5/5
GoogleLauren has been amazing with helping me and my house mates
Agent replied · 8 January 2025
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. Much appreciated.
Trusted Agent profile · Brighton
John Hilton and Co Brighton reviews
★★★★★
345 reviews across 1 platform
132-135 Lewes Road, Brighton, BN2 3LG
John Hilton and Co's office in Brighton, at 132-135 Lewes Road, is rated 4.4 out of 5 across 345 reviews on 1 platform, including 345 Google reviews rated 4.4.
Reviews
Every review we hold for the Brighton office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
Google5/5
GoogleI made a buy-to-let investment with John Hilton, and I've been thoroughly impressed with their services. From the initial property viewing to tenant management and addressing any potential issues, their performance has been top-notch. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly. The Lettings team are superb and are super responsive. What's particularly brilliant is their extensive network of reliable subcontractors who provide cost-effective solutions and who respond promptly to any issues or problems that happen in the flat. I would 100% recommended John Hilton to anyone who is looking for an estate agent in the Brighton area.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Thank you for your kind review and glad to hear you are happy with our service 😁 …
5/5
GoogleMe and my partner had a very good experience with John Hilton, Archie was extremely helpful and without him we wouldn’t of been able to secure the lovely property we are moving into. I would highly recommend John Hilton, Archie and the rest of the team.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Thank you for review and glad we were able to assist
5/5
GoogleVery happy with the Service provided. First as a tenant, then buyer, and now renting my flat. …
Agent replied · 16 April 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave this kind review.
1/5
GoogleTerrible company, all they care about is money. Our tenancy ended with them about a year ago, and when we came to receiving our deposit, they took hundreds of it, citing reasons that the outside windows were dirty, or the skirting boards. Baring in mind we had handed the keys in about a week or so prior, and I've never heard of past tenants coming back to clean outside windows once keys have been handed in, even if it had been raining. Highly unethical, don't rent from JH if you are a student or on low income. Will never be using this company again. In response to their comment made: keys were not handed in early, simply on time. Tenants are allowed fair wear and tear, but apart from that the whole property was completely clean, no cleaners would have been needed and we had photos to show this. Absolutely typical that you would respond in this way and excuse yourself of any immorality. Further showing why you are a terrible and corrupt company. Shame on you.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Dear Hannah, we are sorry if you feel unhappy about any deductions made against your deposit and please note that this is the reason for the deposit scheme. If you refer to your tenancy agreement and inventory, the property needs to be returned to the same condition it was given less fair wear and tear. The check out report, which is carried out by a third party may have picked up on dirt or damages, which as a tenant you are responsible to rectify. Check outs are only arranged once the tenancy has come to an end, handing keys back early does not affect the process as you have a right to return to the property before the tenancy end date. Whilst we appreciate that no one likes to have any deductions made to their deposit, if cleaning is required after you have checked out, then as a tenant you have a contractual obligation to cover this expense. Check out reports are impartial and not based on a tenant’s income, but on how they left the property. As an agent we cannot have new tenants moving into a property which is not cleaned to the required standard. We do not benefit in any way from organising cleaners or repairs, it just gives us more work to do.
5/5
GoogleExcellent letting agents, and our contact there (Karen Tigar) is always helpful, efficient, professional, courteous & kind.
1/5
GoogleThe worst of the worst. DO NOT RENT FROM THIS AGENCY, I REPEAT DO NOT FALL IN THEIR TRAP. John Hilton marked my horrible beginning in studying in Brighton. Like anyone they would start with smiles and promises etc. But once the agreement is signed they are no where to be found, and when I finally got the chance I was treated horribly and even threatened to be physically assaulted when I asked for my legal rights as a tenant. In the end I never got my money back or my dignity as a human being. Please do not deal with them they are horrible.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Dear Mohammad, Please would you let us know the property address of which you were renting so that we can look into this for you? Many Thanks
1/5
GoogleAviod, Aviod , Aviod this estate agent as they robbed my daughter’s accommodation deposit
5/5
GoogleTracy at John Hilton supported us with our recent home purchase and we could not have been happier, she was incredibly supportive and personable throughout, making a stressful situation much more pleasant. Thank you Tracy and the team at John Hilton!
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Thank you Sanna and we hope you are happy in your new home
1/5
GoogleExtremely poor experience with this estate agent. A friend of mine, with a stable income, viewed a flat and immediately asked to proceed with an application to rent it. She was told the property had already gone and that the landlord had …
5/5
GoogleFrom the moment we met Tom Coffey, we knew we were in good hands. Their negotiation skills were exceptional, and they were able to secure a price for our property that exceeded our expectations. They also went above and beyond, offering advice and support even after the sale was finalized. We are so grateful for their hard work and dedication.
5/5
GoogleVery communicative and helpful Estate Agent.
Agent replied · 16 April 2026
Thank you for your review and good luck with the move.
5/5
GoogleExcellent service from Sadiya, thank you very much!
5/5
GoogleWe have have just made a purchase from John Hiltons and we have been so impressed with how Marius and Tracy handled the sale. We encountered some issues with our mortgage lender and Tracy and Marius were fantastic in helping us through and insuring the purchase kept on track. Their communication was second to none and they done everything in their power to insure the sale was as quick as possible and everyone new exactly what was happening. I would strongly recommend John Hilton' s as an Estate Agent and will be using them in the future to sell any property we put on the market.
5/5
GoogleI've been consistently impressed with how easy to communicate with and how reasonable the various team members at John Hilton Estate Agents are. I've been renting for 10 years and have had a lot of very bad experiences with Letting Agents and Landlords over the years, but my experience with John Hilton Estate Agents has been great right from the start. There was no hard sell, no sense of trying to obfuscate any issues with the property seen while we were viewing it, and any that were have been fixed promptly, and no hidden charges or unreasonable fees. Paperwork was simple and straightforward, and the team members we were interacting with always friendly and helpful. They've assisted us in communicating quickly with the landlord and finding a solution to any issues that have arisen that suits all parties well. They're well on their way to restoring my faith in Letting Agents, I hope I can stay with them for many years.
5/5
GoogleWe could not have asked for a better estate agent. We needed to support a relative in selling her property in Brighton. The staff at John Hilton were unfailingly supportive, kind and understanding. They were completely reassuring every step of the way and enabled a quick and efficient sale.
Agent replied · 24 October 2024
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. We wish your mum the best in her new home.
5/5
GoogleMarius and Tom have given us exceptional service and I cannot recommend them enough. We have recently purchased a property and they have been great from start to finish. They have been really easily contactable and have provided us with clarity throughout the whole process.
Agent replied · 10 December 2024
Thank you for your kind review. We hope you will be very happy in your new home.
1/5
GoogleI have to agree with other students on here in that John Hilton certainly favour the landlords over tenants. As a guarantor for a student I have always found them 'wanting' in attempting to sort issues out and they were certainly no help during the COVID lock-downs, when there were no students in residence for nearly six months. It was also the same story when it came to paying the deposit back at the end of a two year tenancy. We had to challenge every little aspect (not saying the house was perfect) but some of the items they kept money for were very petty. Overall, couldn't recommend.NegativeProfessionalism, Value
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Dear Stephen, thank you for your comments. As an agency we are instructed to act on the landlord’s behalf, this is not favouring the landlord, but John Hilton is working as a third party. Covid was a difficult time for students, tenants, as well as landlords. Most landlord’s only own one property and we found that the vast majority were are not in a financial position to offer any rent reduction during the pandemic. Through Covid John Hilton were following the Government guidelines. Dealing with deposit returns can be a contentious end to the tenancy, John Hilton investigates any disputes and liaises with the landlord to try and reach an amicable agreement. There are many situations where John Hilton strongly advises the landlord against the allocation of certain charges, however our advice is not always followed. If an amicable resolution regarding the deposit return has not been agreed then the dispute service is in place to adjudicate fairly.
1/5
GoogleMyself and my housemate rented a flat through this agency from September 2020 through to September 2021. We encountered a number of problems during our tenancy as a result of the agency. To begin with, for the first month we were in the flat there was no sufficient hot water, meaning we could only take cold showers etc. We contacted the agency immediately after discovering the problem when we moved in and although they did send someone to try and fix it every so often, they obviously weren't prioritising it and it took far longer than is reasonable. One of the plumbers who came to look at the boiler also noticed that the bathroom floor was crumbling away so that whole floor also had to be replaced while we were living there. This had been an issue since we had moved in, which should have been dealt with before the start of our tenancy. The most outstanding issue we faced, however, was the fact that over a third of our deposits were kept by the agency for 'cleaning fees'. Prior to moving out, the flat had been cleaned to the standard it was when we moved in. The only photos we took of the flat when we moved in were things that seemed like they could prove to be an issue when moving out, like the holes and missing plaster in the wall of one of the bedrooms. (They were initially going to charge us for the holes in the bedroom wall until we reminded them that we emailed them about the holes with photographic evidence when we moved in and they had ignored the email.) The flat was not spotless, but also not unreasonably dirty when moving in so we thought extensive photos wouldn't be necessary. We were obviously wrong since we had no proof and therefore no way of making John Hilton drop the false claims that we had left the flat in an unreasonably dirty state. On top of this they claimed it cost £460 to clean a small 2 bed, 1 bath flat with only carpets in the bedrooms. Prior to moving out the whole flat had been hoovered, the fridge freezer had been cleaned fully and defrosted, the cooker, all surfaces, cupboards and bathroom had been cleaned. Quite what required £460 worth of cleaning is a mystery to us, although perhaps since we didn't damage anything during our tenancy they wanted to find some other way of keeping some of our deposits. Really liked the flat itself, but would highly recommend taking photos of literally everything so you don't end up suffering from the same problem with this agency as we did.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Hi Leah, thank you for your comments. In regard to this property John Hilton were instructed to manage the property for only a short period of time. Unfortunately, it did take some extensive investigation and time to get to the bottom of the issue with the hot water cylinder which can sometimes be the case and we appreciate that this was an inconvenience at the time and our goal is to rectify any issues as swiftly as possible. On inspection it was noticed that there was an issue with the bathroom floor and it was replaced, this was due to water historically going over the side of the bath causing damage to the floor. With regards to the deposit return, John Hilton did facilitate the return of the deposit under the landlord’s instruction. With all properties they do need to be returned to the same standard at the end of the tenancy, less fair wear and tear. Tenants are given the opportunity to disagree with any proposed deductions and if they feel these are unfair and cannot come to a mutual agreement with the landlord then a dispute can be raised with the scheme where the deposit is protected.
1/5
GoogleEpitome of the estate agent stereotype - All smiles at the beginning followed by hollow promises and money grabbing. Do not expect due diligence. Expect to challenge your deposit return. 1) When organizing tenancy agreements they gave us the complete wrong date that was discussed and advertised. This was followed by patronizing conversations about how we must have been confused when in reality (and later by their own admission) it was their fault. We received no apology or compensation for the complications this caused. 2) We had issues that remained for our entire tenancy that were never properly addressed despite them promising to fix them before tenancy. 3) We left the property in immaculate condition yet we were charged for cleaning fees because of carpet stains that were there prior to us. When we provided time stamped evidence that the stains were there upon move-in and were missed on the inventory, we were accused of forging this evidence. It's frankly pathetic. Would not recommend.
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Thank you for your comments and we are sorry to hear that you experienced some issues during your tenancy and we sincerely apologise for any mix up on our part with move in dates. We do our upmost to deal with property maintenance as quickly as possible however we are reliant on the instruction and permission of the landlord. With regards to the deposit return, this is always a contentious end to the tenancy. In this instance the property did require further cleaning and the carpets were not cleaned as per the terms of the tenancy agreement. As we could not come to an agreement on the proposed deductions, we suggested raising a dispute with the scheme where the deposit was protected. In this instance, mydeposits ruled that the proposed charges were fair as the checkout report proved further cleaning was required and the carpets were dirty. We do appreciate that no one likes to have deductions made to their deposit but contractually the tenant must return the property in the same condition less fair wear and tear. Whilst we appreciate your feedback, we feel that your comments are retaliatory due to the adjudication of the deposit return which was assessed by a third party to ensure that these charges were fair.
5/5
GoogleI recently sold a bungalow in Brighton through John Hilton. Marcus who came to value the property was very informative and had a really nice manner. The whole process they were very responsive to any queries I raised and we gained a more than sale price for the property on the first day of viewing. My only criticism would be they didn't inform me a survey had been done ( I would expect them to notify me if anyone was due to attend the property) nor did they inform me we had exchanged contracts. Only minor things but something that they could improve on. I would highly recommend using their services,PositiveQuality
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Hi Patty, thank you for your review it is very much appreciated. Your comments are noted and we are always looking to improve on the service we offer.
5/5
GoogleMy boyfriend and I recently sold a flat through John Hilton and I could not recommend them more! John Hilton, in particular Marius and Tracy have been so extremely helpful. They are a straight up agency, no bull**** sales tactics. They offer you such a personal service and I am eternally grateful for the support they offered me throughout the time my flat was on the market. I was dealing with another difficult agent for the purchase of my new property and John Hilton were on hand to offer me any advice and were totally fine when I called them up freaking out. I cannot sing their praises enough in one review. They even spoke to the solicitors for the purchase of my new property on my behalf as I was unable to do it myself due to work commitments. My busy schedule meant I was not always prepared for viewings but they offered to arrive early and spruce the place up for me. They have been kind, professional, friendly and helpful as well as getting me way over the asking price quoted by other agents. I was nervous as this was my first experience selling a flat, a friend of mine works for another agency who I was going to market the property with but decided to go with John Hilton as they only use experienced sales agents to deal with the property. I was worried I had made the wrong decision as it is often the case that you are bombarded with the corporate rubbish but I am so pleased I trusted my instincts and stuck with them. I could not recommend them any more and will certainly return to them without a shadow of a doubt when I look to buy/sell my next property. If I could give a ten out of ten stars for this service I certainly would! Thanks to all of the team at John Hilton I couldn't have asked for more. :)
5/5
GoogleEveryone know that buying or selling a house is a very stressful time. The sales team at John Hiltons are exemplary. They guided me through the process and dealt with any issues that arose quickly. I honestly don't think that I would use another agent to buy or sell as it is so hard to find an agent you can trust. What shines through the most it the wealth of experience of the sales team. They have been doing it a long time and it shows. Can't recommend them highly enough. Marius has been there for years and knows the market so well. You know you can trust them.
5/5
GoogleOur point of contact Megan was quick to respond to problems with the property and dealt with them great. Was an easy year in terms of communicating with letting agents which is usually not the case.PositiveQuality
Agent replied · 19 June 2024
Thank you Faaris for your review and we wish you all the best for the future
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