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Chester, CH1
2/5, 27 Reviews
30% Recommended
60% sales valuation accuracy
100% letting valuation accuracy
25% sales fee satisfaction
75% letting fee satisfaction
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"I would not recommend..."
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1 Star Review
By : 'lauren'
Services : Letting(I am a Tenant)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH4
16 Dec 2012
People found this helpful6
I would not recommend Swetehams to my worst enemy. Any one who is looking to rent a home do NOT use the Chester Swetenhams. My partern and I were looking for a home to rent in chester with our daughter. Our first point of contact with Sweetnams was Amanda from the Chester office who in turn put us in contact with Marie, her superior, who we met to view the property. We inquired as to the charges we would need to pay in terms of admin and the like. We were informed that we would need to pay a reference checking fee of £100 each, a deposit, and first months rent upfront. We were assured that these were the only charges we would be required to pay. We were also told on this viewing that a number of issues we had with the interior and exterior of the house would all be resolved. Amongst these were the tidying of the front and back garden and the removal of the building refuge (including bricks, slates and broken sheets of glass), the tidying of the interior and the finishing of the laminate and the repairing of the back door. We were told that these problems were required to be resolved under the basis that we were obligated to ‘leave the property as we found it'. We were then told we could move in on the 12th of September. This date was confirmed numerous times over the phone in the weeks that ensued. We then began the checks that the agent required. Arrangements were then made with our landlord to make our final day of occupancy the 15th September. As would be expected in these circumstances we hired a van and three family members arranged days off work for the 12th of September. I myself also took a day off work to move. We then began to experience problems with communication and the overall service of the letting agency. We were told several different things on several separate occasions about the same subject. Numerous people would contact us about problems they had carrying out the checks for example, however, each individual that contacted us had a different reason for what the obstacles were. I rang the office on Friday the 7th of September and spoke to Amanda in order to confirm that I would be there to pick up the keys on the morning of the 12th. It was only at this point that I was informed that the landlady was not in the country and that it may not be possible to move in, but that we would be kept abreast of any development. We were also were told that not only may we now not be able to move but that we would now be incurring extra charges. Charges that had never been divulged to us before this time. On the 12th of September we began the move, as we had not been told otherwise by anyone at the agency. I called Sweetnems to say I was on my way and it was only then I was told I would not be able to move in. Amanda told me we could not move in due to the house not being ready and needing to confer with the landlady who was on her honeymoon. I, my partner and most importantly my disabled 2 year old daughter were left homeless. One week later on the 19th of September we were told that the landlady had given her consent and had moved all of her possessions out of the house. We were assured that the property was, at that time, of a standard for us to move in. we were told the property had been checked (which we had paid £80 for) and only discovered this was not the case when Amanda was challenged on the basis that there was no checklist of the fixtures and fittings that had been checked. When we moved in we discovered that none of the afore mentioned issues regarding the condition of the house had been tackled. The back garden was appallingly unsafe (including piles of slate and broken glass), I had a bad incident with a damp and soaked socket in the garage and my daughter (who as previously mentioned is disabled and has trouble walking) fell over some broken raised flooring. The overall condition of the interior was deplorable, the kitchen alone took 7 hours to clean. To make matters even more distasteful all of our problems moving into the property seem to have been avoidable. Speaking to the landlady she informed us that she had no issues with us moving in and that she had already given her consent. She also claimed to have no knowledge of what Amanda or Marie were referring to when they told us she had possessions in the property. The landlady herself appeared to be very upset at the actions of Amanda and Marie. The unnecessary or previously undisclosed charges we have incurred are as follows; additional reference checking fee of £100, property checking fee £80 (which actually was not mentioned up until the day prior to us moving in.), preparation of guarantor deed £80, cost of tenancy agreement £210. As well as these the charge we incurred from the van hire company of £180 as we had nowhere to store our furniture and possessions. This has been a very unfortunate affair and to be frank I and my partner feel we have been mistreated and for want of a better phrase ‘ripped off'. At no point during this process were any of the staff at Sweetnems helpful or informative. Specifically the lack of communication and the lack of professionalism displayed by both Amanda and Marie was shocking. It was primarily their shear ineptitude and incompetence throughout the entirety of the letting process cost me and my family both time and money and resulted in much stress. DO NOT USE SWETENHAMS
What agent could do to change your mind?
This has been a very unfortunate affair and to be frank I and my partner feel we have been mistreated and for want of a better phrase ‘ripped off’. At no point during this process were any of the staff at Sweetnems helpful or informative. Specifically the lack of communication and the lack of professionalism displayed by both Amanda and Marie was shocking. It was primarily their shear ineptitude and incompetence throughout the entirety of the letting process cost me and my family both time and money and resulted in much stress.
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Latest Reviews
Performance Statistics
| Services | Valuation | Fees | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 60.00% | 25% | £120,000 | £215,000 |
| Lettings | 100% | 75% | £600 | £1,200 |
Address
Swetenhams
28 Lower Bridge Street, Chester, Cheshire
CH1 1RS
01244 321321
Services offered
- Sales
- Lettings
- Block Management
- Surveys
- Conveyancing
- Mortgage Advice
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Swetenhams Branches (View All 5)
Terrible ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Jon'
Services : Sales (As a Vendor)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH3
7 May 2024
People found this helpful2
Terrible service, dont do what they say, poor Communication and unacceptable service... Read Full Review
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Poor - their fee is not in ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Andy'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CW6
12 Apr 2022
People found this helpful2
Poor - their fee is not in line with market. It was justified to me on the basis that they offered above average. So far, they have failed to do basic things correctly. Viewings have been arranged without appointments, and can't lift a phone to call back. Would not recommend. The branch... Read Full Review
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Re Swetenhams ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Ellie'
Services : Sales (As a Vendor)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH3
10 Mar 2022
People found this helpful3
Re Swetenhams Chester I can't comment on the lettings team as they seem to have positive reviews but what I can say - if you thinking of selling your house with Swetenhams , please give it some serious consideration . There was one lady called Joanne who was brilliant but unfortunately she... Read Full Review
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By : Andy N
12 Apr 2022Agreed - I wish I had come across this earlier. The service from branch on basic things is simply not...
SELLING ...
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5 Star Review
By : 'BUNGALOW'
Services : Sales (As a Vendor)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
21 Jun 2021
People found this helpful0
INITIALLY FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE CONTACT. THEN EXPERIENCE WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM NOT ONLY FRIENDLY, WELCOMING AND HELPFUL BUT PROACTIVE. ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION PUT TO THEM. VERY SUPPORTIVE WHEN COMPLETING... Read Full Review
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Easy and efficient ...
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5 Star Review
By : 'Esraa'
Services : Letting (As a Tenant)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH4
22 Dec 2020
People found this helpful0
We rented a house with swetenhams , Thayf was so helpful and pleasant from day 1, the viewings were covid safe and easy, he was so efficient and made everything so easy for us I didn't have to worry about the stress of moving out, he was always helpful and informative and answered all of our... Read Full Review
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Go elsewhere ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Tori'
Services : Letting (As a Prospective Landlord/Tenant)
Rent PCM : £1200
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH2
26 Nov 2019
People found this helpful2
This Company manage a rented property next door to our house. The fire alarm has been continually sounding for 6th days. Nobody is living in the property and they have ignored all phone call I have made to ask what action is being taken. If I owned this property, I wouldn’t be happy to... Read Full Review
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Proactive and ...
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5 Star Review
By : 'HOOLE'
Services : Letting (As a Owner)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH2
3 Jun 2019
People found this helpful0
My partner and I were made unintentional landlords in 2018 due to an international relocation opportunity. We decided to enrol the services of Swetenhams Chester branch to find a tenant and manage our property in Chester for the duration of our expatriation. We would like to share our experiences... Read Full Review
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Excellent ...
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5 Star Review
By : 'Sue'
Services : Letting (As a Owner)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH1
12 Dec 2018
People found this helpful0
My property was let within about one month of Swetenham's marketing it. Fraser Purcell at the Chester office did a superb job. My maintenance contact is Mark Dann. He has been extremely efficient and very patient with quite a handful of tenant requests. He has a pragmatic approach for which ... Read Full Review
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Tony ...
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3 Star Review
By : 'Tony'
Services : Letting (As a Owner)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH2
26 Nov 2018
People found this helpful0
I have had significant problems with this agency for a long period of time. In the last six months, however, I have noticed a significant change in their approach to their responsibilities as a letting agent. Whether this is due to a change of 'culture' within the organisation or simply... Read Full Review
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Improving ...
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4 Star Review
By : 'B'
Services : Letting (As a Tenant)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH2
16 Oct 2018
People found this helpful0
I've been renting through Swetenhams in Chester for 5 years now. The property I rent has an excellent landlord who I've struck up a good working relationship with. When I first relocated to Chester, I found the whole process of moving in pretty straight forward and painless. A couple of... Read Full Review
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Great Letting ...
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5 Star Review
By : 'RuthW'
Services : Letting (As a Tenant)
Rent PCM : £1050
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : CH1
16 Oct 2018
People found this helpful1
I have lived in this rented property for a year now, and have had a pleasant experience from the start, so far. The process for contracts and moving in was extremely smooth and easy, and any problem so far- which has been very few, has been dealt with within 24 hours. I have always been responded... Read Full Review
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USELESS ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Andrew'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : SY14
4 Sept 2018
People found this helpful4
A developers point of view here : We initially advertised 2 large executive houses with Swetenhams on an off-plan basis about 18 months ago. They took some initial photographs of the houses when they were shell's and never returned for updated photo's until the first one was finished... Read Full Review
Comments on Agent Fees
I am so convinced that they couldn't sell either of the properties in question that I don't think we'll ever find out what their fees are.
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Horrendous ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Emeraldella'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH4
19 Jul 2018
People found this helpful2
Please avoid this estate agents, they were absolutely horrendous. They have not got a clue. They arranged viewings and never told us, they listed our property on the internet without our approval and with incorrect details, they had several different people visiting our house , valuer, sales... Read Full Review
Comments on Agent Fees
Bad
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Never call you back when you ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Tenant'
Services : Letting (As a Tenant)
Rent PCM : £600
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH4
1 Mar 2018
People found this helpful2
Never call you back when you ask them to, terrible customer service skills, will take you over a month to get a deposit back if renting and they never ever keep you updated. Will happily take your money but once you are no longer a tenant they will ignore and make excuses to not release the... Read Full Review
Comments on Agent Fees
Very bad, tried to charge to renew tenancy for a year long period. We only wanted monthly and was £100+, rent was outrageous for quality of property!
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Appalling service and ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Disgusted'
Services : Sales (As a Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH1
13 Oct 2016
People found this helpful6
Appalling service and attitude. Total incompetence. Lost the keys to the property I purchased and then fabricated a whole story about how the keys had actually been handed over. Liars. Have been left without one single front door key meaning I have to meet family members with the key so they can... Read Full Review
Comments on Agent Fees
Don't pay for the broker service, they do nothing.
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Avoid! Absolute rubbish ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Fed'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : LL12
7 Sept 2016
People found this helpful4
Avoid! Absolute rubbish service. On the market for 18 months, no viewings, no communication. When I phoned up to remove from the market they didn't know who I was, made no effort to ask why I was withdrawing. Very disappointing. Nicholas Bowden promised we wouldn't be abandoned. We were... Read Full Review
Comments on Agent Fees
Agents fees were reduced as we'd previously tried to sell and service was bad. Was told staff had changed.
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Terrible service from day ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Neil'
Services : Sales (As a Vendor)
Sold price : £215000
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH3
10 Dec 2015
People found this helpful4
Terrible service from day one, lies about the package and support they offer, no proactive marketing of the property. 3 viewings were messed up in the space of a couple of weeks. Poor communication and constant lies. I would avoid Swetenhams Chester at all costs as they are unbelievably... Read Full Review
What agent could do to change your mind?
Lied about the fees at first in order to get us on board
Comments on Agent Fees
Lied about the fees at first in order to get us on board
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Arrangement was made for ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Mrs'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH7
28 Jul 2015
People found this helpful6
Arrangement was made for valuation on above property June 2015 for mr Bowden to visit for 11.00am appointment. Waited till 11.30am then phone agents office said he had left. Still failed to turn up, no apology or reason havn,t heard anything... Read Full Review
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I'm going along with ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'Davies'
Services : Sales (Prospective Vendor/Buyer)
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : CH7
5 May 2015
People found this helpful3
I'm going along with everything that anyone else has said about Swetenhams Chester. To say they are diabolically awful is quite an understatement. They claim to be Chester's Premiere Estate Agents – Lord help the rest!! On 27th March 2015 I instructed Adam Palmer of Swetenhams... Read Full Review
What agent could do to change your mind?
They could tell the truth about the service they offer (or don't offer to be exact). They could perhaps make some attempt to keep in touch with their clients. How they can afford to pay their staff I don't know 'cause they know absolutely nothing about selling houses!
Comments on Agent Fees
I had to pay £150.00 for photographs before my house could be marketed. I paid the money, the photographer took the photos but my house has not been marketed by Swetenhams. Can I get my money back??
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I have dealt with Swetenhams ...
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1 Star Review
By : 'nicky01'
Services : Letting (As a Owner)
Would you recommend ? : Yes
1 Apr 2015
People found this helpful1
I have dealt with Swetenhams many times over the years and have they have always rented my house out very quickly and have found great tenants. They are really friendly and go above and beyond to help me with my properties. They also always get me the optimum... Read Full Review
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