate deposit transfers without full structure, documentation, and oversight.

I would advise future tenants to ensure they receive full written confirmation of how deposits are being held and transferred before agreeing to any changes.

Francis Louis was very helpful with the process of buying our first home. Tom was really friendly and always kept us informed with anything going on with the process which was great.

We received excellent service and support from Francis Louis to sell our house. For us it was a really personal experience, as we were selling our family home. Adam is knowledgeable, hard working and extremely experienced in this area. But for us the most important quality is his warm and authentic manner. He is very much working for ‘your’ team. He is also backed up by a hard working team who were always available when needed, with particular thanks to Tom. If you’re looking for a personal experience when selling your house I would thoroughly recommend.
Ps. He found us a buyer in less than a week! 😊

We recently sold our home through this estate agency and honestly couldn’t be happier with the service we received from start to finish.

Tom was absolutely fantastic throughout the entire process. He was professional, approachable, and always quick to respond to any questions we had — no matter how small. He kept us fully updated at every stage and made what could have been a stressful experience feel smooth and manageable.

A special thank you as well to Adam, the director, whose support and expertise really stood out. It was clear from the outset that he genuinely cares about his clients and takes pride in delivering a high level of service. His guidance and reassurance gave us complete confidence that we were in safe hands.

The whole team worked incredibly hard to secure a great outcome for us, and we’re so grateful for their dedication and professionalism. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell — an outstanding experience from beginning to end.

Francis Louis have provided me with a fantastic service, once again.

Nothing ever seems to much hassle, and things that crop up, as they always do, are dealt with in a prompt and efficient manner.

All questions/queries are also dealt with promptly and efficiently.

And a huge thank you to Carly, who always seems to go above and beyond.

George

I became a member of the Francis Louis Maintenance team in the summer of 2025. I consistently strive to enhance our service standards and respond swiftly to requests from our tenants.
I genuinely enjoy the challenge and am committed to going the extra mile for our Landlords/Ladies, Tenants, and the Francis Louis team. Challenging but rewarding.

I have just relocated to Exeter and Carly was very helpful in the whole process from viewing to moving in. Great knowledge of the area and quick communication.

Highly recommend Francis Louis, they were brilliant. Carly was extremely helpful had lots of knowledge on the property and made the whole process very smooth.

Carly Hulin was absolutely fantastic throughout my application and move-in process. She was incredibly helpful, supportive, and always quick to respond to any questions I had. Carly made what could have been a stressful experience feel smooth and straightforward, and I genuinely felt supported every step of the way. I couldn’t have asked for better help, and I’m so grateful for everything she did. Highly recommend!

Very impressed with the Francis Louis team. They are very helpful and knowledgeable. As a landlord, I recommend this company for their professionalism and expertise. They are great in responding to any query or request.

had good relalationship with team helped along the sale took longer as had siting tennent but fine result.

This is the worse estate agent I have ever had to deal with. I booked a viewing for my son who is studying at Exeter University. Initially, they looked like they know what they were doing so it was promising. My son arrived 20 min earlier than the allocated time slot, when the agent DIDN’T show on time. My son called and they said to meet at the Tesco opposite the property. Again, no show. When my son called back to see why the delay, he spoke to another agent who told my son that someone is on their way. I then called, and a rude Carly answered saying that she was there for 10 min but my son wasn't there. I explained that my son was advised to wait at Tesco opposite the property, she then hung up on me. My son was waiting for 40 min; Carly did not call my son to establish communication although she had his number and her response to me was, “well why he didn't call”?. He called the agency few times as he didn’t have a direct number. We have a log of the calls. Avoid this agency at any cost. They are a bunch of unprofessional individuals. We had a real interest in the property, but knowing how they behave we are grateful we don't have to deal with these types of lenders. Please note that the positive reviews are coming from buyers or sellers not tenants. RED FLAG !!

Shocking property- unsafe and filthy. Adam Friend is a nasty bully. Ignores serious defects and issues threats, rather than dealing with them. Avoid like the plague!!!!

Have been looking into renting didnt have the first idea what i was doing. Im so thankful for all the helpful information and help im receiving from Jamie can not thank him enough.

We had a really good experience with a really friendly , positive and polite lad who seemed to have all the right answers to the questions I asked we nothing seemed to much trouble ,I'm such his name was Jamie and hope he's gets to here about this

Not long been renting a place but had such a helpful member of staff called Jamie, he helped with any questions I had and was able to get back to me with answers in a timely manner. Very polite and great customer service.

All the staff at Francis Louis are very knowledgeable and real experts in what they do. They made the whole process of renting so easy. Would highly recommend to anyone

We had a great experience renting with francis louis. From viewing to move in communication has been very quick, to even helping us out when we had issues with our moving company

Carly was absolutely brilliant she explained everything clearly in helping to rent our house. She is an asset to the business.