James Laurence Estate Agents

Tom, Henry, Karan and the team were fantastic start to finish helping to sell our apartment. Communication was clear, prompt and honest. Would thoroughly recommend.

DO NOT rent through James Laurence – especially at New Hampton Lofts. Our tenancy was plagued by undisclosed property defects, poor management, and an exhausting deposit dispute. The flat had serious issues from day one that were never disclosed: failed window seals and broken vents across large windows, making the apartment freezing (around 10°C in winter) and causing constant condensation and mould. James Laurence dismissed this entirely, advising us to keep windows open and heating on 24/7. Heating is electric and the building forces residents onto commercial electricity rates, resulting in £200+ monthly bills without using heating. Mould caused by condensation was never properly treated, only covered up, despite being repeatedly reported. Communal areas were also problematic. The “secure” car park and post room were repeatedly accessed by non-residents, resulting in car damage and widespread parcel theft. James Laurence consistently redirected responsibility to building management and offered no support. The deposit dispute was the final straw. We paid a £1,125 deposit and, despite leaving the flat clean (with overlapping tenancies and two deep cleans), James Laurence attempted to deduct £640 with no explanation initially. When challenged, they claimed: £270 for cleaning £200 for mould cleaning (despite us reporting it multiple times) £80 for broken bed drawers (also previously reported) £80 for mattress cleaning (we used a protector and topper) Several of these charges are prohibited under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. We disputed the claims, which went to DPS adjudication. After 4 months, the adjudicator dismissed most charges and awarded James Laurence only £243, proving how inflated and unjustified their claims were. Our property manager, Lindsay, was consistently unreachable and dismissive. Ironically, when contacting the landlord directly, he was responsive and helpful, contradicting James Laurence’s repeated excuses. The apartment looks great on paper, but the management is stressful, dismissive, and financially aggressive. Based on our experience, I strongly advise avoiding James Laurence.

From start to finish, Sana coordinates with me very well in finding a tenant. Every step of the process was explained with great clarity. What I appreciated most was the adaptive mindset — no matter the situation, she flexible and proactive to find solutions. Genuinely pleasant to work with.

I have been with James Laurence now for the past couple of years and I cannot recommend them enough. In particular Anita Chow has been incredible - her attention to detail and communication is exceptional. They have made letting my property as hassle free as it possibly can be. Thanks Anita and team!

I’ve had the worst experience since I moved to Birmingham. First, they told me by email that I needed two guarantors because they thought I wasn’t a full‑time employee. That’s fine—I came to England on a contract and a skilled visa. However, my salary and contract should be enough for the rent. I tried to explain the misunderstanding, but they ignored me (I sent the sponsorship details and they didn’t even know the difference between sponsorship and contract; I had to send them the gov-uk page for them to read). Then my company wrote a letter to help explain, and I also sent my contract so they could see, but they kept making comments about my work and disqualifying me. It’s really disrespectful. For a moment I considered staying because the apartment is in the same location as my work, but I decided to choose another apartment to avoid further problems and be treated this way. I’m happy because I found an agency that treats me really well and selected an apartment for £1,300 (whereas the one with James Laurence is £1,100) and doesn’t require a guarantor. Up to now, james laurence request for two guarantors despite my job/contract and salary makes no sense.