EJZ

May 5, 2025

If I could give 0 stars I would!

If I could give 0 stars I would! We rented 36 Hindley Street, Ashton-under-Lyne from R&D for over three years, but our experience was full of issues. Upon moving in, we discovered hidden damage, faulty fixtures, and weren’t shown where the gas meter or electric mains were, leaving us without power. After some effort, we got it working ourselves. Initially, Linda handled our concerns well, but after she left, things worsened. The first winter exposed severe black mould, rapidly spreading behind furniture and damaging wardrobes, sofas, and our clothes. We reported it to Linda, who advised moving furniture, but no further action was taken. Months later, as the mould worsened, I followed up and learned Linda had left, replaced by Jorgina Ashton. From then on, communication was terrible. Jorgina was unhelpful, ignored calls and emails, and promised call-backs that never came. Eventually, we found the cause of the damp: a major roof leak. Water leaked down the wall in the back bedroom, where our son slept, soaking the wall, peeling the wallpaper, and making the room uninhabitable. In the master bedroom, we rearranged for our daughter’s arrival. Shortly after, the ceiling burst with rainwater, ruining the new cot. Each rainstorm felt like a waterfall from the ceiling. Throughout this, Jorgina ignored our calls and emails, offering no help. We contacted Environmental Health, who confirmed the issues and ordered R&D to fix the roof. However, by then, thick black mould covered much of the house, making it hazardous. My family and I were constantly ill, and despite multiple emails asking for mould removal, our calls and emails were still ignored. A young woman from R&D inspected the property, took photos, and promised to follow up on the mould issue, but we never heard from her again. I then escalated to branch manager Wendy Robertson, who blamed us for the mould. She claimed it was caused by our furniture placement and not opening windows in winter—unreasonable given we had a newborn. I asked Wendy about the young inspector, but she claimed the girl had praised her own help, saying she gave advice on cleaning and airing the property. In reality, the girl barely spoke and seemed uncomfortable addressing the mould. Wendy ended the phone call by assuring us that something would eventually be done. Unsurprisingly, nothing ever was. Neil, a new inspector, was the first to show real concern. He thoroughly documented all issues and confirmed our furniture was moved over a foot from the walls, saying any more would be unreasonable. He acknowledged the unacceptable conditions and couldn’t understand why nothing had been done. Unfortunately, he never followed up and soon left the company. The electrics began failing—lights flickered, and using multiple appliances tripped the fuse. Despite repeated emails to Jorgina and Wendy, we were ignored. Then, one Friday, the electricity completely went out. The mains box needed replacing. Ryder and Dutton had removed their emergency line, so when we called the head office, they told us to wait until Monday. When I complained, they hung up on me. We went to social media, and the response was huge. Many people shared their own bad experiences with Ryder and Dutton. By Saturday morning, Wendy called, suddenly eager to fix the electrics. The issue was resolved, but only after we went public. A few months later, we contacted Jorgina again about the mould. Her response? The same excuse: “Move your furniture further.” We reminded her that Neil had already confirmed it was far enough. She then claimed it was because we didn’t shut the kitchen or bathroom doors. It was clear she didn’t care. The bottom floor was open-plan, so there was no kitchen door. The bathroom had a poorly installed sliding door with a big gap, no handle, and couldn’t stay shut. We raised this issue multiple times, but nothing was done. We gave notice and left, only to have R&D try to withhold part of our deposit for a “damaged hob.” When we asked for proof or details, they ignored us. We had to involve the deposit scheme and dispute it. It felt like an endless nightmare. I’d never recommend renting from them and I wouldn't ever consider them for buying a property due to our experience