Houseen Reviews 

Would rate 0 stars if possible. I have never experienced a worse letting agent in my 10 years of renting. Failed to sort the correct licences to the flat for the two years we lived there, forcing us to sign a different agreement and drop a flatmate to comply with local laws on the day of moving in or face homelessness. Repeated requests to fix eventually resulted in being told I was using this as a bargaining chip for rent rather than protecting myself and the landlord. Poor correspondence, unless they want money from you, then they don’t leave you alone. Threatened us with a section 21 notice when the RRA was coming in because we weren’t playing ball and committing to much higher rent before they weren’t able to ask. Claimed they did this with the landlord’s permission but we asked the landlord and they had no idea. Overcharged us on leaving the property and took a significant amount of our deposit. Told us we’d face a fine if we didn’t return the keys to their London office, which when we arrived didn’t exist and was in Brighton. I could go on. Just the worst, I don’t think they did one thing right. Landlords and renters avoid.

Absolutely awful experience dealing with Houseen.

A serious leak issue was apparently known about for many months yet was never properly resolved. Instead of taking responsibility and handling the situation professionally, the issue escalated to the point where an occupied property was intentionally left without running water for over 24 hours.

Guests were displaced, bookings had to be cancelled, significant business losses were caused and no alternative accommodation was provided whatsoever.

Communication throughout was incredibly poor, repetitive and avoidant whilst responsibility was constantly pushed elsewhere despite Houseen remaining the only point of contact during an emergency situation involving basic essential services.

As a business operator, this was one of the most stressful and unprofessional property management experiences we have ever dealt with.

Everything has now been formally documented and escalated through legal and formal complaint channels.

I am sharing this to warn students, international tenants, and anyone considering renting in Brighton about my experience with Houseen Lettings.

From the very start of the tenancy, the property had multiple faults, damage, and defective items. All of these issues were clearly reported at move-in with emails, photographs, and videos. Despite being fully informed, Houseen Lettings later attempted to deduct money from our deposit for these same pre-existing issues, as if they had never been reported.

A clear example was the sofa bed. After only six months of normal use, the lowest-quality wooden frame became exposed and the cushioning had completely deteriorated, making it extremely uncomfortable to sit or sleep on. Please note that this was a replacement we were given, and the condition reflected poor quality, not misuse.

The kitchen dining table also began peeling during everyday use. We reported this when it happened and were told it would need replacing, yet it was still included in the deposit deductions later on.

The situation escalated into a long and exhausting dispute. After approximately six months, we were only able to recover our deposit by raising a formal dispute with The Dispute Service Ltd (TDS). We also noticed that the amounts submitted to TDS were higher than those originally communicated to us, which raised serious concerns.

Communication from Houseen Lettings was extremely poor. Our emails often went unanswered, including messages sent through the TDS platform, where responses form part of the legal process. The delays appeared to place pressure on us to accept deductions we did not agree with.

As first-time renters in the UK, we were also asked to pay six months’ rent upfront. Later, during the third month of the tenancy, we were unexpectedly asked to pay the remaining six months in full, despite being previously told our monthly rental period would begin later. Additionally, although our agreement stated that all bills were included, we were later asked to pay for utilities. After seeking legal advice locally, we were informed these requests were incorrect.

After reviewing other public complaints, it became clear that our experience does not appear to be isolated. Taken together — deposit handling, poor-quality furnishings, lack of transparency, and communication issues — this was a deeply stressful experience.

I strongly recommend that anyone considering renting through Houseen Lettings in Brighton proceeds with extreme caution and ensures everything is documented in writing.