James C Penny Oxford reviews

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

For the purchase of our house in Jericho, Oxford, we worked with Francis from JCP Estate Agents. Francis is a genuine person who never forgets the human side of things while doing business. He has his clients' best interests in mind. When things were getting a bit rough just before signing our contract, Francis was the sane voice who kept it all peaceful and made sure the sale was executed in time. For that, we'll always be grateful to Francis and JCP. If and when we decide to sell our place, no doubt we'll be calling Francis from JCP as having that trust that we have in him is very important. I heard similar praises for Francis from my neighbours who recently purchased properties here.

Pav · 22 August 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

I cannot recommend Francis enough as an estate agent. He was an absolute pleasure to work with when helping my parents sell their commercial property. From the very beginning, he was professional, knowledgeable, and always had our best interests in mind. He guided us through the entire process, answering all of our questions and providing valuable advice along the way. Thanks to Francis, the sale went smoothly and we were able to achieve a great price for the property. I would not hesitate to work with him again in the future and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a reliable and trustworthy estate agent. Thank you, Francis, for all of your hard work!

Angela · 22 August 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Facebook

If I could have left zero I would have .. We entered onto an agreement to rent a student property and after paying the holding deposit we’re told that the landlords wanted to rent to someone else more suitable given they had not met our children. Who ironically we’re doing a real estate degree at Oxford Brooks we had no choice but to go back and had to offer more money as this was very near to taking occupancy and we had no other alternatives , what they quite meant by more suitable we never got to the bottom of as they retracted quite quickly when this could have got discriminatory , that was to be the least of our issues on move in date there was no gas safety certificate and numerous smoke and carbon detectors did not have working batteries and the owners had only just moved out so it was handed over with a very basic clean . The gas safety was not done until at least a week into the tenancy , Towards the end of the tenancy we had a leak spring through the ceiling it turned out the stopc0ck had actually been built over and our children could not turn the water off until an emergency plumber came the next day meaning water was running through the lights . The plumber had to cut a hole in the kitchen unit to access the stopc0ck and release it as it was ceased . Getting the deposit back was farcical Elizabeth is not prompt or professional I see in her sales reviews she gets glowing reports but she had sat on the deposit form the landlord’s had competed for 10 days and made all sorts of excuses until I emailed the landlord and they confirmed the deposit release form had been sent back some 10 days prior . I am a landlord myself we are not problematic tenants we just wanted a safe property for our children to reside in for a year and it was a complete disaster . The complete lack of being bothered about renting a property without any gas safety was astounding and they didn’t care less they had broken the law . Well let’s now see how the report to HSE and the locally authority goes down because the lax attitude of safety and ensuring everything was handed over safety and legally isn’t even on their radar as clearly there is such a demand for property in Oxford that they think they can get away with it but not this time . Putting our children at risk is not going to happen on my watch and I will not let up until they buck up and clean up their act . If you have to rent from them ensure all documentation is in order prior .

Kim · 14 July 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

The experience I’ve had selling with JCP has been first rate. Francis has been fantastic, providing excellent advice throughout the process and securing a very good price for the house despite a challenging market. His communication and speed at getting things done has been outstanding and he was invaluable in brokering negotiations with the seller. Elizabeth has also been brilliant. I would strongly recommend JCP to anyone.

Rose · 6 November 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Moving house is stressful. In a chain there are going to be setbacks and disappointments. Buyers drop out for reasons that have nothing to do with the house, solicitors along the chain delay things interminably, for issues over which you have no control. In the end you are in a market of one, you have one house and you sell to one person or family. It is essential to have an estate agent who can find that person and complete the deal. We chose JCP because we liked the energy, enthusiasm and attention to detail that Elizabeth Baddeley showed when she came to see us. She knew the area and the market. She understood the house that had been our home for 30 years and how to match it to potential buyers. Above all, Elizabeth exuded a sense of confidence, even when it looked as if we might lose the house we were hoping to buy. She addressed every issue calmly and professionally, aware that she was dealing with people rather not just with houses. She was fair to us and to our buyer. She saw the sale through to completion and two sets of people have started new chapters in our lives. We have no hesitation in recommending Elizabeth and JCP Estate Agents, hard working, professional and got the job done. And nice with it. Peter M and Lise B

Peter · 22 April 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

“We had an excellent experience with JCP. Frances was incredibly helpful, guiding us through the entire process with great advice and always being available to answer our questions. His knowledge and expertise really stood out, and he brought a personal touch to selling our home that made all the difference. We highly recommend JCP and Frances for their outstanding service!”

Krystina · 22 April 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

I would highly recommend JCP. Francis was very helpful and was involved throughout in facilitating a smooth purchase for us. He offered excellent practical advice and worked hard with all involved to ensure everything went ahead in a timely fashion.

Katherine · 6 November 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We’ve been very pleased with our experience letting our property through JCP. Everything has gone smoothly so far, including quickly finding tenants ready to pay rent above our asking price. Elizabeth is efficient, responsible, and pleasant to work with.

Melanie · 6 November 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Google

My experience with James C. Penny Estate Agents has been emphatically the worst I have ever experienced. Myself and housemates entered our newly rented property yesterday to find that JCP and the landlord they represent had done absolutely nothing to turn over the property since the previous tenants had left. This meant the house was filthy, uninhabitable, and unfit for purpose as several of the fittings in the property were broken, dangerous, and unusable. In addition, they had not removed the rubbish left behind by the previous tenants. All of this meant we could not inhabit a property we had paid over £3000 (so far) to live in. It is shockingly unacceptable for a letting agent to allow a tenancy to commence without even having checked that a property under their management is in a suitable condition. The service they have provided to us as from the beginning has demonstrated their utter disdain for tenants. The agent who showed us around the property could not answer a single question about it and had clearly done no research before conducting the viewing. However, she was perfectly capable of haggling extra money out of us for the rent on the landlord's behalf. The individual responsible for maintaining correspondence with us before the tenancy commenced was unresponsive and unorganised. Then finally, we enter our property to find they have done nothing to prepare for our arrival. As a result, we have had to dump our belongings on top of beds whilst we wait for JCP to carry out the end of tenancy processes that they should have completed before we arrived. We cannot currently live in a property that we are paying rent for and one of us has had to take time off of work to accommodate the maintenance that needs to be conducted. We still do not have an inventory to even report the condition we are faced with. Having failed to do any of the above, it begs the question what is a letting agent even for? Other than to copy and paste the same washed up tenancy agreements and cream off the top of every stakeholder's cash. I am angry, perturbed, distressed, and saddened. This is yet another example of how tenants are at the mercy of landlords and letting agents who have the monopoly on property in the United Kingdom, and sap everyday people of their money whilst doing the bare minimum in return. JCP will have to go a long way to change my opinion of them.

Felix · 20 March 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Google

By far the worst experience we've ever had from an estate agent! It took over a month and a half to get our deposit back, meaning we very nearly could not pay the rent on our new flat and faced eviction. Typically deposits should be given back in 10 days, but this was not the case here. We were also charged over £300 in cleaning fees despite the fact we left the flat in a much better state than when we found it. They even tried to charge us for lightbulbs that were missing when we got there. They also used the classic strategy of charging us exorbitant cleaning fees and then trying to look reasonable by saying that we could meet them 'halfway' when there should have been no fees in the first place! The communication in particular was dire. We were constantly ringing and emailing trying to get hold of the office and being ignored. On the other hand, when it was time to get money from us the service suddenly became marvellously efficient! They also attempted to get us to pay 2 months rent in advance despite the fact that this was not in our original contract. If we had not disputed this and gone into their office I have no doubt they would have been happy to be in breach of contract and take the two months rent from us. Fortunately, our experience with Paramount Estate Agents in London has been far superior. There are good estate agents out there no doubt, but I definitely recommend avoiding this one!

Harry · 20 March 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We would both like to thank you, Francis (Winstone-Partridge) for your immense help, advice, and wise counsel during the sale of our property at 107 Plater Drive. We were particularly pleased with the sale value achieved in an increasingly difficult market, and in our search for possible alternative properties. Your effective liaising with the eventual purchaser was incredibly helpful in bringing the rather drawn-out sales process to a successful conclusion. We would be happy to consider the use of your services in any future sale, and to recommend you to others. Best regards, Michael and Janet Rant

Janet · 6 November 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Alex was extremely helpful and professional when helping me and my friends find our first property to rent. I would recommend this agency as they are considerate of students financial predicament and don't expect the deposits straight up like other agency's but they allow students till June to come up with the deposit. This is extremely helpful as we rely on student loans. Overall my decision was made much easier with the help of Alex as he keeps you up to date and alerts you of anything occurring.

Beth · 20 March 2019

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Thank you Francis for helping us both buy our fabulous new home and sell our lovely previous home! We were 'blessed' with many of the ups and downs common to the housebuying process and your expertise and guidance were a huge help to ensuring we got what we wanted. And your calmness and good humour were much appreciated throughout!

Charlie · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

JCP have been an outstanding estate agents and I would recommend their services to anyone (hence the review). Previously i have dealt with many poor and unhelpful estate agents that have caused great deals of stress and difficulties. But I feel all down to the help, character and professionalism received from Alex, JCP are by far the best estate agents I have dealt with. It is a relief to not have all the difficulties that estate agents stereotypically have. I thank you, JCP and especially Alex, for your quick, professional but also charismatic manner that you have given as an estate agent.

Kieran · 10 January 2019

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We have had exceptional service from Winnie at JCP Estate Agents so far. She has gone over and above in her level of service to us and helped us to secure a house for rent that we didn't think was possible due to timings. This is the first time that we've had this level of service from an estate agent and just wanted to say thank you to Winnie for continuing to do such a great job!

Hillary · 20 March 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Francis Winstone-Partridge is very approachable and friendly. He arrived with sales details of local properties and we quickly decided on a sale price of our house. The brochure was produced very speedily showing our house to its best advantage and viewings started quite quickly. We accepted an offer within 8 weeks of starting the process. We highly recommend.

Joan · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

I can unreservedly recommend Francis Winstone-Partridge of JCP Walton Street. My sale/purchase process proved to be unexpectedly protracted --- absolutely not his fault --- and he spared no effort to advise, assist and encourage and steered the whole thing through successfully. I felt very supported throughout. This is the kind of professional service one rarely finds these days.

Paul · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

JCP have been an outstanding estate agents and I would recommend their services to anyone (hence the review). Previously i have dealt with many poor and unhelpful estate agents that have caused great deals of stress and difficulties. But I feel all down to the help, character and professionalism received from Alex, JCP are by far the best estate agents I have dealt with. It is a relief to not have all the difficulties that estate agents stereotypically have. I thank you, JCP and especially Alex, for your quick, professional but also charismatic manner that you have given as an estate agent.

Kieran · 5 March 2018

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

After trying to work with other estate agents Francis was an absolute pleasure to work with. He made the whole process simple and straightforward, communicated well throughout and got our asking price. I would have no hesitation in recommending him and would certainly not use any other agent if I needed one.

Martin · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

JCP were extremely helpful. There was no bidding against other buyers, no hidden horrors waiting to be discovered in our survey, and no vacuous jargon. Francis said he thought we'd be very happy after our offer was accepted, and we were - and continue to be. A first rate service.

Tom · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

JCP were professional throughout our purchase process, and were highly proactive in ensuring that good progress was being made. Elizabeth was brilliant at problem solving and unblocking where there were potential hold-ups. Would highly recommend.

Peter · 20 March 2024

★★★★★ 4/5

Google

Alex was very helpful when showing us properties. He was able to find us different options, which was different to other estate agents we also worked with as they did not do this for us. This is one of the main reasons why we went with JCP. It is also very useful that the deposit doesn't have to made until later on, helpful when we are relying on student budgets!

Sophie · 5 March 2019

★★★★★ 4/5

Google

Francis was confident of achieving a good price on our house sale. He proved to be as good as his word as the first viewing on the day the house was first marketed resulted in an offer at the asking price. We completed less than four months later.

Jacky · 20 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Jacob is awesome. JCP is awesome. No further comments.

Brandon · 20 February 2026