William H Brown Unthank Road, Norwich reviews

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Like most people, I have had good and bad experiences with estate agents over the years. I lived in Norwich for many years and dealt with most in the time that I was there. I bought and sold my last house through W H Brown on the Unthank Road. I cannot recommend them highly enough. When I bought my last house, the seller let me down badly throughout the agonising process. On moving day, the seller left me stranded on a Sunday with no keys. An agent from the Unthank office came to the house to give me access. When I came to sell the same house, I was happy to use W H Brown, who managed the sale well, with minimal stress for me. I have single out James Knott for special mention. He co-ordinated the sale and after-sale completion process. When things go well, that can be a straightforward process. In my case, things went badly wrong. The completion did not happen on the Friday when it was scheduled. James stayed at the helm beyond office hours, keeping both me and my buyer in contact during a truly awful day. Over the weekend that followed, James was brilliant. He prioritised communication over the weekend and kept us in touch and informed. The test is when things go badly wrong. They did for me. James was communicating with lawyers on both sides and providing assurances to me and my buyer. On the Monday, after days of white-knuckle stresses, we finally completed. James helped hugely. He was professional and really attuned to how unbelievably stressful it was for me and my buyer. I can recommend him and them wholeheartedly.

Maria · 24 October 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Everyone at the Unthank Rd branch of William H Brown were so efficient, professional, approachable and friendly when Fiona and I were selling our flat. Jacey and Stephen in particular were always available for guidance. I am so glad we chose this estate agent and recommend it to all our friends.

Christopher · 17 April 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

The state Agent special in Hull area w…

The state Agent special in Hull area w H brown sent via email Asking on sale property Fees service All chages arround £2500/-

Muhammad · 18 September 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

It’s been a long haul but Stephen and his team at the Unthank Road branch have kept me posted all the way to a very successful and happy conclusion for all parties Stephen has been helpful, and professional answering all questions swiftly and alleviating the stress that comes with selling a family home following the loss of my dad. I know dad would be happy that WHB found a lovely family to make it their family home Thank you

Maxine · 24 October 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I do not have words for this level of unprofessionalism and incomptence

Just poor on every level. Communciation has been abysmal from the start. I feel I have been lied to on several occasions and it is clear most members of staff don't give a damn. Avoid I have the great displeasure having to deal with these people over the last fortnight regarding a property I want to rent. There have been issues right off the bat, including an agent called George not turning up to a viewing because he forgot and it taking four days and six phonecalls for me to be told that no-one in the office I was calling was going to call me back and I needed to call elsewhere. No apologies offered at all. It got worse when I put in an offer on a property though. When I put in my offer I was asked some questions and these identified I would need someone to guarantee my lease. That's fine, I'd anticipated that and my parents were willing to do this for me. I dealt with an agent called Sam who called them before putting in my offer to ensure they would meet the criteria for a guarantor. At this point, or at any point during the process, Sam never gave any indication that they did not. This only came to light approximately a week before I was due to move in (my parents are semi retired and generate a portion of their income through investment property and the stock market. This was apparently unacceptable for a guarantor. Which would have been fine, if Sam had told them that from the start). We found a solution, where my parents would pay my first six months rent and I'd then rent from the landlord. I had to chase (approximately four phone calls) to get this answer from him and even then, I had send him back to renegotiate as he had not done this properly (he attempted to agree a six month lease when both me and the landlady wanted something longer). When putting in my offer, I had agreed to go into a zero deposit scheme and paid £250 in order to do this. The issue with the gaurantee also took my out of this scheme, although this was never communicated to me at all. If I had known, then I would have reconsidered my position. Because Sam did not mention the problem when it arose, I was not afforded this opportunity. The only warning I had that extra money was needed, came to light when the invoice arrived and they had stuck an additional £1200 onto the fees. The only possible inkling we had about this was a phone call from Sam about 20 minutes before the invoice was sent, which lasted for all of 30 seconds and briefly mentioned a deposit. Something that I thought had already been paid and had no reason to suspect otherwise. I want to be clear here, the fact I failed the checks is not the problem (I'm a recent university graduate moving from part time to full time work and separating from my partner. I'm not naive to the fact I do not look good on paper). The lack of communication and the lack of care from Sam and his director, Rachel is. They prevented me from making a decision with the full facts. I have been left feeling utterly lied to and like I have no choice but to find an additional insane amount of money or leave me and my children homeless. Salt was further rubbed into the wound as when I called Rachel to discuss this, she sadly decided to double down on the lie that Sam had discussed this deposit with me and implied I was making it up. I have emails to confirm this deposit was never mentioned. No apologies were forthcoming, just a shoulder shrug and an offer to refund my holding deposit as well as a sly comment that it's a landlord's market right now, which is just further confirmation of how little they value potential tenants. No property is worth having to deal with these people.

Penny · 22 August 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Do not use William H Brown they are the…

Do not use William H Brown they are the worst agent any one could get they never return your calls no good advice at all you do not hear from them at all and if you do there advice is totally wrong there staff are badly trained and give the wrong advice. I nearly lost my removal company on there advice which was totally wrong,but the removal company which is Relocate were brilliant and brought in an extra van on the day.the only good advice and updates were from the agent I was buying from Chris Deller they were excellent I could go on for hours but will not SO PLEASE DO NOT USE WILLIAM H BROWN if you do God help you

Pauline · 1 July 2022

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

Its Rental Payments

I found my letting agent to be brilliant Mr N Bourne and I prefer to only deal with him as I found him to be quiet honest and extremely fair, I don’t like dealing with other people in the office as they don’t seem to be able to keep to their word.

Julie · 4 February 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Fabio @ Norwich.

Everyone has different experiences as other reviews show. Speak as you find but Fabio at William H Brown, Norwich has been second to none. A great credit to the company.

Paul · 18 May 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Fabio and Andria made the whole process…

Fabio and Andria made the whole process easy and smooth for us to get a new house to rent and move in. They were informative and updated us on each and every development. They were so helpful. We are so grateful of their professionalism and world class customer service. Many thanks to Fabio and Andria. Not forgetting Ethan who warmthly welcomed us and assisted us when we first visited William H Brown.

Njabulo · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

I cannot thank the Norwich team enough. William H Brown sold my house within a week of marketing the property. The team were friendly, reassuring, professional and very easy to contact. I have no hesitation in recommending them.

Robert · 9 August 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

William H Brown or Sequence, both the same... crap!

This is basically the same review as my Sequence Review, but since they're essentially the same company, why re-invent the wheel?I honestly like to see the best in people or companies, but William H Brown is one of the worst.As a tenant, dealing with them is a nightmare. Everything from arranging repairs, to dealing with contracts.Everything is outsourced; they're nothing but secretaries throughout their entire company.Living in Yorkshire, why do I need to ring someone in Liverpool to tell them a tap is loose, and then wait weeks for a response?And if that 1 person is off work, no one else can pick up that task?Why do I have to send multiple emails and make several telephone calls to get answers, and then be badgered by them for "not doing something", or anyone external to their system?Or the fact that they don't know, nor have access to, their own systems in order to answer any of my questions.Literal blame shifting to anyone but them.And I've only dealt with them for 6 months.

Niall · 9 May 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

An incredibly poor service

Quite possibly one of the worst estate agents we have dealt with.We were contacted by one of the agents from the Welwyn Branch, who repeatedly told us that unless we had our house valued, we would not be taken seriously by Vendors. After being called on the third occasion by the agent, we decided to get a valuation and I contacted him by return, to let him know that we had. Even though the valuation had been the day before, the agent told me that it would be useful if he also valued my house. This would have been the fourth valuation in the space of 6 months.We were then called by someone from their call-centre and although, seemingly impossible, the service was even worse.All that the lady we spoke to wanted to do, was sell us a product. No real interest in us, or what we were looking for in the housing market. I finally gave in and asked how much the service would cost - she had no idea. When I questioned how she could try to sell me a product, where she did not know the cost, she became flustered and told me that her she would liaise with her "boss". The first time, he apparently told her that he would provide me with info, as he was in my area. When I asked when, she told me he was not, but he could be. When questioned further, he was not going to be in our area. So, I asked her to get him to email me - he was not able to. I then asked her to get him to call me and I was told he would. One week later, she called me back, not remembering me at all. I then got the whole sales pitch again. Enough was enough. I asked to make a formal complaint and was told her "boss" would call me, as he took these things seriously. Still waiting.You are treated as a number and not a person. I am not really sure how they can still be in business.

John · 20 April 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

A great estate agent. The service provided could not be better, always trying to go that extra mile to find the right property for me. Nothing is too much trouble - very professional - and always with a friendly smile and extremely courteous. Thank you so much!!

Mark · 17 April 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Fantastic turnaround in Lettings

I have had a very difficult relationship with WH Brown over my years as a professional landlord and considered them to be among the worst agents in my area .However they really have got their act together, in recent times, due to a change in Management in Lettings starting with Izabela and latterly with Olivia .Olivia has been fantastic not only has she done what she said, she has achieved more than 30% more rent than I was getting and a new tenant was found interviewed and signed up within a week with no hassle or inconvenience to me .Thanks for making my work life easier Olivia I cant recommend you enough and won't hesitate in using WH Browns in future .

David · 4 March 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Purchasing a property

Tried purchasing a property and had the offer accepted on agreement it was removed from the market with no further viewings. Solicitors were involved and all checks completed. They continued viewings, without our knowledge, and we were gazumped. DO NOT use this estate agents!!!

Clara · 15 October 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They Only Care About Making Money, Not their Landlord, Not Their Tenants

The Norwich Branch is the worst!! This company gave me tenancy but on the start day of tenancy I was made wait the whole day and I was given the keys only at 6PM. I found another poor tenant waiting outside their office at 6 PM to collect her keys. So its something they do it with everyone. Secondly, I needed their letter as my proof of address (on top of my tenancy agreement) stating that I am living in their property from xxxx date. This is because within a week of my move I didn't have any utility bills with me as my second proof of address. I requested a letter from WH Brown. They made me wait all day again and then just before closing the office they said they can't promise when they can give it and also with attitude that- "This is something we do not do, but we are doing it for you". Wow really?? Land Lord and letting agents do provide letters to their tenants should the tenant is required to proof their address. Anyway, why was I then told the whole day that it will soon be emailed to me but at the end "I can't promise when it will be emailed to you"? So unprofessional. I took time off from work to go to school next day to complete school admission. They don't take responsibilities of their mistake and improve it, instead they blame their unprofessional service on you and make you feel it was your mistake to request any letter, help or service from them. They are my 3rd letting agent in the UK and I have never encountered such attitude and unprofessional-ism from my 2 previous letting agents! In fact my previous letting agents were very helpful to me. WH Brown Norwich branch seemed to only care about their business and money. They have no empathy, they ignore you once you become their tenant, they show attitude when you call them. They do not seem to care for and serve the community. Shame!

Lily · 7 February 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

William H Brown, Unthank Road, Norwich are just the best agent, in particular a special shout out to James Knott, who works so hard whether you are buying or selling and I know, as I have done both through these guys, James is always on hand and if out always returns your call - you can't ask for more - Thanks James!

Peter · 24 October 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Unprofressional and tell lies to get…

Unprofressional and tell lies to get you to sign. We rented a house that was with them but also with another estate agent (weird) they advertised it as one price on right move with no deposits and they tried to change the prices after we signed. Promised us the house was going to be painted and plastered before we moved in and when we moved in it was a horror show, including mouldy food still in the fridge! Baring in mind this was the middle of a pandemic. When we called to complain we were told they no longer worked with the other company and did not deal with this property at all anymore. Keys were lost in their offices when we went to move in, and just a total lack of organisation or care for their tenants. A year later when we move out surprise surprise it is them that want the keys back to rent the house out again.Unless you are desperate for a house I would avoid!

Gertrude · 7 January 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Google

If you're looking for an agent who lacks communication, never available to speak to, never responds, does not provide a service and will conveniently only speak to you at point of an offer being put forward then this is the agent for you. I …

JG · 17 April 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Let down and disappointed

After careful consideration I decided to use the estate agent william h Brown to sell my house. After signing the agreement I was waiting 2 weeks for the photographs which I thought was way to long. When house finally went live It sold within a few days. After some weeks I heard nothing I was also using their solicitors Black's. My house was in joint names but I was the main name and stressed I would like all correspondence. I understand it has to be sent to both but it was all sent to my daughter from solicitor which she didn't notice as it was in her spam email. This delayed us by 2 weeks I was very angry as william brown had given them the details. I received no explanation so I dealt with Black's solicitor if I wanted updates etc the were absolutely brilliant. For the money estate agent charged I expected better service. I was not going to give a review however after weeks of completion I received a call off william brown asking if I lived at my old address and would I be interested in selling!!! I can't believe they still had me in their books and did not know I had completed what utter horrible and inconsiderate service. Hopefully I will not be selling in the future but will think very careful about who will sell my house.

Mrs · 4 December 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Viewing of property arranged swiftly at a time of my convenience. Contact maintained through the whole buying process by very helpful Lisa Philips - with great patience as my mobile signal wasn't great at my current home, all backed up by emails for clarification. Excellent service.

Lesley · 4 April 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Excellent all round. The sale of the house I bought dragged on and on and all through that time WH Brown were brilliant. A big shout out to Dominic who constantly kept me updated an din the loop. Loads of helpful advice. Another shout out to Selene who was always available to answer even my most annoying and mundane questions. WH Brown are my go to when buying a House - Thank You guys so much for hanging in there for me.PositiveResponsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value

Katweasel · 24 October 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Did a great job of selling our house and accommodating our unusual requests. Stephen and Dominic were great on the sales side and although under quite a bit of time pressure at the end, Maddie and Courtney helped to get it over the line. Many thanks all.PositiveResponsiveness, Professionalism

Anthony · 24 October 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

They say house moving is the most stressful thing you’ll ever do , add to that a pandemic and me being a virtual technophobe and it doesn’t look promising!! I chose Browns because Laura was confident she could get me a higher price than had been suggested by other agents. She wasn’t wrong !! The effects of the pandemic meant the sale/purchase was very drawn out but I was provided with weekly updates from the very helpful Mary-Jayne. If I had any issues at all, it didn’t matter which of the team answered the phone, I was always greeted with a happy polite manner and provided with a swift answer. I have to give a special comment to Mary-Jayne who went above and beyond in helping me contact solicitors and helping me with certain emails and technical bits and pieces. Thanks to you all , good effort !!PositiveProfessionalism

Vince · 24 October 2021