Countrywidehomesurveys Reviews 

This review is very similar to quite a few of I have read on here already.

To be perfectly honest it doesn't even deserve a 1 star.

The 89% of 1 star reviews on this company must speak volumes and I would urge people to do their homework before choosing this company to carry out a survey on their property.

As I said above, and like many other reviews the surveyor decided to down value our property by £15,000.

I had three valuations on my property some gave a higher value than others and therefore I decided to choose the estate agents who gave a realistic valuation price on my property, by this I mean similar property in the area valuations.

Can I call the uneducated gentleman who came through my door to complete it a Surveyor. Maybe not, as he clearly had not done his homework .

Had an attitude even before he entered the property by telling me. I had to fit in with his schedule. Clearly not as it's my house and you work around our working schedule.

Buyers who quite willingly gave me the asking price the day after their viewing. Must have thought my house was worth the value.

Following his visit and report wanted me to accept an offer for £15,000 less.
Absolutely not.

Think the must have to justify their job role somehow. But after reading a lot of reviews on here they are costing people money and wasting time.

I could clearly write more but to be honest not worth the time.

Just beware of this company

About 10 glowing reviews on Facebook but I posted a bad review and immediately got blocked

Needed a home buyer survey. Used this company last time we moved and they were fine from what I could recall. Did a quick quote online - £~400 more expensive than the one we ended up going with. I was working so had 4 missed calls following my online quote. Told them I wasn't interested. Two weeks later had 2 missed calls. Told them again I wasn't interested and to ensure I was not called again. Just had another missed call (7 in total since the quote). Plus a few text messages.

I did a 'quick online quote' on their website, and the quote was just over £400 more than the company I have ended up going with, so naturally that was that as far as I was concerned. I had to input my email address and phone number to get the quote, but from getting quotes from other companies, its usually not a big deal and they tend to just email once and that's it, or send a text if at all. They rang 4 times that day, and texted me twice. I didn't answer as I was at work, and if I was interested in their services I would have contacted them. They haven't stopped calling me since. The day after, they rang 7 TIMES, and I've had on average 2-4 calls a day since I blocked them and they still persist leaving voicemails a week on. Get the message and stop harrassing potential clients, all its done is make me want to warn others not to go with them. Not the way to try and get business. Never experienced the like before, its relentless. I'm not phoning them back because if they're this persistent in their calls and still not getting the message a week on, what is their phone manner going to be like.

I would give it one star if possible. Countrywide valued my property on behalf of my buyer for their lender.

To give some context, my property had been valued by 2 registered valuers before putting it on the market.

They came and carried out the valuation survey on Saturday 12th of October and were at my property for approximately 20 minutes if that. They asked no questions about the property other than how much the service charge was. I asked if I needed to show her around and they said no and all they needed was some measurements and photos. ( they did not even measure the room I was sitting in at all). They said the report would be over to the lender by Monday which I can confirm it was.

Although the outcome was a devaluation of 10k. I paid 97.5k in 2022,(valued by countrywide too) since living here I have improved the property to a turn key standard. My buyers viewed my property the day after it went on the market and it was sold straight away… they even offered above asking price to secure the property there and then as they loved it.

For reference I had it on the market for £104,995, I accepted an offer for £107.5k and they valued it at £95k (I paid
£97.5k in 2022) The down valuation has then led to my buyer retracting their offer and having to renegotiate lower leaving me with less equity and having to pull out of my accepted offer on my next property…

My frustration lies with Countrywide on this one due to the fact I know there was no local knowledge from the ‘surveyor’ as well as they didn't factor in the condition of the property or the improvements made. I understand the point of a valuation for a lender is a whole different ball game but even looking at the comparable evidence myself it does not support their valuation. Most recently one sold for 97k in January 2024. This was a top floor in good condition but right at the entrance of the estate closer to the railway etc. Mine is a ground-floor apartment (more suited to a variety of buyers as there are no lifts) with modernised decor throughout, newer bathrooms, and new flooring, the boiler is 6 years old and has been serviced every year. The list could go on.

I have read horror stories online about these guys and I work in the industry myself. I'm currently due to be a charted surveyor, I work for a blue-chip company in their property department I have a RICS accredited degree and I can see both sides to these sorts of scenarios but not in this case. I would never like to bash another industry professional but this type of professional practice is wrong, the service goes against the RICS code of conduct entirely which are honesty, integrity, competence, service, respect, and responsibility. I'm not the first and will not be the last to have similar feedback.

Also, to add I have had covid I phoned ahead to let them know and they didn't even know what their company policy was they had to ring me back, the Val was supposed to be carried out on Sunday as I tested positive on the Wednesday prior (company policy 5 days from positive test) however they rang and asked due to being in the area can they come on Saturday I said it was fine by me and the surveyor did wear PPE… maybe that's why they didn't hang around or want to engage in asking questions. If that's the case do better, reschedule.

Going forward if my future lender/ buyer is using this company I won't be using that lender or proceeding with the buyer. The reviews are appalling and all of a similar nature. Even worse, my lender tried to sell me their service to upgrade my lender's val to a level 2 survey - I declined. If anyone Is reading this that has had a bad experience with these guys or thinking about using their service, from someone in the industry, go local and get someone who understands your property and knows the local area. You may pay more but your outcome will be far better.

Gary came out to value my property. He managed to do an extremely in-depth survey in less than 10 minutes. Considering his office said he'd need access to the attic and he'd be bringing a ladder, he did neither. He ran round the house in around 7 minutes then said he was going to look at the back of the property from the alleyway, you go figure! I was selling the house way under the asking prices of houses in the street as I wanted a quick sale to private buyers. Well Gary, thanks to your meticulous, in-depth survey the buyers now want £5000 knocked off the price. Considering the property has full upvc windows, gas central heating, relatively new, attractive bathroom, I'm fairly certain your valuation of £50,000 is a tad out, especially seeing as a boarded up property around the corner, that has been vandalised and has had everything ripped out of it sold for £46,000. Gary wasn't particularly client friendly either. After his 7 minute in-depth tour of the house, he looked down his nose and said, "you the tenant then". I replied that I was the owner. I was told I'd hear something in a couple of days but I didn't.
Having read all the other 1 star reviews it beggars belief why financial institutions are actually using these morons.

This saga continues and after 4 weeks still have not received a promised refund clearly any promises made by this company are worthless. Frankly a 1 star rating is too generous for this dishonourable company I urge anyone thinking about dealing with them to re think there are much better companies you should deal with I will update further on the is 4 week saga incidentally tis refund is £924.00 not in significant

I had an ugly experience with countrywide survey services, if there is any star rating worst that one, I would use it.

To start with, I first contacted country wide survey on the 10th of September to make a level 2 survey inquiry, and how soon this can be done, compared to the other two surveyors I contacted, a staff I talked with said if I could make a payment before or on Thursday 12th September 2024, she will try her best to get a surveyor in the next day or latest within 2-5 working days, thus I made effort and made a payment of £450 on the 12th September as agreed, only for me to be given appointment
11 days away (24th September), I called to complain about this bridge of trust, but she said appointment is automated.

It doesn't stop there, when the survey was eventually done on the 24th September, I was told report would be sent to my email within 2-7 days, today's marks 10 days following the survey, I haven't received a survey report and am on the verge of loosing out on the house because the Seller felt things are too slow as the said house is vacant possession, countrywide Survey ineptitude have paused my mortgage application process for about 3 weeks running due to their insincerity.

I had other two survey companies willing to do the survey and generate a report within a week but I used countrywide survey services based on the promises of their product and service advisor, Joanne Barrow, however am totally dissapointed in their services.

Worst survey company I must say.

I paid £495 for a survey on a house I am supposed to be buying on August 28, 2024. The survery was conducted on September 3, 2024, and I have still not received a report. Every time you ring the office you select any number on the keypad to be put through and it repeats the message over and over again so no one answers. I also have no email address to contact them as the receipt I received is a no-reply email. The solicitors, sellers, estate agents, and mortgage company keep calling me asking where it is and I can't get a hold of anyone!

When I worked in the banking industry many years ago this company had a poor reputation, this hasn’t changed. We’re looking to raise a mortgage to complete renovations on a property, one of their surveyors came round and couldn’t have spent more than 15 mins there. Despite discussing the state of property before he visited and outlining it’s condition, for information it is 80% complete, new windows doors completed rewired & re plumbed, single storey extension completed, he said it was derelict & uninhabitable although agreed the value was what we had said it was!
The whole process was a complete waste of time so we now have to start all over again. If the lender says they are using this firm then either ask them to use an alternative or expect problems.

DO NOT USE
As stated several times do not use. At our property 5 mins. We didn’t appoint them. They valued our property £30000 less than a local agent so now rate increased by.5%
Why use someone not local and does not know the market.
Wonder if they on a bonus to lower the value of the property therefore increasing the rate.

Gary from Countrywide surveyors came to our house this week and after spending approximately 10 minutes of meticulous surveying, lol decided to down value our property by 25k! We have 3 other prospective buyers willing to bid even higher than the asking. They have cost their client the house! We obviously won't accept that reduction considering we have 3 other parties wanting to buy. Feel sorry for the family who had paid both these clowns and the structural surveyor. How can they send out surveyors who cleary don't do their diligence properly or have any clue as to the values in the area. So if your lender wants to use these clowns, resist with your life, as you maybe in for an expensive disappointment! One star, is one star, too many!

The worst surveyor company. Avoid like a plague! The only reason why I use them is because my lender asked for a valuation to be carried out by them. Why banks still use them is beyond comprehension.

Disgusting service from Jonathan Oliver, came do do a home valuation for the buyer of our property. Was in the house no more than 2 minutes did not even look in every room, didn’t even look outside in the garden at the side of the property and has the cheek to tell the buyer our house is worth £16000 less than he agreed to buy for and now won’t pay anymore! Disgusting company ruining peoples sales with there inaccurate valuation!! Absolute con artists who come from 3 hours away and no nothing at all about the area. Avoid like the plague!!!!

Spoke to Caitlin today who was very kind, just the kind of voice you want to hear. Thank you x

DO NOT USE THIS COWBOY COMPANY

The surveyor was commissioned by a buyer who is buying my house. The surveyor turned up unwashed, looking like he had just got out of bed with dirty clothes.

He then erroneously flagged spray foam insulation when what he saw as spray foam insulation was simple foam window filler used to block a couple of gaps for drafts.

I paid for a RICS surveyor to check and overturn this mistake, but our sale is now fouled up in beuracracy because of this unprofessional companys surveyor who doesn't know what he is doing.

Save yourself hassle and go with a decent surveyor who employ professionals.

AWFUL surveyors with really bad attitudes. Trying to re-mortgage a property I own, the Lender sent a surveyor to value the property. As I was away, I asked a friend to let the surveyor in. The surveyor was asking my friend questions that he didn't know (eg, how much I paid for the property, etc) and when my friend informed he didn't know, the surveyor turned quite nasty and spoke really rudely to my friend. The Lender declined the offer based on the surveyor's opinion that the property was a Holiday Let. My Broker found a Lender that were guaranteed, but unfortunately, this 2nd Lender informed they were sending a surveyor from Countrywide Home Surveys. My wife rang and requested the first surveyor not be sent due to his terrible attitude. Another surveyor was sent, but all he was interested in was "why we didn't want the first surveyor?". My Broker has just informed this guaranteed Lender has declined their offer based on this second surveyor's opinion that the Public House opposite brings the value right-down. If that were the case, why didn't the first surveyor pick up on this, or the surveyor who surveyed when I purchased the property 3yrs ago?. It is clearly evident that both surveyors have conspired to ensure Lenders do not lend to me based on their unprofessional, self-biased attitudes.
It is interesting to observe that other customers have also left negative reviews recently regarding surveyors condescending, bad attitudes.

Survey booked and paid for. Countrywide cancelled my survey at lunchtime, the day before it was supposed to ba carried out. Now I'm being told I will have to wait 10 days to recieve my refund, when I've had to pay out for another survey. This company is quick to take your money, bt reluctant to gve it back Do not use these clowns.

Lincoln: Level 2 RICS Home Survey: I have found this company to be excellent, both when requesting a quote, (Hannah was quick to respond to my quieries and very informative, and surveys are reasonably priced) and also the 5* service from their RICs Surveyor based in Lincoln - Andrew Davies - this man most certainly knows his stuff and is Lincoln born and bred so also thoroughly knew the area and all relevant details.
The appointment for the surveyor was organised quickly and I was kept informed every step of the way. The surveyor contacted me ahead of his visit to ask if I had any specific areas of concern, and I recieved the completed report the following working day! The report was detailed and Andrew had clearly left no stone unturned in the property, even bringing his own ladder and venturing into the tiny attic of the property to check every detail, even behind radiators!
After I received the very thorough, 76 page Level 2 report, I had a number of queries due to my lack of knowledge in this area, so I emailed Countrywide to request a call with the surveyor and Andrew called me the same day and spent nearly and hour on the phone with me answering each and every one of my queries and giving me lots of interesting and useful information.
I would not hesitate to recommend their service to both family and friends.

The company is not following the tenancy agreement. They're breaking the law by misleading people. That company is very chaotic, and they know nothing about the service their are providing. The staff is always changing and new people coming to assess the property without any knowledge about previous propety situation. If you are brave enough, you can use their services, but do not count to have your deposit back. I'm very sorry to say that, but the way I was treated is unacceptable. I'm very disappointed as I thought that the company is more efficient.