Homewise estate agents in Worthing, Durham and Birmingham

Hello Simon, Thank you for your kind words. I am happy that we were able to help your mum to find her dream retirement property with the Home for Life plan.

Hi Ben, thanks so much for your feedback. We're so happy to have been able to help your mum. Every customer is like family to us and it's great to hear from the loved ones of our customers too. I'll be sure to pass on the message to Hannah as well. Best regards, Danielle

Thank you for your feedback Mr Taylor, although I am sorry to see you were unhappy with the estimate. There may have been a misunderstanding about the Home for Life Plan, so I wanted to reply personally. Through Homewise you can purchase a Lifetime Lease on pretty much any property on the open market, it’s not equity release and can only be used when moving home. With a Lifetime Lease, people aged 60+ can boost their budget and pay a one-off amount (that's always less than the market value) to live rent-free and mortgage-free in a property of their choice. We help many people in different situations, but we understand it may not be the right solution for everyone. For many a boost of £39,000 can mean the difference between a flat or a house, the ideal location or a compromise, a garden, and the extra bedroom they desire, and we’re really proud to help our customers achieve whatever goals they are hoping for. It may not have been discussed when you talked to our team, but did you know you can also create extra savings and do not necessarily have to use all of your current budget to fund your move, if a boost could help you secure the right property? A Lifetime Lease can benefit your current situation but is primarily an option for future security, knowing you could live in the perfect property for 30+ years free from financial burdens. We know it isn’t the perfect choice for everyone and if you’re able to achieve your goals within your current affordability then that is of course the best option for you. I hope this goes some way to explain a little more about how we help people Mr Taylor, and please do contact us directly should you have any questions about how we may be able to help you. Best regards, Jessie

Thank you for your review Sara, although I am sorry to see you’ve not been satisfied with Homewise. We value all feedback from our customers and would like to know more about your experience which has resulted in this 1-star rating. Here at Homewise, we help people aged 60 and over find a home that suits their needs for later in life and save money too. Have you spoken to our team directly? We were unable to find your name in our system, so I wanted to reach out personally to see how we may be of help, or perhaps you have the wrong ‘Homewise’, we are a family-run company based in Worthing, West Sussex. We’ve been helping our customers find the perfect home for over 45 years and pride ourselves on the first-class service we provide. Please do get in touch with us directly if you have any questions or would like to discuss your review further. Kind regards, Jessie

Thank you for your review Joseph, although I am sorry to see you’ve not been satisfied with our service. We value all feedback from our customers and would like to know more about your experience which has resulted in this 1-star rating. Here at Homewise, we help people aged 60 and over find their perfect home and save on the cost. Have you spoken to our team directly? I was unable to find your details so I wanted to respond personally to see how I can help resolve any issue, or perhaps you have the wrong ‘Homewise’, we are a family-run business based in Worthing, West Sussex (UK). We’ve been helping our customers for over 45 years and pride ourselves on the first-class service we provide, with all of our customers give 4-5 star reviews. Please do get in touch with us directly if you have a question or would like to discuss your review further. Kind regards, Danielle

Hi Frances, I wanted to reply personally as there may be a misunderstanding about what we do. We’re a family run business who've been helping people secure the right home for their future for over 45yrs. Our customers (people aged 60+) benefit from the security of finding the perfect home with no rent or mortgage to pay at any time. Our website has lots of information and real customer stories, including an article on common myths (www.homewise.co.uk) which may help explain a little more about us. If you have any questions about our service and how we may help you, please do not hesitate to get in touch directly with our team. Kind Regards, Jessie

Hello Charles We absolutely understand your frustrations regarding your sale. The Homewise team are well versed in dealing with all matters that occur during the final conveyancing stages, as is the nature of selling property in the UK - all sorts of matters can arise. With regards to your property in particular (that our eager customers have their heart set on and are really looking forward to moving to) and the clarification required regarding the dispute of the boundary border (which is standard practice when it comes to conveyancing), this was raised by a solicitor to your solicitor. All solicitor parties (plus Homewise) are actively supporting you with regards to you providing clarification of this matter - which is the only element outstanding preventing exchange, so it would seem you are almost there in the sale process. Our customer has the full support of their dedicated contact here at Homewise, who is working tirelessly to equally support all parties related to your sale, who has (and continues to) extended their efforts to also supporting you too - we are keen to see that this happy ending for all, happens soon. Following clarification of the previous boundary border dispute, we look forward to the news of your exchange and completion! Kind regards Danielle

Hi Lynette, I believe you have been speaking with our Customer Care Team in recent weeks, to gather all the information you require regarding your mother’s Home for Life Plan. I understand you were previously unaware of your mother’s decision to use the plan, when leaving rented accommodation to her current home some years ago. To add further reassurance to you, and others who may be reading this post; we are a family-run business, and our values, ethos, and Code of Practice are at the very core of everything we do. As such, we go to great lengths to ensure that our customer’s interests are protected, which is why many customers choose Homewise. We always encourage anyone considering the Home for Life Plan to involve family throughout the process, so everyone involved is fully informed and happy with the plan, which many do. But of course, we cannot enforce this on those who do not wish to. Also, we do insist that all customers seek independent legal advice. We cannot, and will not, proceed without an independent solicitor who is acting on behalf of the customer, signing a certificate to confirm all parties fully understand the agreement. I understand that at the time, your mother was very clear on the fact that she did not want to use her fund as it was her wish that this was to be left for inheritance, and that staying in the current area was imperative, conducting the search and negotiations on her chosen property herself. The FCA, who we have liaised with transparently and closely, advised that we don’t fall under regulation as a Home for Life Plan is not a financial product (like a loan or other form of lending). We have been helping people aged over 60 move to a property of their choice for almost 50 years, enabling them to live rent and mortgage free. The Home for Life Plan can be set up in many ways to suit the customer as to how they would like to plan for inheritance, either by creating an early inheritance, or by safeguarding up to 50% of the property’s future value. When the property is sold, this percentage equivalent amount of the proceeds of sale are rightfully issued to the customer’s estate as they specified. Of course, this percentage is the decision of each customer, depending on how much importance they place on inheritance. As with any product, there are pros and cons to the plan and of course it’s not for everyone, but for those who we are able to help, it can make a big difference to their living situation and happiness in retirement. I have spoken with the Customer Care Team to ensure they are aware of your feedback here. I know you’re in regular contact looking at the options for your mother’s current and/or future needs, and as always, our Customer Care team are here to help with anything you need. Best regards, Danielle On behalf of Homewise