butters john bee - Estate and Lettings Agents Crewe Avis 

Absolutely avoid

The most unprofessional and unhelpful letting agency I think I have ever encountered.

Our experience with Butters John Bee has been appalling from start to finish. Calls and emails have repeatedly been ignored, sometimes for months, and we have then been told that they have “no information” about issues that we had already reported and chased multiple times. The complete lack of communication and accountability is frankly unacceptable.

Maintenance issues were left unresolved for months, despite being reported. There was very little urgency or concern shown, and we were left feeling as though tenants simply aren’t a priority once the rent is being paid.

Unfortunately, the problems continued when we tried to leave the property. We were not provided with the correct information regarding the notice requirements, and despite repeatedly trying to contact them and clarify the situation, we were ignored for months. We were then left dealing with the consequences of information and communication failures that were completely outside of our control.

What has been particularly disappointing is the complete lack of care or helpfulness throughout the process. From our experience, it genuinely feels as though their primary concern is collecting the rent, rather than the welfare, circumstances or concerns of the people actually living in the properties they manage.

A letting agency should communicate with its tenants, deal with maintenance issues promptly, provide accurate information and actually be willing to help when problems arise. Unfortunately, we experienced none of this consistently.

We have spent far too much time chasing emails, making calls and trying to get basic answers to issues that should never have become this difficult in the first place.

If you are considering renting through Butters John Bee, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere. Based on our experience, avoid them at all costs.

My partner and her brother recently sold their family home following the death of their Dad. The service provided by Butters John Bee was shockingly poor. The overvalued the property and protected their fee by using a fixed fee contract. When we renegotiated the fee they invoiced the higher fee on completion. Communication was poor. Not all viewings were advised. We had to request information re website activity. When an offer was accepted they sent a wholly inappropriate congratulatory email and repeated this on completion despite our complaint. They knew the family had been recently bereaved and that the sale was reluctant. Wf followed their complaints procedure and after a number of escalations received an offer of £150 and compensation which has been refused. They also sent a “Without Prejudice” letter suggesting we take the matter up with the relevant Ombudsman. A e-mail to the CEO,Paul Smith, was not replied to by him instead he passed it back to the senior person dealing with complaints. Butters John Bee are part of the SpicerHaart Group who also get very poor reviews.

I viewed a property marketed by Butters John Bee and submitted a full asking price offer. Before submitting my offer, I was completely transparent about my buying position and confirmed that I had a property to sell which was not yet on the market. The seller accepted my offer with full knowledge of my circumstances.

Following acceptance, I provided the requested documentation, including my financial information and solicitor's details, and immediately progressed the sale of my own property. Within one week, my property was ready to go live on the market.

Also, following acceptance of my offer, I requested a second viewing but was advised to wait until my own property was under offer. I accepted this. I was therefore extremely surprised to subsequently be contacted and told that viewings would continue for new prospective buyers and alternative offers could be considered. I found it difficult to understand why I, as the buyer with a full asking-price offer already accepted, was asked to wait for a second viewing while new prospective buyers were actively accommodated.

The day before my own property was due to go live, I received a phone call from the agent specifically informing me that the property would continue to be actively marketed, further viewings would take place and another offer could potentially be accepted.

I genuinely struggle to understand the purpose of that phone call. The agent had a full asking price offer on the table from a buyer whose circumstances had been disclosed from the outset and whose property was literally due to go on the market the following day. What outcome was expected from telling me that, despite progressing everything requested of me, my intended onward purchase might ultimately be sold to somebody else?

I explained during the phone call that, if the property could not reasonably be relied upon as my onward purchase, I would have to continue viewing other properties. I then raised my concerns formally in writing and clearly explained that I could not confidently progress the sale of my own home while the property I intended to purchase remained actively marketed to alternative buyers.

Rather than any short review period or compromise being offered, the continued marketing position was reiterated to me. I was advised that the seller “may still choose to wait” for me.

At that point, what other reasonable option was I being left with?

I was effectively being asked to remain committed to a purchase, progress and potentially agree the sale of my own home, while being explicitly told that the property I was purchasing might be sold to somebody else in the meantime.

As a direct result of how this situation was handled, I formally withdrew my full asking price offer and restarted my property search.

I completely understand that sellers want proceedable buyers and need to protect their position. However, buyers also have a position to protect. I had been transparent from day one, supplied the requested information, instructed my solicitor and progressed my own property to market within one week.

In my opinion, calling a serious buyer the day before their property goes live specifically to emphasise that their intended purchase may be sold to another buyer is extremely poor sales handling. I had already made my offer and demonstrated my intention to proceed. The conversation did not accelerate my sale, my property was already going live the following day. It simply removed any confidence I had in the onward purchase and ultimately led to my withdrawal.

I am still genuinely unsure what outcome the agent expected other than the buyer reconsidering or withdrawing their offer.

Unfortunately, I found the communication and handling of the transaction extremely disappointing. Based on my experience.

If i could give zero stars, i would. Left with blocked toilet drain for months. Kept asking if we had put something we shouldn't have down the toilet, despite having lived there for many years and never having that problem. Served section 21 notice just before new legislation came out in May. House still not up for rent or sale. When we found somewhere else to live, sent our notice via email and signed for letter. Tried to tell us not received. We vacated the property we were told the deposit would be released within 7 days. Several weeks later and still chasing. Told there was an admin issue and needed our bank details. My husband handed over personally in branch as did not want to send via unsecure email. Told a week later that they had still not received, by same person they were handed to!!! Very incompetent and uncaring branch!? Philosophy from above seems to be to just replenish staff instead of investing in the ones they already have. They obviously have unrealistic expectations of them!

Caused damage to my property because, when putting up their sign, were too lazy to put it in the ground. It was easier just to attach it to, and destroy, an exterior light.

Asked a simple question of "I can have the original installer fix it, or would you like to" and no response. I guess they wanted option C-do nothing.

Sort yourselves out. It doesn't take a week to say "yes please arrange for the repair for the damage we caused" or "we will contact the installer directly to arrange for a repair for the damage we caused". I called and emailed and received no response to this question ^^

EDIT: To the dismissive attitude from the Branch Partner, it isn't acceptable to say "we are waiting on the party who put the board up". Of course they will keep you waiting a long time because you are asking them for money and they are also not capable of putting a simple wooden post in the ground, so why you want them messing with electricity is beyond me. Why don't you fix the damage (as an estate agent who offers a managed service for landlords, you will have a list of tradesmen already) instead of passing it off to people who clearly couldn't care less before, and will care even less now you are asking them for money.

You only pick up the phone when you can make money, which is fine, but, when its your mistake, you aren't at all interested.

I would ask how damage looks on a property you are supposed to be trying to sell, but somebody else will be trying to sell it, not yourselves, after this experience.

EDIT 2: quote from Branch manager's email: "He will be getting the repair done either Thursday/Friday this week". As of Friday 18:58 no contact. At this point I decided to prematurely end my agreement with Butters John Bee. Other estate agents charge lower commission and don't mess people around like this.

EDIT 3: Within one day I arranged for a repair myself and I am awaiting reimbursement: no interest in doing it. Please take note anyone who wishes to consider using them-we are coming up to three full weeks of this issue and they are not interested. They are petty enough to take three weeks to deal with something that could be dealt with within one day. This is how they treat customers when have power-petty.

⛔ Absolutely shocking⛔ never answer calls or emails, Incompetant agents giving false /wrong information, they Never obey instruction they prefer to protect there income. Making
constant excuse after excuse. Each and everytime you manage get in touch by visiting the branch the agent that you are dealing with as either left, off sick or training. Stay clear guys

AVOID AVOID AVOID All about lining theirs and the landlords pockets, couldn’t give less of a damn about tenants. Left a young family without hot water or heating for 2 WEEKS in winter, with ZERO communication or offer of help to rectify, they couldn’t bathe and were freezing. When the tenant finally sought out refuse by contacting housing standards, a few days later they come home from work to a FOR SALE sign in the front garden with no warning. (funny how that didn’t take them 2 weeks + to do!) This is blatantly in retaliation and PATHETIC. This has been their family home for 10 YEARS. This is the only home the two young boys have ever known. The tenant has fixed and decorated an awful lot in this property and always paid on time.

SHAME ON YOU BUTTERS JOHN BEE.

This is extremely disappointing. I have not received any response from your rental department at Crewe despite multiple phone calls, emails, and messages, including assurances that I would be contacted.
over 50 days, have not received any rental payment. and Not really updates what is situation is ?
This team was ok in 2024, Not sure what is happen since this year ????

Great a securing a sale contract. Terrible service and never speak to the same person twice after you give them your property. Disorganised chaos - avoid!

Slow team, long response time but very good at damaging their brand reputation.
No fk was given to my inquiries.

This company is a joke! I don't know how it keeps going. Once my 12 month rental contract for an apartment was coming to its end BJB emailed me asking if I wanted to stay on, and I agreed, even though the rent increased slightly. I told them I needed a letter off them addressed to both myself and my wife showing the new rent. Still no letter despite at least 8 emails, plus a couple of phone calls requesting a letter. I managed to contact the landlady and even she couldn't get any sensible response from them. And don't get me started on the lack of repairs. BJB are incredibly incompetent, don't trust them.

This company are dreadful
Communication is poor to non existent.
A house sale was lost recently because bjb did not inform the tenant of contract termination in time resulting in completion delay and buyer withdrawal.
I cant wait to offload the last of our rental properties under their management and would not recommend any landlords to use them.

VERY POOR AT ALL LEVELS I don't think there are enough words to say how appallingly they treat landlords and tenants alike. I have complained many times over the last 4 years and each time I have been assured of improvements at all levels, but basically I am paying a lot of money to BJB every month and I do not receive the service from them. I have to check when gas certs, EICR and EPC are due and when I send information to them it is not updated on their system. DO NOT USE THEM IF YOU WANT A MANAGEMENT TEAM it's non existent. I have put a date in for experience, but that is when I decided to get rid of them and stop paying for doing the job I'm doing myself. Having read all the other reviews it would appear we are not the only ones with this dreadful experience 1 star is 1 too many

We are 11 months into our rental tenancy and we are now 1 month without heating. Can't call through to lettings because they are always busy and no response to emails, however they are happy to email us to ask for something when they need it.

A few months ago the landlord let himself in to the flat unannounced too, and left immediately when he realised I was in the flat.

We previously had windows that wouldn't close whilst it was snowing, and it took months to be fixed. We were told false information multiple times and the customer service team takes complaints personal, as though it's aimed at them, when in fact we just want our rights as a tenant to be met

Please do not rent from this company, it has been the absolute worst process of renting.

Had viewing arranged today with Marcin. He was punctual and helpful at the viewing.

However, BJB is not a serious company, and I'll advise anyone to stay clear from them. After viewing and putting in an offer, they said the seller was happy to accept because it was the asking price, they then stalled on confirming my offer for weeks (5 weeks) where I had to be the one chasing them without any feedback. When they finally got in touch with me, it was to say that they have now recieved an offer they will like to move on with - after 5 weeks of stalling me without any explanation.

Overall, it feels like a scam, where they hold properties for their inner network and stall customers until one of their owns comes through.

Having spoken to some collegues, I nderstand this is a common practice with them.
Do not waste your time with these clowns

Tried to contact lettings at Crewe no response so escalated to Emma who is the next stage up who previously promised me replies within 48 hours but almost two weeks later nothing so then escalated to Andy Townsend reginal manager who in all fairness responded very quickly telling me that I would be contacted within a week which again did not happen so contacted him again to which he replied that he would place it as a formal complaint but I have no idea how that helps me get any contact from BJB regarding my property
Have today emailed Satwant Basi who is the lettings managing director for Spicerhaart and still waiting for any reply from anyone

Shocking estate agents if selling through them. Zero communication on feedback. They don't let you know when you have viewers, they do absolutely nothing! Will be listing my property elsewhere

We have used Butters John Bee in Crewe on previous sales and always helpful. Maddy has been professional, efficient and supportive. Recommended. Thank you to all the Team.

I was rushed into a property, rent due date changed but not updated in the system.

Received multiple letters, texts and phonecalls, threats of eviction and CCJ's from BJB because I somehow owed them a full months rent, despite paying early.

Complaint sent in, no response, area manager Emma not responding to my emails.

I've now contacted landlord and left the property.

Absolutely awful, me and the landlord now taking legal action as no rent was ever owed.

Absolutely appalling service from a company that you would have thought placed a little more importance on customer service.
No show for a viewing - Really?
Complaint to both the agent and the management team and not even the courtesy of a response.
In a market where your not the only Estate Agent in town, I'd certainly be keeping well away