McGrath Estate Agents Reviews 

Terrible experience with McGrath Estate Agents. Despite an exemplary 5-year history of perfect rent and routine inspections at Mahia Terrace, Kings Beach, their property management was bullying and unjust. They threatened me with eviction over a completely freestanding windbreak on my exclusive-use balcony, ignoring the fact that the property owner had already approved it. They also tried to force me to pay $400 for a cracked window, only backing down and admitting it was pre-existing when I provided the original entry condition report. To top it off, they completely ignored my valid complaints about disruptive 8 PM neighbourhood renovations. Very poor, unprofessional management. Think twice before you get them to manage your rental property.

Our experience with McGrath Bankstown was one of the most stressful and unnecessary tenancy experiences we have ever endured.

For approximately eight months we were without hot water in the kitchen. We also experienced ongoing issues with a faulty cooktop that remained unresolved for months.

During a summer heatwave, our air conditioner failed and was reported as an urgent repair. Despite the circumstances, it took approximately six weeks from the initial report before repairs were approved and carried out.

Despite repeated reports, follow-ups and requests for assistance, many issues remained unresolved until NCAT proceedings were commenced. In our experience, meaningful action only occurred after Tribunal intervention and orders were made.

The situation escalated when a termination notice was issued after we exercised our legal rights and sought repairs through NCAT. NCAT ultimately found that notice to be retaliatory and invalid.

Rather than resolving matters following that decision, a further termination notice was issued while appeal proceedings were still ongoing, resulting in additional hearings, uncertainty, stress and expense.

Communication throughout the tenancy became increasingly difficult. Many emails felt hostile, adversarial and focused on defending positions rather than resolving the underlying maintenance issues. What should have been a professional working relationship steadily deteriorated.

The Tribunal proceedings themselves reflected many of the concerns we experienced. On more than one occasion, representatives for the landlord's side failed to attend scheduled NCAT hearings, resulting in delays and further proceedings. At one hearing, the property manager advised the Tribunal Member that she had attended because she believed it was the final hearing and expected the matter would be dealt with and determined that day.

As tenants, it was difficult to understand why so much time, expense and stress was being incurred when opportunities existed throughout the process to properly engage with the issues and work towards a resolution.

What began as requests for repairs eventually became multiple NCAT applications, hearings, appeals, evidence bundles and legal arguments. By that stage, the relationship had deteriorated to the point where continuing the tenancy was no longer realistic.

After we were forced to move, NCAT awarded compensation for hardship arising from the circumstances we experienced.

One positive outcome is that our matter resulted in the published Appeal Panel decision Kim v O'Hea [2026] NSWCATAP 2, which is publicly available on the NSW Caselaw website. We hope other renters facing prolonged repair failures, retaliatory eviction notices and similar disputes can learn from and benefit from the decision.

Looking back, what stands out most is that this dispute was entirely avoidable. The landlord lost long-term tenants. We were forced to relocate. Multiple NCAT proceedings occurred. Appeals were heard. Compensation was awarded. A published Appeal Panel decision resulted.

Nobody truly won.

In our view, the greatest failure was not simply the repairs themselves. Effective property management should protect the interests of both landlords and tenants. Instead, the management of this tenancy failed both. A tenancy that could have been preserved through communication, timely maintenance and professional engagement instead ended in years of conflict, Tribunal proceedings, hardship compensation and a published Appeal Panel decision.

No tenant should have to spend eight months without kitchen hot water, wait weeks for an urgent air-conditioning repair during a heatwave, rely on Tribunal orders to obtain basic maintenance, or endure repeated legal proceedings simply for asserting their rights.

Date of experience: August 2024 to December 2025.

Ask for payment in advance from John McGrath personally. He is not to be trusted. We installed a vertical garden in his penthouse and he has not paid the final instalment or the first maintenance. We hear that he has not paid other contractors.
Emails, calls to his office go unanswered. Reading other reviews about the company now doesn't surprise me. A company's success is heavily linked to the culture created by its CEO, with research indicating that culture can explain up to 50% of the performance difference between companies in the same industry.

Very average experience with individuals in the property manager group.

Known as the company who don’t answer phones and don’t call back.

Trying to get accurate, timely responses is like pulling teeth. Finding the head of property management (which is an achievement in itself) we found was the only way forward.

In our experience they have little control or influence over landlords, as a tenant you get dragged around behind the back of the vehicle.

We won’t sell, rent or refer in the future.

Our experience with McGrath Estate Agents Parramatta has been nothing short of disgraceful, appalling from start to finish. We discovered sever mould infestation within hours of moving in. Despite reporting these issues immediately and providing clear evidence, the agents did nothing to fix the situation. We were forced to leave the property after just 11 days and arrange our own temporary accommodation because the place was uninhabitable. yet the agency showed no concern, no responsibility, and no urgency to help.
We later had to take the matter to NCAT, where the Tribunal ruled in our favour and awarded compensation for what we went through. Even after that, the agency’s response has been delayed, dismissive, and unprofessional.
Their handling of this situation shows a complete lack of care, communication, and accountability. I would strongly caution anyone against renting through this office or avoid if you are the landlord. If problems arise, expect to be ignored, blamed, and left to fend for yourself. On top of all this, we are still dealing with the landlords who have been extremely difficult throughout this process. McGrath has done nothing to help. Agents in question, Fatme Hallak Property Manager. Emma Shuttleworth Team Leader who took on the case (made no difference). Joel Hollings Sales agent/Partner (two faced, nice to your face. Broken promises). Tamsin Wilson Head of Property Management, did absolutely nothing to help.
If I could rate this with minus, we would.

We could not trust Norwest McGrath and their unprofessional team, Kon Stathopoulos Emma, Tamsin, and Brendan and rest. We were stressed every time following up on things that should just be done by the agency by default. It was one of the most terrible experiences of my life

Unethical. Chose them as agents and they then linked my ex husband to a dodgy loan company called Sure Funder. I froze our mortgage account to prevent this sort of irresponsible lending. By law both owners have to sign, but not with this lot. A loan, without notifying me as co -owner, and payable upon settlement- raise $61 500 without my knowledge. Then went on to produce an invoice to my conveyancing solicitor of $33 000 a couple of hours before settlement, as my ex husband held me to ransom to pay half. Stay away from this company if you are getting divorced - it's a boys club.

Oh dear I have never been a client of McGrath Leasing at North Lakes Brisbane but what a shambles from these Leasing agents. I own and reside in a body corporate complex of 44 townhouses and we have had continuous trouble with tenants in two different townhouses which are very near me. One had numerous people coming and going there at all hours of the day and night with noisy unregistered cars and motorbikes. Fights at 2.45am with glass being smashed where we had to call the police. Suspicious people and blatant drug deals at the front of said premises. I have a security camera as do many residents around here and another of McGrath tenants next door to me a very scary man abused me one day and said my camera was spying on him and I wasn't allowed outside my own house! I reported this to the police and made a statement. Every time I email McGrath North Lakes they usually fail to answer except for one very helpful lady there, I give her the one star rating as she was the only one in the company that cared about how these horrible tenants they installed disturbed our lives for 3 months and made it awful to own a townhouse here. Thankfully these ill chosen tenants seen to have departed. A man in a McGrath marked car was here on Monday and went to said townhouses, he was abrupt when I said hello and his behaviour was suspicious in itself. McGrath North Lakes need to take a hard look at themselves and their choice of some tenants as I do not to denigrate
some of the great tenants we have in our unit complex. The man who was here on Monday is I believe a sales agent with McGrath, so to him I say us owners have taken note of your attitude whilst you were here and when we go to sell ourselves we won't use your services.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

This company is disgraceful. The South Yarra office are the most deceptive people I have met. Especially that Sean Broadbent guy. Stay away

I have a unit in Neutral Bay that is managed by Jessica Barnes at McGrath in Neutral Bay.

I am currently back in the UK for family reasons. Jessica Barnes keeps me informed regarding any issues with my unit.

I would highly recommend McGrath in Neutral Bay.

Veronica

Have been waiting for now 4weeks to get our bond back,and still nothing.
Was told last Thursday we would get a email before the weekend about the bond and still nothing.every time we have gone in to talk about it we just keep getting told the lady is buy's or the they are waiting for the owner of the flat.
Which I find really rude and not baseness right

McGrath Port Stephens
Natalie (Holiday Property Manager) looked after the rental of my holiday unit in Salamander Bay. She was always available and did an excellent job returning a high occupancy rate. After 12 months I decided to sell the unit and once again McGrath did a great job selling the unit for the price I wanted. 10/10.

THE WORST AGENT I'VE EVER DEALT WITH
SHAUN BROADBENT
We are off to VCAT and I am claiming thousands of dollars in compensation for a squalid flat that was uninhabitable on day one.
Email below - Please Read:
Hearing scheduled for R2021958/00 210/243 Franklin Street, MELBOURNE, VIC, 3000

Sean,
As the applicant, you must explain the issues in the application form. I'd hoped you'd have covered this at some point.
You need to send a copy of your application form within seven days of submitting it to VCAT with explanations for each section.
I expect these within the next 48 hours, via email.

All you have provided is three untruthful statements about removing the mould, when you clearly state in writing 'I do not need to attend to these matters'.
And don't forget the metadata on your, again untruthful photos, that clearly state when they were taken - months before I moved in. You also agreed over the phone the flat had not been cleaned at all, which my numerous photos demonstrate. Would you like copies of such data, or do your IT skills reach such a level you can obtain such information?
Based on the section below:

238(1)–premises destroyed or unfit
“...the date which may be the date on which the notice is given or a later date.”
I intend to vacate on 16/11/2020 because the premises are unfit for human habitation, or totally
destroyed, or damaged so much that they are unsafe.

I am legally allowed to end the tenancy immediately; I owe you nothing. Alternatively, to be presented to VCAT are (amongst others):
numerous emails of me trying to get assistance, and your ignorance.
police report of violent threats from Vallos
cost of repairs of electronics due to the flooding you ignored with relevant reports and invoices.
cost of alternate accommodation.
medical evidence of the illness I contracted because of the flat's squalid conditions.
your fraudulent signing of my initials on the inspection report.
professional evidence as to the condition of the flat and strong recommendation I do not reside there given its state of disrepair.
Given the untrustworthy nature of McGrath South Yarra, I will be represented by a solicitor - feel free to ask me for their details. They certainly know yours and your reputation.

The amount currently owing to me, Jonathan Clark, for the damage, alternate accommodation, etc., caused by your numerous errors and breaches, sits at 5412 AUD. Naturally there is more to add to this amount including all rent paid and the entire bond.

This document has also been posted online as a warning to others to avoid your company and allow them to beware of your lack of ethics and due care.

Mc Grath Real Estate Agent Cronulla are incompetent, unprofessional and lie to vendors.
They work for the buyer and not the vendor.
A standard contract is 90 days, but Mc Grath Cronulla manually change contracts to be 90 days from auction date.
After being sacked for incompetence Mc Grath Cronulla refuse to cancel the contract.
I urge any prospective sellers to contact any other Real Estate Agent and never think of using Mc Grath Cronulla!