Subscribe to Channel 4 for more: bit.ly/2v2I6SY Watch the FULL episode on All 4: bit.ly/2UePlXq Comedian Joe Lycett and celebrity guest Liza Tarbuck take on the housing market! #JoeLycett #JoeLycettGotYourBack #Channel4 #All4
Sterling De Vere is really shady. When I was moving a while back, I picked out around 5-7 different ads just from them on Spare Room. I went to their offices and every single one of them had apparently already been rented but they had a room in my budget. The room was located further away from Central London and cost the same as some of the ones they had listed that where closer. It was clearly way smaller than the others and the house was moldy, dirty and in desperate need of repairs. Definitely running a bait and switch scam.
The way these guys tried to intimidate Joe, it was as if they were used to doing it, like it was a habit for them. I reckon If Joe kept digging he would have found Stirling de Verde is a money laundering front.
Marit Ørndal because if they don’t, all the those people ur calling ‘chavs’ will forever be chavs if anything the manager has given them opportunity to earn money and get out of the shit hole areas they’re in.
Holy what? This CEO seems like a genuinely good human being and I am SHOOKETH. The way he interacted with Joe and addressed public concern was honestly so incredible that I kinda wanna use spareroom and I don't even need it :/
Most CEO’s are like that, generally charismatic people. The issue is a bit lower down where VP’s often have to hit targets so will allow agents like Sterling de vere to operate as they bring in both numbers of lettings, cash flow etc. CEO’s don’t micro manage and are often a bit out of the loop. If a person can get in contact with a ceo, with the evidence they have, more will be done than them getting in touch with the customer complaints department
If someone comes out of a children house in the middle of the street and calls you by name, and you’re the ceo of a famous and public company, you really should run
Can you imagine what that CEO must have said to the employees when he got in that day! "Had an interesting chat with a block on the way in this morning.."
@@piersgooderham8674 It became my nickname after I told some friends of mine that the person who invented the sandwich was called "Lord Sandwich". (Which is true btw.)
Spareroom does absolutely nothing about rogue landlords on their website. I have two extremely bad experiences with live in landlords who falsely advertised and were foul & dishonest bullies who stole the deposits given to them. I left both premises due to threatening behaviour. Spare room gave no means to report these fraudulent renters.
Spare rooms don't check anything, lucky Joe only looked into agents on the site. Joe look into the massive amount of unregistered people subletting rooms, loads of them do the same thing as agents.
Fabulous work Joe, I hope your team is well remunerated for following your life threatening instructions. 11 out of 10 to the spare room CEO, he handled that ambush like a champion. That dodgy letting agent will have to go back to selling, low milage, 1 owner Mercedes right offs, down by the High Street.
Spare room is really bad. Me and my partner almost got a flat but it turned out that the landlord was renting it out illegally as it was deemed too dangerous to live in and was due for demolition.
Sterling Devere is right near Langdon Park DLR station. I walk past it almost every single day and I’ve always thought it was a reputatable company! Thanks for showing us otherwise!
that man couldn’t have responded better after being put on the spot, and the follow up was clearly a serious response; holding their hands up, admitting their flaws and solving them
Jesus. Proper dodgy company; homophobic remarks, kidnapping, intimidation. How absolutely disgusting. By contrast, the second chap seemed rather nice. Not to mentioned that he actually made real changes. How refreshing.
What about all the current tenant who rents out the 2nd bedroom in a 2 bed flat for £700 a month. Three quarters of the cost of the entire property. Look for yourself, 1 bedroom in a flatshare £600/700 a month it's a joke. And they pay 100/200 a month. We are in the age of complete scam. Everybody everywhere is trying to scam somebody somewhere. This world is a complete mess
I had a room share with Sterling de vere for 2 and a half years. It was a nightmere. I moved out in late October 2019 and only just got my refund (that was on the 3rd January 2020). They are total wankers. Joe Lycett, this was so funny and so spot on at the sametime, thanks for putting this together 😂😂
The spare room ceo responded properly to joe lycett in my opinion. He was caught off guard and entertained joe (Hugo) and removed the ads from a criminal gang (sterling devere). I think joe got to him and hopefully they learn from being out on blast. Somethings will get overlooked with big companies like this, but hopefully all my friends in the UK will do their own due diligence when trying to rent a property. Your very own 2 peat world war champ across the pond Johnny Banks. P.S. we look forward to making this a three peat. We welcome all challengers
Honestly, by the look of those 'bouncers', I just gotta say that Sterling De Vere is probably just a side hustle front for some real illegal activity. My money's on either money laundering or drugs (or both).
What a mad lad, my absolute favourite comedian because he’s so lit FAM, he’s my G and I bear love his show and tings innit bruv That’s what the kids are saying these days aren’t they?
Roderick storey haha I mean I’m also one of the kids here days, I guess that was my roadman impersonation 😂 also you’re right about “bare” though, I’m ashamed that I used it wrong, I feel like I’ve shamed our generation!! 😔😔😔
Sterling De Vere, if you check the Google rating , it's pretty high, until you check the first 4 names that left the reviews and also what other reviews they left on the platform, you'll soon realise all the people that left reviews for Sterling De Vere also magically visited the same locations and left reviews at the same locations, what a coincidence... that would already put me off, plus what's up with that gangster with the hoodie, that isn't a way to run a business, glad they got fined.
Thought so too. Most would either walk off or deny deny deny. I have a feeling that he saw a gap in the market and believed it would be a positive thing to do for a lot of young people and students. Sadly though his company is flawed but hopefully he is honestly serious about cracking down on this.
I agree. He was really cool about being ambushed. A lot of the companies and people that Joe tackles on this tend to be quite aggressive. But despite being on the way to work, he took the time to have a chat with Joe very amicably about his concerns with lettings agencies taking advantage of his site. The guy did seem surprised and not just giving expected responses to concerns and give empty promises. It does look as if it wasn't raised to his attention until now and he walked into work thinking 'right, how do I sort this out? Let's brainstorm.' I like that Joe didn't accuse him or his company of intentional misdeeds. They may've done, but that wouldn't have been a good approach in getting a company to change their ways.
@@JustAnotherPerson4U from this I would think that he went into making spare rooms for all the right reasons but has found himself slightly out of his depth and needs a bit more help in running the company. It's happened to a lot of down to earth people. Let's hope he goes through with what he promised there. I mean when someone is legit trying to swindle people they wouldn't have reacted the way he did.
Storylover 100%, if he had had a bad reaction it would had hugely impacted the way I view his company, but because he reacted so well i have a positive view of both him and the company as I will always associate SpareRoom with his good attitude. He is a good embassador.
That and Joe is a bloody good journalist, not obnoxious like Matt Allwright. Both take the piss, but the message doesn't get lost under overaggressive investigating.
they are scamming people and they're fully threatening to incite violence on someone. they're jumped up thugs who think they're gangster "I'd get a move on if I were you" might as well be wearing a shirt saying "I'm afraid of how small I am and my sexuality confuses me"
@@nlomas well sometimes with videos like this they just upload a very small portion of what was actually broadcast whereas with this video they uploaded all of it
They refused to return my bond on absolutely no grounds. I was in that exact office and screamed standing on a sofa that it was a scam to all their prospective renters until they agreed to refund me. Worst renting experience of my life. I also phoned the office and had a nice receptionist take my call in the bathroom so she could candidly tell me that it was all a scam and help get my deposit back. I hope they all rot. Scum.
When one of the "letting agents" was getting all up in Joe's face and Joe said he was getting frightened, that was actually SO BAD! Like, the other dude next to the agent had to PHYSICALLY hold the guy back so he didn't touch Joe just because there were cameras about! Scary to think what would've happened if there were no cameras...
Absolute ledge! These agencies are disgusting, never go into an office, if they request that refuse and say you only have time for a viewing as you want to rent immediately. If they still insist on the office they are lying to you. No one would refuse a quick in person sale over a long tedious process so you know the ad is fake or not as it looks like
Take it you've never heard of - Suzie Lamplough? Lettings agents first duty is to their staff and clients. Reputable landlords will be as concerned about the condition of their property at least as much as you, so won't settle for the first chancer to wave a wad of notes under their nose. That's an indicator to walk away and look elsewhere.
@@hlund73 Yes, they will not rent the place to just anyone however reputable agencies have viewings all the time, sometimes with multiple potential clients back-to-back. There is no reason for them to insist on an in offic3 meeting and then a viewing as it also takes up their staff time. Also most rental agreements are made quickly but obviously you have to provide a lot of proof to secure your place (bank statements, employer letters etc). I don't doubt the vetting process or longer agreement times, just agencies that refuse to have you see the property because I've tried 4 of those so far and they will all the same bait and switch scams. One even told my bf to meet him in the office and they will drive to the property, only to (on the same day)say once he came that the property is not available. It's very shady when they don't even have mildly similar properties, which makes you wonder whether the ad was ever truthful.
This makes me so happy I was a victim/customer of Sterling de vere. Mould on the ceiling, aggressive members of staff, broken smoke alarms, refused to replace broken fridge, overcrowded houses and that was only part of it. Thank you Joe and channel 4 you have made my day
Why is that even important. I just think he’s a good comedian. You wouldn’t call someone a straight icon would you. All this lgbt stuff really isnt as exciting as you think. No one really cares who you fancy and that’s the best kind of equality surely.
@@allwrighty100 When the LGBTQI+ community is still discriminated against in everyday life and still at risk of physical harm & even death from haters just for being who they are, it's important for them to have a visible, proud presence to counter this. I like Joe and think he's very entertaining. I don't think you can separate his sexuality from him and I don't think you need to.
"More like your bf got it for you" "You won't be smiling anymore" "I would keep it moving if I were you" Does this criminal justice drop-out closeted security dude think he's in a Guy Richie film or something
Yes... It gives companies the room to react in the way that the company operates. Good companies react well, and bad companies have to change their names to run away from bad press
@@mynameorsutin you know what I mean though just show them their fault and allow them to rectify them. Admittedly, such great faults showed not have been permitted to happen in the first place but Joe has provided a platform where complaints can be heard in a big way on said on a much bigger platform. At the end of the day, it's better than allowing it to go on.
I'm renting atm at sterling De Vere and in my final year of university. I found a flat that was £131pw with bills Inc. Too good to be true. But I went ahead around August 2018 because I'm young, broke and student and rented it. Only to find out that it was infested with rats and inside the kitchen, drawers were all rotten which I didn't see. When I complained they only covered the holes but the family of Rats came back and ate my noodles and my kilo of rice. No lie. So instead of getting the exterminator, they just transferred me into a new flat which I am paying which might be a tactic that was mentioned on the video. Get this. I'm now fast approaching my final weeks before graduation so deadlines and stress levels are high only to get an eviction notice TODAY with 2-month notice. Also, 2 months until I finish university. Are they having a laugh? Never again am I coming here.
@Gunner Storm first of all i understand mouse are common problem but for you to even defend that RATS infestation is a common problem in london is normal when actually it is unhygienic and against the law. I pay for my rent, this is their property, this is the agency's responsibility. Attachment seen below: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/pests_and_vermin_infestations_in_rented_homes Secondly, As they transfered me into another flat, I was willing to pay more to prevent this from happening 190pw to be more exact. I'm trapped with this agency until the one year contract finishes. It was just a weird coincidence that the same day this video has been uploaded, that's when the landlord wants his flat back as he probably seen this and wants nothing to do with the agency.
A lot of Hermes delivery drivers are self employed (I was one for a while). Shocking lack of support from the company, they screw things up and let us take the heat from customers. If I had a penny for every time I received a next day parcel 5 days late, then got the office ringing me asking why I hadn't already delivered it.. smh
Can you look at bait and switch tactics from recruitment firms. They advertise good jobs, then when you go in to get the job they tell you the job role is gone but there are others available. then switch you for a much worse job that you didn't apply for. They take advantage of workers who are desperate for work and lack the english language skills to read the painfully small print.
This. I could tell you a story about workers coming to Canada for school/work and the absolute fuckery that goes on. It’s illegal, immoral and absolutely disgusting. No one will listen. It makes me sick. I stopped working for that company for that and many other reasons.
emelia Bea I’d say him and James Acaster are best of the new comedians, like the ones that are up and coming now, but between established ones, like Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle, Sean lock, Dara O’Brien, David Mitchell, Lee Mack, Hugh and others, he’s really not that good
Thanks Joe! You are my hero! Stirling de Vere are truly awful, went to see some properties with them last year and the same situation as the lady in the vid- properties were completely different to the pictures and the staff were so so so rude when confronted. Renting in London is a joke.
This is the way all companies should respond to critism. It shows Spareroom is a very possive light and I'm sure will give prospective tenants faith in the brand. Let's hope they kept it up.
