Connells Carterton reviews in West Oxfordshire

★★★★★ 1/5

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Connells Estate agents..run by a bunch of cowboys.

In September 2014, my family and I returned to the UK from our home in Spain needing a house to rent long term in Warwickshire. We paid Connells estate agents £1750 security deposit for a property we have rented for the past 9 years until 26.08.2023. Our landlord then required the house back for the use of his own family. We ceased the tenancy on that date and both our landlord and myself informed Connells and the landlord requested that they release the deposit without any penalties back to me. They have made it difficult to speak to the “correct person” but each time I moved forward I end up taking a further two steps backwards. All the information that they supply for the delay refunding the money is clearly down to their inadequacies some which appear to be quite deliberate because I can’t believe that any company can be so incompetent as Connells. Beware of this bunch of cowboys, they have no credibility as far as I am concerned. I wouldn’t trust them with my granny’s pension!21.09.2023 an update, well Connells have refused to refund my £1750 offer no reason for this and Infact no communication from them so it is costing me £115.00 to issue a County Court summons, so today I am going ahead to issue. One problem with using the TDS dispute service is that it can take up to 15 weeks just to get your case resolved but the summons is much quicker. Sad that you have to go to such lengths to obtain your own money back for no genuine reason.27.09.2023. A further update. It feels totally unreal that I am still reporting on CONNELLS estate agents.Four weeks later and I still reporting and reviewing the services of this company. The bottom line is that I am still waiting for a refund of my money I foolishly allowed them to hold in trust for my landlord and myself fourteen years ago. Connells cannot be trusted. If you are tempted to rent a property via Connells, don’t. Find another letting agent. Do not use Connells.

Barry · 27 September 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

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Don't listen to times to avoid and devalue for no reason.

When booking an appointment I advised on a time not to attend as I would be unavailable and they sent the surveyor at that specific time, when I asked him about it he said the office hadn't bothered to put it down on the notes. They also decided to devalue the property just because only one other house with the same number of bedrooms in the area has sold recently (it went for more than my sale) and they refused to use the houses with one extra bedroom as comparible (even though they sold for a good value more). It's an eye opener to realise the surveyors are often forcing the market down!

Jess · 26 September 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Avoid

I made offer for a property advertised by Connells. The agent called me back and asked to transfer me to Mortgage adviser. I did not want their mortgage advisor, but in order to receive response, I had to talk to him. The guy promised my offer will be accepted if I take him. So, to get the property, I had to take the Mortgage advisor as well. They tried to push me to use their solicitors as well but I managed to escape from that. I paid £700 for the mortgage advisor, the bank approved the mortgage and almost 5 months later, I was waiting for some papers from the Vendor’s solicitors (Connells’s solicitors) to complete the purchase. Suddenly, I was diagnosed with very bad illness and had to cancel the purchase. Although I explained that to Connells, I had emails and phone calls from Connells representatives checking if I am interested to do another purchase, up to about two months later. Finally, I had ti rudely ask them to remove my details from their database.

Mimi · 10 September 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

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"Connells Estate Agents: A Disastrous Experience - From Inadequate Communication to Complete Disengagement in Sales Progression"

If you have time this morening our review of Connells Eatate agents who sold our house: We are extremely disappointed with the services provided by Connells Estate Agents. They consistently fell far below the expectations we had set, particularly in terms of communication. The lack of communication was evident from the very beginning, especially when it came to coordinating property viewings which included informing us of when viewing were and also when the agents left the property - a crucial aspect of the selling process. This lack of attention to detail extended to their poor efforts in generating interest during the initial stages, largely due to the open house strategy that did not yield the expected results.What added to our frustration was their unprofessional behavior and negative attitude. Not only did Connells Estate Agents fail to deliver to their “commitment to delivering the highest levels of customer service”, but they also engaged in bad-mouthing other estate agents in the area. This kind of behavior is not only unbecoming of a professional agency, but it also raises concerns about their integrity and values.Moreover, when we raised our initial complaints about their services, Connells Estate Agents dismissed our concerns rather than addressing them, displaying a disappointing lack of accountability and understanding. To make matters worse, the behavior of the estate agents was both rude and aggressive, as reported by our buyers. It's disheartening to know that the house's success in selling had more to do with its own merits as described to us by third parties in the chain rather than the efforts of the estate agents. As customers, we were left with no choice but to seek assistance from other estate agents within our chain and our solicitors to navigate through the process.Moreover, Connells completely disengaged after the sale, refusing to participate in the sales progression. The next time we heard from them was the day we were moving out when they asked for the keys and, shockingly two days after the completion date when they requested more money. This indifference and lack of involvement were noted not only by us but also by various parties in the chain, including other clients and agents representing them. Connells claimed they don't get involved in sales progression, which contradicted the proactive approach taken by all other estate agents involved, leaving our solicitors in disbelief at their response. We ended up receiving better advice, information and guidance from another Estate Agents involved with the chain. If we had the time and energy after such a lengthy process, we would have seriously considered disputing their charges. In our opinion and in the opinion of some of the other parties involved in the transaction, Connells Estate Agents' service was severely lacking. However, it's a relief not to have to deal with them again. Based on our experience, we strongly recommend that others avoid working with Connells Estate Agents. Their level of professionalism and care was clearly insufficient, and we hope that our feedback prompts them to make significant improvements to their services.

Jake · 10 September 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

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Park Home Sale

We found Connells in Winchester extremely helpful when selling our property. I would like to thank all the staff for all their hard working especially Angus who a is lovely person always cheerful polite and professional he is a credit to the company

Christine · 25 September 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

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Connells provided a fantastic service

Connells provided a fantastic service, letting my property. Sophie Short went above and beyond to manage the process smoothly. She is friendly, professional, extremely helpful and always quick to respond to queries.

HM · 5 September 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

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I just want to say that Lewis and…

I just want to say that Lewis and Meghan have been a miracle in my life in securing a property to rent, when all doors seem to have closed,Lewis always open the doors with Men they have both been absolutely fantastic and my Whole Family appreciates you and your Organisation for me they are the best and keep up with the good work.

James · 17 August 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

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Avoid at all costs

Avoid at all costs!Lack of communication, bullyboy sales tactics that make you feel pressured to go through them to get your mortgage and also tell on the phone your offers have been accepted if you can get down to them by a certain time( we had 2 hours notice to get all paperwork together and get to the office with a 2 week old and 1 year old, which we did but as we didn't choose to take our mortgage through them, they later said our offer hadn't actually been accepted)

Emma · 18 August 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

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** The best morgage advisor **

Have worked with Linda Cox for my morgage she is highly recommended so professional and caring . Really takes the time to explain everything clearly and goes above and beyond in all aspects of her work anyone looking for a morgage advisor would not be dissatisfied, what a great service I will recommending to all my friends and colleagues.

Jamie · 8 February 2018

★★★★★ 1/5

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Nuisance Tenants! Howling Dogs!

Tenancy stated no dogs. However, they rented the property to someone with a spaniel. The dog has howled all day, every day for over a year! The 2 agents I've spoken with couldnt care less! It’s extremely distressing to hear and IVE HAD ENOUGH!!!! They clearly don’t manage the properties very well. *Its been reported to the LocalAuthority

Jessie · 17 October 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Absolute shambles of a company been…

Absolute shambles of a company been chasing out deposit down for weeks now they are always excuses as to why this hasn’t been done. Always people promising to chase things up and contact us and they never do! Always told you will hear something in a week that’s now been going on for nearly two months! Quick to take money yet not quick to give you what’s yours back!

Stacey · 5 April 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

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Andy from the Dorchester branch, Excellent!

Rented through the Dorchester branch. Dealt with Andy and received fantastic service. Very friendly and helpful and kept me up to date throughout the whole process. Everything was made easy unlike other estate agents we have used. Was a very smooth and straight forward move, couldn’t have asked to work alongside a better person.

Madeleine · 1 July 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They will promise the earth and not deliver

I signed up with Connells expecting proactive support, marketing expertise, and clear communication. I was sold the dream at the valuation. Instead, I faced several issues:

Sophie · 29 October 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

There should be a limit to cross sell - you deal in houses not financial products.

I had done the house purchase transaction via Connells in 2021 and there is a reason I am writing a review now.Rachel Semple, who worked with us was great. She took time to show us different options and worked around our schedule. So as far as personal touch goes, it was good. And then it goes downhill from there.What I didn't like, starting from small irritants to things that have me fuming:- I was told that I need to have an in principal approval before they start showing me houses. I had an in principal approval, but I don't want to disclose what my purchase limit is and while their reasoning that they don't want to waste the buyer's time is reasonable, but none of the other agents asked for it. So why are they so special to have this policy in place? My approval limit and what I am willing to pay are two different things and need to remain private.- The focus on cross sell was crazy. I was repeatedly encouraged to use their recommended solicitor, and also to engage Connell's financial services, even though I had pre approval. I was led to believe that their recommended solicitors act quicker - which proved to be a sham as the solicitor, who was 50% more expensive, took 6 months to close a NO CHAIN transaction. Since this was in 2021, it seemed that solicitor intentionally closed it right after the stamp duty holiday expired, costing a fair chunk of tax bill to me which could have easily avoided. When I kept following up - the expensive solicitor's assistant only told it they will contact us when they are ready and never gave a straight answer on why its taking so long or what is pending. And when I reminded Connells that their recommended solicitor is supposed to close the deal quicker, their response was that they have no choice but to wait. When I said that I could engage another solicitor who would probably close the deal quickly it was alluded that taking the case back could cause further problems and complications. Being a first time buyer, I was almost scared into waiting. I must mention that I was in touch with buyer independently and Connells was just supposed process the transaction. They advertised the house for less than agreed price and then closed the sale on rightmove at the agreed price. It almost seemed like they wanted to manipulate the statistics that they were able to sell the house higher than the asking price.- Connells Financials - same case of cross sell and use their brokers for mortgage as they will get better rate and get the job done quickly (remember, no chain and 6 months) Well, their cross sell try to cross sell you and charge you extra fees. I was offered a lifetime membership where my mortgage would be managed and I will get preferential rates. I got charged a membership fee and then mortgage application fee. Again, being a first time buyer, I was duped into a promise of great service - but as you deal and learn, you find out that this service is available from a host of brokers free of charge to the owner. It seemed that they wanted to sell me all types of insurances as well and mortgage was not enough. Luckily I had some insurance plans and was saved from that trap.Why I am writing a review now - its time for renewal of mortgage and guess what - there are no preferential rates or any special customer serivce. The person handling the renewal asked for a chunk of documents along with details of all existing insurances I had. I thought they need to provide the home insurance details for the mortgage and collecting details of life insurance, critical injury insurance (which I didn't have and thought I needed to get), income protection insurance (again, thought it was a requirements) etc. etc. took so much time that rates have increased in the mean time. I finally asked a friend for help and I found out that the rates Connells offered are available from two other brokers that I checked - nothing preferential. None of the insurance details are required; and Bank doesn't charge any application fee that I was being asked to pay by the Connells' broker. I am fuming right now. I realize I have been taken advantage of as a new resident in UK - and they are still trying to milk me.Why did I give 1 star? Being in sales myself, I know I make a long term customer if I educate them and guide them to shop around. If I sell something higher in the market, I am clear that we are expensive and explain what value addition makes it expensive. Connells charged me for services available free of cost in the market. It seemed that having the transaction of the house was almost like a step in the doorway to sell all kind of financial products and charge fees where ever than can.This probably will not be the last real estate transaction for me - but you can rest assured that I will not be using Connells as a matter of principal.

Asif · 6 July 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Believe the reviews...

Lots of phone calls and voicemails after asking for email only contact.They booked in an appointment after I only an asked about available times, and without bothering to check it worked for me.Ignored my email telling them I didn't book an appointment, and still sent a man to my house...Signed me up for an account, despite me NEVER requesting, and never booking an appointment.The guy who showed up was nice enough, but the "Oh that's Head Office, I'm based locally" excuse doesn't fill me with faith. Then seeing all these reviews confirms that this doesn't seem to be a one off.Estate Agents in the 80's had better reputations.

Gary · 5 July 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Steer clear of Connells

I called Connells in after going with a few other agents. They promised me the earth and delivered absolutely nothing. I decided to use Iamsold through them. What a massive mistake. They told me I could end it at anytime. I had two viewers in the first week, this wiped out my chance to use the cooling off period. I don’t even think they were legit viewers. After those two, not one other viewer in two months. Then when I tried to tell them my house is no longer for sale they said I had to give 21 days notice. They haven’t replied to any emails, haven’t given any feedback and my house is still in their website even though I’ve told them it isn’t for sale anymore. Steer clear of this company and I would imagine the many under their umbrella.

Christine · 19 June 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

If I could rate it as 0 I would

If I could rate it as 0 I would. Renting with Connells always made my life hard from day one we moved in. I am pretty sure the Landlord hasn't got a clue about the customer service this agency gives.They left me with leaking radiators, taps, shower and toilet for months until I reported to the Southeastwaster. I have asked them to fix me and get the money for materials only but never said YES. (left me with a high water bill as they fixed those issues in 5 months)They left me for 2 weeks without hot water and heating in March. (Had to argue and ask for compensation, never been offered by them)They always point at something that you do or intend to do but never hear you.My last bit was when we had a property assessment and I got an email saying that if my door hangers will damage the door I will have to pay compensation. I mentioned to the guy who came regarding spots on the walls which keep coming up and we recently painted freshly everything, but absolutely ignored that fact, absolutely ignored that when we emailed in as well.I really hope that the landlord of a property on Chaffinch Drive one day can read this email, we do treat your property with respect and take care of it, fixing and painting where needed as if we fall Connellls will make things worse and more dramatic. If I rent again somewhere, I will surely avoid Connells

Vufik · 6 June 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

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Connells never respond to email…

Connells never respond to email enquiries and when I call, they tell me someone would call back but I never get a call.

Afolayan · 11 November 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Appalling service for landlords - never get back to you, called several times for simple requests and access to documents only to be passed on to the next person. No helpful response or care to resolve issues even after months of trying to get hold of them. Estate agents are supposed to be the working hands for landlords but we have only experienced trouble and now are dealing with a court case due to failures in compliance from Connells Lettings Team.

Ck · 9 May 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Rubbish service

Rubbish service and experience from start to finish! This company only want your money! They lie and don’t tell you the full picture when purchasing a property , we were told lies and seller was told other lies . They did not make the seller aware of our offer we had put in .They said no more viewings on property but would still do more , they lie a lot and twist words. .They do not call and update often and are not helpful at all in the slightest when you ring up. Staff members were shocking and not helpful at all.Would never recommend or use them again in the future!

Holly · 4 May 2023

★★★★★ 4/5

Trustpilot

Good

Was worried after reading reviews. house values exactly what I thought and approved for my additional mortgage borrowing which helped me get out of a tough financial situation and lie back on track. South west Scotland.

Deborah · 20 June 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Avoid

Wasted well over a year with these guys and got nothing but lies and false promises. Like others have stated, we had to chase for updates and they very rarely called back. Our case was managed by their then branch manager, Arif, who was a complete joke. When others took over our purchase they were no better. In the end, we lost our buyer and after over a year with these guys the sale collapsed due to their incompetence and lies. We did contact their head office and made an official complaint but they failed to follow it up. I would avoid this branch of Connells if you can....its agents like these that give estate agents the bad reputation they are universally known for.

A · 28 April 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Scott Hillsdon and the WATFORD branch.

Scott Hillsdon and his team at the WATFORD branch are excellent. We could not have asked for a better service. From start to finish they have helped us every step of the way and kept us up-to-date on our sale. Thank you so much guys for all your hard work.Kelly and Dan

Kelly · 24 February 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

If you want 10 month rent arrears

If you want 10 month rent arrears, no help with eviction, no help to access your property (which was left empty for 4 months), lost management keys, and then 'attempt' to reclaim tenants deposit then go to this agency.one of the worst I have come across in a long time.senior management in this firm needs to changed

SUKHBIR · 2 September 2024