Trusted Agent profile · Bristol
★★★★★
1,521 reviews across 2 platforms
11A Badminton Road, Bristol, BS16 6BD, BS16 6BD
Ocean's office in Bristol, at 11A Badminton Road, is rated 4.8 out of 5 across 1,521 reviews on two platforms, including 250 Google reviews rated 4.8.
Every review we hold for the Bristol office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
5/5
TrustpilotWould recommend!
We got our mortgage through Ocean, specifically Simon Lack and Tracey Green from the Bristol branch, and we couldn't recommend him more. Simon and Tracey were amazing - professional, proactive, punctual and made us feel very comfortable as first time buyers. Simon made the process accessible and easier to understand, and took his time explaining key elements of the mortgage process to us. Thank you both!
5/5
TrustpilotProfessional and Efficient services
Jack was very professional, polite and courteous. He showed us around our new home and answered all questions as well as gave some suggestions on furnishings which was much appreciated. My experience with Oceans Lettings and their agents is always professional and efficient and I would highly recommend them.
5/5
TrustpilotWorked with Steve on a difficult…
Worked with Steve on a difficult purchase after having my house fall through and his understanding and willingness to keep the deal alive with his property I was buying was outstanding. Always returning calls and liasing with the seller to keep everyone involved up to speed. With recommend 👍🏽
5/5
TrustpilotOcean were great from start to finish…
Ocean were great from start to finish and it helped using their solicitors for both the sale of my property and my purchase property.
1/5
TrustpilotDisappointing and stressful
On multiple occasions during our 2 year tenancy managed by Ocean, tradesmen were given access to our property without our prior consent or even notification. This was a significant breach of our privacy and security & left us feeling unsafe in our own home.Two months before our tenancy renewal date, we were served a "no fault" eviction notice. We were pressured to quickly decide on our intention to renew, despite the upcoming ban on such evictions. This added unnecessary stress and uncertainty to our living situation and we were told this was at the request of our landlord.Ocean & landlord claimed a large chunk of our deposit by inflating & fabricating claims in the hope that we were relying on funds being released rather than going through a lengthy dispute process. Luckily we were in a position where we were able to go through the dispute process as a result we were awarded 3 times the amount that they had agreed to release. While the property itself was lovely, our experience with Ocean Estate Agents management was unfortunately negative due to the issues mentioned above. We will not be using Ocean Estate Agents to purchase or rent in the future & would recommend to avoid. Due to the lack of transparency, communication, and respect for tenant rights & wellbeing.
Thank you for your feedback, we are sincerely sorry to hear about your less than satisfactory experience while renting with us. As you know, the rental agreement is between you, the tenant, and the landlord. We are hired by the landlord to act on their behalf, and we have to follow their directives according to our contractual agreement. The landlord instructed us to propose a claim on your deposit. As the deposit is your money, you have the full right to contest this. You disputed the claim, and it was referred to the TDS for adjudication. The adjudication awarded a sum more than double what you offered and just under half of what the landlord proposed. This demonstrates the benefits of registering the deposit as required to ensure a fair outcome for all parties.We acknowledge the oversight regarding the unconfirmed access to the property for the gas safety record. The property manager at the time failed to complete this task and offered an apology. You were given the option to file a complaint, which you chose not to pursue. We accept that this was our error and extend our sincere apologies.Concerning the issuance of the Section 21 notice to terminate the tenancy, this was done under the landlord's instructions. The notice was served due to a lack of response from you about extending your tenancy. It provided a two-month notice period for the end of the tenancy, which could have been revoked if you decided to extend. However, you chose not to extend, and the tenancy ended according to your notice, before the landlord's notice date. Your observations about the impending ban on Section 21 are largely accurate, and we anticipate it will become law in 2025.We regret to hear your negative comments about your future interactions with Ocean. We refute these comments as we were acting upon the landlord’s instructions and always prioritise tenants’ rights.We hope you have comfortably settled into your new home and wish you all the best for the future.Ocean
5/5
GoogleLooking for a place in Bristol at the moment is truly a nightmare at the moment but we definitely have Jemima to thank for getting us through it all, in the end. Jemima was always helpful, patient and remained in constant contact with us through the whole process. It felt like she really wanted the best outcome for everyone involved and we couldn’t have asked for a better agent. Special shout-out to James who was also great! Would definitely recommend Oceans if you’re looking for a place in Bristol.PositiveResponsiveness, Quality, Professionalism
5/5
GoogleOcean Property Management Team Just wanted to recognise with gratitude, the service provided initially by Josh Smith and completed by Gayle Dowle this year. We required their help to resolve, what started off as a nightmare situation, when one of the tenants from my niece’s university accommodation in Bristol, needed to be replaced urgently. Both Josh and Gayle were very attentive and responsive to the barrage of queries, raised by the remaining tenants and their families. Gayle even communicated with us while on her annual leave, trying to move house herself. They responded promptly and clearly, walking us through the process on an almost daily basis, until we eventually completed the new tenancy agreement. Thanks to you both. Very much appreciated.PositiveResponsiveness
5/5
GoogleWe have just got our first rented property with Ocean and the experience couldn't have been better. Renting in Bristol is a nightmare at the best of times but James and Jemima have made the process a delight. If things did not go our way with a viewing they were always happy to help us find new properties and explain the best way to secure ourselves a place to live. Since being in the flat there were a couple of issues with the shower but these were dealt with immediately and fixed within a day. From looking with many different agencies to find a property I would happily rate Ocean as one of, if not the best.
5/5
TrustpilotChantelle was very helpful in getting…
Chantelle was very helpful in getting us complete the reference checks within 2 days for a property that we liked from the listing on ocean. she gave prompt replies to all our queries even when she was out of office. She has also arranged a second viewing for us. Ocean and Chantelle has been good to us in completing our first step towards renting a home in Bristol!
2/5
TrustpilotWe weren't particulary impressed
We weren't particulary impressed with the service overall, although I cannot say whether any other agents would have performed better. We felt they had overvalued the property to start with. During the sale process, communication improved only after we had complained several times about the lack of contact and failure to update progress online. More importantly, we also felt there was a conflict of interest as the buyers were using Ocean's in-house solicitors, who caused considerable problems and delays; at times it seemed to us that Ocean were acting more on behalf of the buyers than for us as vendors.
We appreciate your feedback and take it seriously. However, after reviewing your case, we respectfully disagree with your evaluation of the service we provided on this rare occasion.As an independent agency of 40 years, our experienced teams are dedicated and prioritise client service. Our operations and systems are designed with this in mind. As Bristol’s largest independent agent, we successfully assist thousands of home movers each year. We are very proud of the subsequent thousands of positive reviews we have received on Trust Pilot for all our services and branches, including Downend.We would like to emphasise that a contract exchange within 9 weeks is well within the average time frame, in the current market. Unfortunately, daily calls to the office for updates will inevitably create unrealistic expectations; many legal and transactional processes require professional attention and may not be completed within the 24-hour time frame you desire. The buyer’s appointment of their solicitor was also well within standard time frames, the time taken was due to AML, anti-money laundering checks and their initial funds to clear only. We note that there was a delay in the draft contract being released by your chosen solicitor, which prevented the buyer’s lawyer from beginning to progress the case. Their initial preference to handle the case via paper documents only and not email unfortunately also extended this time frame.Regarding the buyer's lawyer, we assure you that Ocean Property Lawyers are diligent in preventing any conflicts of interest and would immediately cease to act if one were to arise. We understand that as a seller, you may feel that the buyer’s lawyer is raising potential issues. However, this is because they need to act independently and in the best interest of their client, the buyer, as you would expect your lawyer to do. This does not impact the estate agents who are acting in your best interest, as the seller.The buyer’s lawyer made standard enquiries and whilst a seller may not ‘like’ such questions, it is necessary for them to address any legal issues, or concerns raised by their own client. Regarding your comment about the sellers’ dashboard, not being updated, we apologise if this was the case for you. Following a review of sample current files this morning, this shows that all updates and milestones are displayed appropriately but we take your feedback on board so that we can ensure this is not the case. You also received personal updates from your Move Manager, which are promptly provided as required to all clients to ensure efficiency for both the team and all clients.The significant savings following a poor survey of the property and the buyer’s subsequent attempt to renegotiate the purchase price demonstrates that the team acted in the best interest of their clients, as we would expect.We regret you were not happy with the service you received on this occasion, and we wish you all the very best for the future. RegardsOcean
5/5
TrustpilotExceptional service
Jasmin has provided exceptional service with our recent rental application. All the way through the process she has been extremely responsive and helpful. We are confident that the service from Ocean Estate Agents southville will be just as excellent moving forward.
5/5
TrustpilotExcellent!
We've always had an excellent experience with Simon and the team at Ocean Home. They are really friendly, professional and helpful when we've needed a broker for mortgage or re mortgage.. and always on hand for any follow up questions or advice. Very thorough when searching for best deals! Highly recommend!
5/5
TrustpilotGreat knowledge of local housing…
Great knowledge of local housing market. Advised of fair price and found a buyer who paid over the asking price. Kept me updated through the whole process. From first day of advertising property to completion was less than 3 months.
5/5
TrustpilotGreat experience
From viewing the property with myself and my fiancée, we really liked it and started the application straight away. Lily Butler was the agent to show us around. Lily was professional and was keen to show us around. After we had application accepted lily kept us up to date and was fantastic throughout. Highly recommend
5/5
TrustpilotVery diligent service under difficult circumstances
Olivia worked well beyond the call of duty to complete what was a very tricky and stressful transaction for us.
5/5
TrustpilotTommy was very helpful and friendly…
Tommy was very helpful and friendly through the process of renting a flat. We had a few problems with the referencing agency but Tommy worked to come up with alternative solutions. Having had poor experiences with estate agents in the past, I would use Oceans again to find another property with confidence.
5/5
TrustpilotFrom viewing the property my wife and I…
From viewing the property my wife and I , we really liked it and started the application straight away. Tommy was the agent who showed us around. Tom was professional and patient to take us around. After we had application accepted Tommy kept us up to date and was awesome throughout. Highly recommend Ocean
5/5
TrustpilotLuigi is brilliant!
Luigi was brilliant and gave us full information about the mortgage options. He contacted us in plenty of time so we could consider our options. He even found us a lower rate closer to our mortgage date and switched us to that one. 5* service, thank you!
5/5
GoogleIt has been great experience so far with Ocean Downend team, and we are happy to find a house rental of our choice. Elliot was really nice with initial viewing of the house. Then Jemima has been super-efficient with all the communications, prompt response to any queries we may have. And thanks James for intermittent support. Lovely team effort all around.
5/5
TrustpilotVery friendly staff and very quick…
Very friendly staff and very quick responses. Charlotte was helping with my rental application and was very helpful with the whole process.
5/5
GoogleI bought a property through Ocean Downend and was really impressed with their service throughout - Joe when showing us around and answering our questions initially and then Elizabeth, who was very proactive and kept us updated throughout the whole process of what was going. I would definitely recommend them to others when looking to buy or sell a place!
1/5
TrustpilotTerrible estate agents
Terrible estate agents, the house we rented had a leaking roof from the start of the tenancy up until the day we left. 10 Months of showing countless builders the same issue. even had the cheek at one point to say it had been fixed. gave it the classic sorry the repair was unsuccessful. asked to show proof countless times... no response obviously. i feel sorry for the landlord as no doubt he was being charged for repairs that were not getting done. now onto the deposit return. 6th week and still no funds even tho the landlord has agreed to give us the whole lot back. good on him. They only respond if you tell them your going to take action.I said i would go to TDS as they do not reply to emails and was getting fed up. There response was they have 3 months to return it and actively tried to get me not to raise a dispute with TDS as it would take 7-8 months and would be in my interest to resolve with them. BEWARE false information. This is an absolute crock and when i spoke to TDS they were quite shocked that this advice was given. for any new tenant reading this if you dont raise a dispute with tds within 3 months then you cant raise one at all. so clearly trying to get me to go over the time frame deliberately. i can see from all the other bad reviews there going to respond about how great they are and everyone else is the issue but i can assure you ive dealt with many estate agents and this one is shocking. maybe if they replied to emails in the same fashion as these reviews the 1 stars wouldn't exist..
Thank you for your comments, please be assured they have been taken in good faith. Ocean Letting and Management is Bristol’s largest independent letting agent, managing thousands of properties across the city. It is therefore imperative that our teams prioritise both landlord and tenant care at all times. Customer service of only the highest standard has been fundamental to Ocean for 40 years.We regret that you did not receive the expected level of service on this occasion. There was a mistake in the deposit payment process that caused a delay, this has now been resolved. We also acknowledge that the information we gave you about TDS was factually correct but not clear enough and without sufficient context. We have used this as a learning opportunity for specific team members and provided them with further training and guidance. We will monitor their performance to ensure they meet our standards.Regarding the roof, it was the landlord’s preferred contractor, work had proven to be insufficient, and this was unfortunately beyond our control. A 2nd contractor has now been appointed and work scheduled. As we agreed, the work will be done when the property is empty, because it will affect the living space. We thank you for your patience and understanding on this issue, and we wish you all the best in your new home.Ocean
5/5
GoogleWe recently rented our property through Ocean Lettings. We worked alongside James throughout our renovation process to get the property to a high standard and were given expert guidance all the way. When ready, they marketed the property and quickly found a high calibre of potential tenants. Once the chosen tenants had been selected the checks and administration was slick and the tenants moved in promptly. Their service was outstanding and we would have no hesitation in using them again in future.
5/5
TrustpilotJemima was brilliant
Jemima was brilliant throughout the entire process. I have had nothing but problems with other estate agents being unreliable and not following up with what they said they would do. The experience I have had this time with Jemima has been the complete opposite and has relieved so much of the stress of moving. I can’t thank you enough for that!
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