Placefirst Avis 

I have just moved into a Placefirst property and have been very impressed with the whole experience from the very start
Special thanks to Mark - Property Services and Niamh for keeping in touch and being on hand for any queries
The move into Welsh Streets could not have gone any better
I see that there are mixed reviews but I have nothing but thanks to the team
Well done

Me and my partner lived at a Placefirst apartment for around 2 years in the North East. The entire time we have had nothing but excellent service from our landlord and the rest of the Placefirst team, with a special thanks to Dave our landlord for everything you have done for us. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

Helpful

As always Dave (Bellinger) came to the rescue when I needed to get in touch with a neighbour who had recently relocated getting me in contact with them asap. Always a helpful friendly face on the estate to brighten your day!

I recently had the pleasure of renting a property through Placefirst and I couldn't be happier with my experience! Booking a viewing was incredibly easy and straightforward, which made the entire process stress-free.

When it came time to do the referencing, all the way to collecting keys, Liz and Sarah were exceptionally friendly and welcoming, making the transition feel seamless. Their warm approach truly set the tone for my new home.

The property itself is simply stunning. Every detail has been finished to a high standard, showcasing beautiful craftsmanship and modern design. It's clear that a lot of thought and care went into creating these homes, and I couldn't be more thrilled to call this place my own.

I highly recommend Place for anyone looking for a new rental—efficient service, friendly staff, and gorgeous properties make it an outstanding choice!

What a great housing provider

I was sad to leave my home in Hartlepool outstanding rental property for any family big or small

I would like to personally thank Dave the local manager who is one of the best housing professionals I’ve ever come across.
Always goes out of his way to not only help but to genuinely take an interest in your day to day

I didn’t have a single issue with anything in the house at all
Will miss living there tbh
Great team great service
5 stars 🌟 doesn’t do it justice

Thanks again
Shaun

Easy tenancy sign up. The PlaceFirst team were really helpful. Would definitely recommend this housing provider. Cheap affordable rent, for a modern home

Very professional briefing , led by Mark Madden from Placefirst , resilient , amazing and very patient in detailing all about the property and related topics , if more than 5 stars is there , for sure I will put it to that place and very efficient professional staff !

Mia has been thorough and lovely throughout our application process and has really set our mood at a happy level.

We moved to a new home few days ago and was welcomed by Mark Madden who took care of us and gave us a welcome bag of gifts. I had more questions to ask and so I asked him yesterday if he could kindly come to the house today. Mark travelled in the snow today, despite working from home, just to answer some questions! I can only respect such character! What a fantastic, good hearted man and what a fantastic representative for Placefirst. Glad we joined them!

I have to say a huge thank you to Resident Manager Sarah who is always helpful. I have been a great experience living in Elevate. Thank you so much.

We can’t thank Liz and Georgia enough for guiding us through the process of renting privately.
From the minute we enquired about the house Liz was brilliant, She understood our situation and helped us with every step of getting our application over the line. This was during the Christmas period too which makes us even more appreciative.
Also a massive thanks to Georgia our Resident services manager who got the house ready and handed over the keys in between Christmas and New year!
This is our first time privately renting and would not hesitate to recommend Place first, It was nice to deal with actual humans and not a chat bot or back and forth emails.
Thanks Liz and Georgia!

The company and their representative, Mark, were very helpful in explaining the house and the rental process, which was straightforward. Mark provided goodie bags for us on moving day and was available to answer any questions we had. He assisted us with any help we needed during our initial days in our new home.
Placefirst takes care not only of the property but also the surrounding area, keeping every corner clean and tidy!

Such a smooth process from start to finish, especially with the help of Liz and Sarah, who both walked us through every step of the way in getting our first property. Honestly the service settled so many nerves. Will use again, especially asking for Liz and Sarah, who were both caring and considerate in their approach.

I've had mixed experiences with Placefirst. While some staff members like Abbeygail and Liz have been fantastic and very helpful, promptly resolving issues and being incredibly supportive, there have been significant property issues as well. For instance, we faced maintenance delays, broken toilets, and recurring alarm problems which weren't fully addressed. On the plus side, the pet-friendly policy and the efforts of building managers like Sarah and Dave to create a comfortable environment are commendable. Overall, it's a solid option with room for improvement.

Placefirst was our home and happy place for the past 2 years. Our in-charge manager Dave was very helpful during our time and issues that cropped up were quickly sorted by him. We lived in a furnished accommodation and Dave was kind enough to let us take most of the furniture with us to our new dwelling. A good experience overall and Dave was instrumental in making it pleasant.
-Thanks Pal and Lakshmi

Excellent prompt service from Mia throughout my application.

I've had some really tough experiences with landlords, but this one takes the cake. I’m not sure where to even start. It’s been a nightmare dealing with stolen property, broken windows, and feeling unsafe in my own home. I've even had strangers wandering around my house in the middle of the night! It was a really stressful situation until I finally moved out. The biggest issue was how unresponsive the landlord was. It was really disappointing and stressful.

It seems like they (PlaceFirst) are more focused on their own financial interests, like insurance claims and maximising profits. While they've installed CCTV, it feels like it's mainly for their benefit rather than ours.

They could really improve the neighbourhood by investing in things that would make us happier, like better security or maintenance.

The home-security systems don't seem to be working as well as they could. They are not monitored 24/7 or implement a fast response mechanism. The bike store is empty for obvious reasons. It would be great to have security guards around or regular patrols, but unfortunately, that's not the case.

It just seems like they're hesitant to spend money on these things.

So, they have had a choice:

Option A: Prioritise the residents' needs and invest in the community. This could lead to happier residents and a stronger sense of community (one of their mottos).

Option B: Wait for others to solve the problems and continue adding to their kitty for their socials and end-of-year bonuses.

Do I need to restate what their approach has been?

They also have some other issues with how they manage things. For example, they say we can live here as long as we want (another of their mottos), but in reality, they chase people to sign yearly contracts months in advance.

They also promise things like well-being facilities and outdoor spaces, but residents cannot even have plants outside their doors. And they won't install a playground or social space because they're worried about vandalism.

Additionally, I’ve heard about issues with getting security deposits back, which is frustrating. It seems like PlaceFirst takes a lot more money out of the deposit than they should, even for normal wear and tear. It is just ridiculous.

While the houses might look nice, I think the stress of living there might not be worth it. Maybe it’s best to look at other options.

I understand that everyone's experience is different, so you might have a different opinion. If you're considering renting from this landlord, I'd recommend doing some extra research. Checking local crime statistics and taking a walk around the neighbourhood to see the security situation firsthand could be helpful. Pay attention to where the security cameras are pointing, as that might give you a clue about the area's safety.
Also, you could try talking to some of the residents. Their perspective might be valuable. If you find that my experience doesn't match up with what others say, I'd be happy to remove this review.

Liz at first place has been so helpful from the initial introduction through to contracts being signed. Always available and happy to help with anything. We had some queries over paying deposits/first months rent and she very quickly resolved them for us and went out of her way to find a solution that worked for us. Everything has been explained throughout and sent over to us super efficiently. Also a friendly, welcoming voice over the other end of the phone when going through a stressful time which makes such a huge difference.

My experience with Placefirst was brilliant. They were very fast and efficient at getting me through the process of securing a property. I rang the lettings team with questions on a few occasions. Mia Kingsley was extremely helpful and informative with what I needed to know and got everything that needed doing completed very quickly

I would recommend PlaceFirst every single time. Abbeygail in particular was absolutely amazing. A few issues with my application but she made it all a success. Went out of her way for everything, reassured me and made me feel at ease. Very rarely you come across individuals like this. Thank you Abbeygail!!!