Trusted Agent profile · Essex
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★★★★★
908 reviews across 3 offices and 2 platforms
Williams and Donovan has three offices, in Benfleet and Hockley (two offices) (Essex). Together they have 908 reviews on two platforms, rated 4.9 out of 5 overall.
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Williams and Donovan's three offices, most reviewed first. Each has its own page.
The Trusted Agent 2026 results for Williams and Donovan, ranked against 18,569 UK estate agent offices. Each award is assessed separately from the review sites.
Williams and Donovan is among EA Masters 2026 winners.
EA Masters winners in four years, the group and its branches: 2026, 2022, 2020, 2019.
2022 3 Gold across three branches EA Masters 2022 winners
2020 1 award EA Masters 2020 winners
2019 1 award EA Masters 2019 winners
Source: Best Estate Agent Guide 2027 results, as published. Earlier years link to each year's list.
Williams and Donovan and its branches won ESTAS awards in one year, most recently 2017.
ESTAS winners in one year, the group and its branches: 2017.
2017 1 Gold ESTAS 2017 winners
Source: ESTAS winners lists, as published, linked by year.
Williams and Donovan and its branches won The Negotiator Awards in one year, most recently 2021.
Negotiator Awards winners in one year, the group and its branches: 2021.
2021 1 Bronze The Negotiator Awards 2021 winners
Source: The Negotiator Awards winners lists, as published, linked by year.
Showing 503 reviews on Google only. Show every review
5/5
GoogleWould have given 6 stars if we could have due to all staff being extremely professional, helpful & very obliging which made our lives a lot simpler when it came to selling our family home. We couldn't be more happier :-) Thank you once again to everyone at Williams & Donovan
5/5
GoogleWe would highly recommend Williams & Donovan. All of the staff were friendly and helpful, and they kept us regularly updated and provided a prompt response to any of our queries. We were also given flowers on completion, which was a nice touch.
5/5
GoogleSuperb experience buying our new home through Williams & Donovan, from the moment we first viewed the house right through to completion the guidance and advice given made the whole process as stress free as possible. They went above and beyond for us on many occasion and we will be eternally grateful.
5/5
GoogleI have been dealing with Paul for a purchase through W&D and he has been an absolute pleasure to deal with, keeping me informed along every step of the way and working tirelessly - chasing the chain/solicitors in both directions!. Absolute professionalism from start to finish. Will not hesitate to recommend and will certainly be using them to sell my property (when the time comes!)
5/5
GoogleFirst Class Service. Williams & Donovan's provided us with an excellent friendly service from start to the final process of selling our property. Kept us updated throughout the varies stages of the sale ensuring things ran smoothly as possible in what can sometimes be a fraught experience. Efficient and professional team. Would highly recommend for anyone wishing to sell their property .
5/5
GoogleWilliams & Donovan Benfleet were fantastic from marketing through to sale. Upon making an initial enquiry I had Darren around the house, we agreed to market and it was published within 24hrs. They were able to get us many appointments & we had a sale within 2 weeks. Cannot fault anything. The team there are fantastic and come thoroughly recommended if you're looking to buy/sell a home in the Benfleet area.
5/5
GoogleWe were very happy with the overall service we received from Darren & Lloyd at Williams and Donovan Benfleet. Selling our house was very stressful due to other parties, but both Darren and Lloyd did their utmost best to alleviate this. We got there in the end and are now very happy in our new home. We would highly recommend their services.
5/5
GoogleI would like to thank the all team at Williams and Donovan (Hockley Branch) especially Paul and Denise who were very fantastic and professional! During the all process, they remained calm and kept their professionalism at all time, Information was clear throughout the all process. They also helped in finding me a new property and clearly understood my requirements. They have gone above and beyond. Thank you so much and well done to the all team!
5/5
GoogleWe have just purchased our first home and we have to say Williams and Donovan have been fantastic! Paul has been absolutely brilliant, chasing our sellers solicitors, keeping us informed and being a genuinely lovely man! He has gone above and beyond for us the whole way through and we cannot thank him enough for his efforts! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and Paul to anyone! Paul if you see this pop round for a cuppa you'd be more than welcome!
5/5
GoogleVery professional with both letting and selling. Great helpful service!
5/5
GooglePaul is very knowledgeable and is always available to answer any questions on sales and lettings.
5/5
GoogleSimply the best estate agent without any doubt, quite superb in every way
5/5
GoogleRating only, no written review.
5/5
GoogleWe found Williams and Donovan to be professional and courteous at all times. Would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them to anyone. What they promised they delivered. Ron and Helen S
5/5
GoogleNothing is too much trouble for the staff. Excellent service, efficient and good value for money
5/5
GoogleAll the staff were very professional, friendly, and helpful from start to finish. They kept us updated with progress at all times which helped to make selling the house a lot less stressful. We would highly recommend them.
5/5
GoogleMy partner and I have recently purchased our first house through Williams and Donovan’s Benfleet. We can’t thank everyone at Williams and Donovan’s Benfleet enough, inparticular Jo Jones as she provided guidance and regularly kept us updated throughout the process. I’d also like to thank Dean Neagen for his advice when completing our mortgage application, providing sound advice throughout. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Williams and Donovan’s, and if you decide to visit make sure you speak to Jo Jones and Dean Neagen 🙂
5/5
GoogleI had dealings with this estate agent when buying a property these were the sellers agent. I found them easy to speak to and they clearly work extremely hard for their money; I would definitely use them if I were in a position to sell again and would happily recommend them to my family and friends.
Lynn thankyou so much for taking the time to post a positive review about us. I am proud of my team and the ultimate accolade is from a buyer who has also received great service from us. Wishing you all the best in your new home. Ian Williams
4/5
GoogleI think they handled the sale of my Bungalow very well, always kept me up to date with the progress, I would recommend them.
Kevin thank you for taking the time to post a review and thank you for choosing Williams and Donovan to sell your bungalow. Ian Williams
5/5
GoogleHad a really easy experience buying my first home. Kept us updated every step of the way, really friendly and personable staff.
5/5
GoogleRating only, no written review.
5/5
GoogleSuperb, professional service from the beginning to the end of the process. A usually stressful time made easier by a calm, friendly and efficient team. We had no problems at all which I am sure is due to the team at Williams & Donovan keeping on track of every stage. Thank you. I would definitely recommend your company.
5/5
GoogleWhere do I start? I truly could write the longest post ever here such was the relationship I ended up building with Williams & Donovan. I first engaged them in January 2014. Although they were the new agent in my town (Benfleet), I was very confident in using them given the excellent reputation their office in Hockley had built over the years. I wasn't particularly impressed with my conversations with both a National Agent in my town, nor another Independent Agent, so I made Williams and Donavan my choice. Ian Williams came to my house in the first instance to discuss valuations. He was clearly very proud of his Company, showing independent statistics demonstrating their success; this gave me greater confidence in my choice. Ian and I agreed on an initial sale price - this was a mutually agreed figure indicative of the current market and in conjunction with my ideas and desires too. Within hours of Ian’s visit, my property was marketed with exceptional attention to detail in both description and photography too, both in paper format and via the internet. I found all of the staff in the Benfleet office tremendously helpful. We would speak at least a couple of times a week or I would pop into their office when passing to discuss any progress. Viewings were arranged and in each and every case, the clients were genuine both in their desire to purchase but also their circumstances in which to physically do so too. Within a relatively short space of time, I was able to accept an offer which I was more than satisfied with. Again, the key aspect to this was not only a matter of finances, but that the clients were in a position to proceed within the time-scales which suited me, in essence, they were genuine clients whose motivation was identical to mine. Unfortunately, after quite some weeks within the sale process and on days away from exchanging contracts, pure fate and bad luck put paid to the sale. The year’s summer months brought storms and heavy rainfall, and on one such Sunday, my buyers were terribly affected when flooded. It rendered them unable to sell their property and unfortunately they had no choice but to withdraw. With all of this said however, yet again, the Williams and Donovan team maintained regular dialogue with all parties in an attempt to salvage the sale, but, unfortunately, this simply wasn't practicable or possible. A revaluation of both the market and my then motivation, was considered and we agreed to make a small change in asking price, albeit almost identical to the offer price which I had accepted. Once again, the team at Williams and Donovan pressed ahead with the marketing, my property was featured on the internet, marketed in paper material to prospective clients together with exposure in the local media (Yellow Advisor and Standard Recorder). My motivation had dwindled somewhat given the loss of sale through pure bad luck, so the team conducted all the next batch of viewings. Having had a very open and honest conversation with Lloyd where I explained my personal circumstances in greater detail, he was completely receptive to my position, yet entirely frank about the market and where he was absolutely confident we would achieve a sale. Under his guidance and understanding of what I needed, we dropped the price again, but into a bracket which allowed a wider audience (on a Thursday evening in fact), and by 10am on the following Sunday (just three days later), I shook hands with prospective buyers on the new asking price. Thankfully, this sale proceeded without any misfortune and due to my past experience I was called regularly with updates and progress. I have now moved into my new home and truly feel that without the hard work, good advice and excellent service provided by all the team I really wouldn't have been able to do so, when I needed to. Thank you to all the team, well done.
5/5
GoogleWe bought a house advertised with W&D. They helped us through the offer stage and then kept us well informed throughout the Solicitor stage. Joanne was exceptional when it came to being on top of the chain and chasing solicitors etc. A great experience and wouldn't hesitate to use them in the future. Matt and Corinne Willilams
A review that appears on several offices' pages is shown once. We leave out reviews that name another agent.
Benfleet has the most, with 469 reviews rated 4.9 out of 5, followed by Hockley (1 Woodlands Parade) with 399.
The three Williams and Donovan offices, by town:
Yes. In The Trusted Agent 2026 awards, Benfleet won Trusted Agent. At EA Masters 2026 the group won Gold for Best Estate Agent Guide 2027, Sales and Silver for Best Estate Agent Guide 2027, Lettings. The group and its branches have also won 7 other industry awards since 2017.
