Shipways Reviews 104

Where do we start with this disaster?

The initial first impression wasn't bad; easy to book a house viewing with them and the lady that conducted it responded to the few question we had when viewing the property... But that's unfortunately the only positive thing that we have to say about the service we received.

The communication was awful and documents were lost throughout. We received one set of keys in the beginning between the two of us – 14 days later, we had the complete second set (after we had one cut ourselves). We had to redo the initial inventory report because the check conducted by Shipways was ~50% complete. Considering we informed Shipways of the issues that were there when we moved in, they tried to charge us for these when we moved out…..numerous emails were sent informing them of this (complete with evidence) and we are not sure if they understand this to this day.

The worst was how they handled our deposit and rent to be refunded. Communication within Shipways was non-existent as the finance department was not aware that we were leaving early (which Shipways told us we could do due to the new tenants wanting to move in earlier). We had to wait five weeks just to get the rent refunded back to us and the aforementioned issues with the inventory affected the deposit coming back to us as quickly as it should. We took a hit of £100 just so this debacle could be over with. The cherry on the top of the cake was that we were told that we would get the deposit/rent refunded or at least know how much we were getting back after seven days.

We would like to point out that most of the issues we experienced were with the property management team (Sequence) which Shipways rely on. Emails and calls were ignored on numerous occasions and we had to chase so many times just to get something. They also incorrectly charged us over £100 to extend our tenancy after the initial six months. This was refunded again after numerous calls……

Responsiveness, Value
1 Star is far more than this unprofessional and untrustworthy company ever deserve.

Avoid at all costs, it will truly make your life a misery.

They do not follow the correct procedures as stated on their website in accordance with the Property ombudsman.

The information they provide alongside "professional" guidance is frankly as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

I will never use again, and would not wish their service on my worst enemy

Awful company at Shirley branch. They overpriced my home....Rosie came out and did a viewing of my property while i was at work. When i get back home i had found out that the back door was left unlocked!!

Also my passport and drivers licence was stolen as i cannot find it since Shipways had been to my property. I have reported this to the police. I found staff rude on the phone who offer a pathetic service. Wish i had never gone with Shipways as they have caused me nothing but problems and i still have not sold my property. I came out of the contract with Shipways within less that 2 week!! Avoid them is the best advice, much better and cheaper Estate agents there are.

Big mistake to fall for the excellent sales pitch! Started well with sale boards up in no time once the contract was signed but then the nightmare began! Took 3 weeks to get our property to market. The agent had our key but the photographer forgot to collect it and had to go back to the office to get it. The photos were rushed and very poor quality. The narrative on our sales particulars was so bland and didn’t make the most of the beautiful rural location of our property is in and the floor plans were a poor illustration and incorrect. The planned open day didn’t happen but they didn’t explain how it would work or that it wasn’t happening until we phoned to ask where the agent was when they didn’t show up. They held our key to enable any time viewing but office staff didn’t know they had the key and thought we were only accepting weekend viewings. They turned up 4 hours late for an appointment to retake photos and never returned our calls. We terminated our contract with them with the required 4 weeks notice and the for sale board was removed within 48 hours. When I phoned to ask whether they were still marketing our property they said the boards had been removed for decontamination reasons! They never returned our message asking about arrangements to return our key and we had to go into the office to demand it back. We made customer services aware of how unhappy we were and they didn’t return our calls either. If you want to avoid a similar experience then avoid this company.

My property was let by Shipways but they didn't follow up with my case, no reply and even lost my key!!!

Awful,don't sell your house with them!
I had my house on the market with them for some months I had reduced it once And I got a phone call off them asking if I would like to reduce my house to be in the Boxing Day sale I said no and explicitly told them that I would Not!! reduce the price of my house again because I wouldn't be able to afford another house. So 2 weeks later you would imagine my surprise when on Christmas day I found my house had been reduced. When shipways where back open after Christmas I phoned up and asked them why my house was even in the sale when he had explicitly said no but they couldn't give me an answer so I complained and they said that she would pass my complaint on to the manager but they didn't get in contact with me for a whole month when I got a phone call of the manager and I said that I didn't want their services any more but up to this day 3 weeks later my house is still on the market

Excellent Product details. Merchandise arrive on the average a week earlier than projected date of delivery. Sales reps are courteous, professional, and are willing to go the extra mile.
Quite a pleasant experience!
Thumbs up!!

In my opinion this company is one of the worst I have had the displeasure to deal with and will certainly stear clear in the future we offered on a property and we where told the offer was accepted subject to being approved or qualified. So we booked time of work took all the relevant information mortgage had been approved funds for more than the 10% deposit as required, we had no chain and was good to go. So at this point we where told to arrange a solicitor which we did straight away and also gave notice on our rented accommodation and paid our mortgage advice. We was both very excited then after all this had been agreed and being told that once the offer had been accepted we where assured that there would be no bidding war as its just not fair (bull💩). So we are sitting there making plans for removal and decorating when I received an email stating that our offer as been rejected because someone had offered more, not even the courtesy of a phone call no response through social media. They cost me and my family money shattered our dreams and upset my children. All this is unprofessional unethical and unacceptable so that is why I am leaving this review for you own sakes stear clear trust me.

I was initially impressed, had 30 viewings in one day via an open house day, did sell property but not from any of the viewings they conducted, it was from someone who had bought other properties in my road and contacted Shipways themselves. After it had been sold hardly any contact at all, had no update calls, in fact no contact at all unless it was in response to information I had chased them for. Left 2 messages on one occasion for the manager to call me, no response at all. All the staff were very courteous and helpful when I pushed it, but would have liked much more pro active after sales service from them. They actually had to do very little to earn the £2100 commission I had to pay them.

Awful. Requested a probate valuation. "Great!" said the voice at the other end of the phone, brightly. Should have given up there and then (it's more usual to offer condolences...). Liam turned up on time and was personable, didn't look at the outside of the property as it was raining.
I then received a marketing report, no signed probate valuation, and was then told they don't do them (the other two firms we called had no problem doing what was required).
The icing on the cake is the call I just had from customer services asking how my property search is going....she asked how she was supposed to know when I explained the situation (she couldn't grasp that at no point have I indicated we will be selling or searching for a property so she should not have my details). Clearly poor communication and training of both branch (manager and phone) and call centre staff, and appalling customer service with no humanity. We certainly won't be using Shipways when it is time to sell.

From start to finish Shipways were unprofessional in the sale of my property.
Contacted via text messages with Terrible grammar, messages sent to me by mistake meant for other customers. But.... the best must be the kisses I received from the office staff at the end of their texts. They would phone whilst I was busy at work although they had been told to contact me at a certain time of the day. I only stayed with them as I was desperate to sell and vacate my property as the area has gone to the dogs. The solicitors they use are also as much use as a chocolate fire guard.
Shipways sent a potential buyer around who turned up with her brother in law and proceeded to take photographs of anything and everything and I felt pressured as they were asking if I was leaving furniture, mirrors, I honestly thought she would want the contents of my wardrobe next, but to be fair she was way too fat for them.
An offer was made which I accepted, and potential buyer wanted a second viewing. I explained I was busy over the next few weeks as I was having treatment at hospital but Shipways still contacted myself to arrange this. I did offer a second viewing at my convenience with the buyer then bringing another person with her, who proceeded to walk over my bedroom carpet and walked mud all over it without a care. Potential buyer contacted me to say she would “pop” around on bank holiday Monday to check boiler was working. I told her I was away and would be in touch with her on my return, which I did a few days later. I was not going to stand for a stranger to tell me when they would “pop” round, totally unacceptable behaviour and quite odd I thought.
A very stressful time made worse by the constant annoyance of the buyer. I felt quite violated by the frequent visits from the buyer who behaved like it was her property before everything was completed.
Glad the experience is now over and would honestly not recommend this company to anyone.
I would avoid at all costs.

I have lived in quite a few apartments in a number of cities, and Shipways were undoubtedly the most incompetent and money-grabbing letting agents I’ve ever come across.

We had 3p in arrears (due to an error in the rounding up of rent), which we offered to pay over the phone but only with a £10 card charge. We then were sent letters threatening eviction and taking us to court OVER THREE PENCE!

We also had a broken front door, which we reported twice to Shipways as it was a safety issue - not only could we be easily broken into but at any point we could have got stuck out or in. For the next 8 months we repeatedly received texts and emails asking if the door had been fixed and every single time we said no, only have nothing done. I still received those messages a few months after moving out.

They also failed to even show up to viewings, meaning that my flatmates and I had to show prospective tenants around.

They also took a large amount out of our deposit and claimed the house was abandoned, when in reality we had cleaned the place before leaving and had just gone home for the summer, so a bit of dust had collected.

Yes, I know the apartments are cheap with these guys and that may seem alluring, but I can assure you after a year with this agency, it is never going to be worth it.

I’ve bought a few properties through Shipways (Rugby branch) and the positives from a seller’s perspective are that they have a good office location and are highly focussed on getting to a sale.

The downside is that a brash pushy style shows little respect for those they deal with. I’ve been out onto sales and mailing lists when I explicitly told them not to, been bothered at work after they insisted to my partner that they urgently needed to talk to me (it was just marketing) and been clearly lied to regarding them pushing commission insurance (when I complained they girl apparently couldn’t remember the conversation)

Avoid Shipways at all costs they scam you out of money. They say they can sell your house then make no effort whatsoever for doing so. They stick it on Zoopla etc then do nothing. They charge you for photographs them refuse to give you the money back when they don't sell. Connells and Sequence their management executive are equally as bad. When I made a complaint you would expect a courtesy phone call to help sort any issues of complaint but they are not interested. They have took my money and I have nothing whatsoever to show for it.
AVOID AVOID AVOID Shipways go to an Estate Agents who want to sell your property as Shipways have no interest to sell at all. Their Management Company are not interested at all no wonder their reviews most of them are dreadful. Just AVOID.

Would score 0 is could, avoid at all costs, slate other agents so you end up believing them when these are the worst of all kind. Lies all the way through sale, complete dishonesty, don't really care about you what so ever and the biggest one of all is Ben, avoid him at all costs, very slippery anyone but Shipways, trust me Oh, were still waiting for money they should have returned to us as the promise for the photos 4 months on .... absolute disgrace and embarrassment to the trade, like the old school dodgy car sales reps

Due to our experience, we have lost money with Shipways. We were promised a guarantee that our application was correct and in receiving the house. At the last moment the landlord disagreed and declined our application. They did not explain what to do to meet the requirements to pass application. All the time we had to call them to ask about progress and any documents if needed. I would recommend to avoid this agency because twice we applied through this agency and both houses were declined. First time was advertised through Shipways and next time they promised they were good and not like others.

I have been renting for 15 years and have had many experiences of letting agents and landlords all of which have been fair or positive. I can honestly say Shipways have been the worst. Firstly they impinge on data privacy by giving my details to their own energy and broadband company who I specifically opted out of on my tenancy application and actually phoned me up twice within the space of 5 minutes after I told them I wanted my details removed from their system and they agreed to do so. Then it all went downhill from there. I have never experienced being hassled so much with home inspections and different requirements for which we have needed to take time off work or cancel plans to be at the property. If we were mistreating the property I could understand but I am a professional person who is meticulous with cleaning. Their management company Sequence is equally as appalling - sending people around who are rude and who don't even complete the work they were sent to do. I honestly feel it impinges on my human right to a peaceful family life. Stay well clear if you value your privacy and annual leave! I will not be staying in the property due to the stress of the relentless requests and visits even though the property is lovely. I'm sure for landlords this is increasing the turnover of tenants - perhaps this is in the estate agents financial interest? I value being treated like a human being and certainly won't use them again for anything. This company don't consider that some day tenants may become home buyers themselves....

Shipways Dudley were a pleasure to deal with. Katie especially was professional, calm under pressure and is a credit to the Dudley branch and Shipways in general. Thankyou so much Katie for all your efforts and hard work and the pleasant nature you possess.

Probably the worst estate agents I have ever come across. Totally unprofessional, dishonest. We pulled out of the property transaction solely because of the behaviour and business practises of this company. Stay well away.

Very dodgy folk.
Would not pass on an offer to the vendor, even though it was the asking price. Asked my sister to up her offer without passing on the initial offer. When my sister asked why they said " that's they way we do it now, were just trying to get the highest price for our client"
Her and her husband are cash buyers but were told there was another buyer interested, who had not yet made an offer as they had no mortgage arranged. Shipways then said it would go to sealed bids, so my sister reluctantly upped her offer.
She heard the next day that she had lost out on the bid made because the other buyer had offered more.
Then she was told that the successful bid was from an employee at the branch!
It seems quite obvious to me that the agents involved manipulated the situation to favour their colleague by telling them what my sister's offer was so that they could easily outbid her.
As far as I can tell from reaing the code of practice, as set out by the property ombudsman service, there has been clear discrimination against my sister and her husband.
The agent is, by law, required to submit all offers to the vendor and not to discriminate against a buyer for any reason.
I'm not sure that the vendor was ever made aware of my sister's excellent position and capability to proceed.
I have the sellers address and may well write to inform them of this malpractice.
The agent dealing with the sale suddenly changed to someone who doesn't even work at the branch. I think they felt Somone with more 'clout' would be able to deal with my sister's suspicions and questions. In actual fact, he was just even ruder than the girl they had been dealing with previously, so nice one shi*ways.
Miserable, dishonest and totally self serving.
Buyer beware 🤬