Winkworth Avis 

This review has taken me a while to write because the experience we had with both Winkworths and the landlords was incredibly disappointing. As tenants, we genuinely felt we were treated very poorly.

We initially found a lovely property advertised through Winkworths and enquired about whether pets were allowed. Linda called almost immediately and arranged a viewing, which was great.

After viewing, we felt the asking rent was too high given what was included. There was no outside storage and, unusually for a rental property, no cooker installed. When Linda called for feedback a few days later, we explained our concerns and said we didn't feel it was right for us at that price.

The following day, Linda called to say the landlords really liked us and our dog and wanted to meet again to discuss our concerns and see if they could meet us somewhere in the middle.

We met the landlady and discussed the rent and what was included. She was upfront that they had previously tried to sell the property and therefore were initially only looking to rent it for around a year. This was a concern as we had been completely honest that we were looking for somewhere long term and didn't want to invest money into a property only to potentially have to leave after a year.

After several emails, the landlady told us, “We really want you as tenants, we like you and can see you living in the area and going to the pub for a drink together.” We therefore felt reassured and agreed to rent the property.

We agreed that a shed would be installed and a range cooker provided. My partner works in the retail trade and could get the landlady a good deal on the cooker. We also agreed to initially rent for two years and then discuss the future. Everyone seemed happy with this the landlady finished our discussion by saying "I bet your landlord is gutted your leaving"

We met again to discuss moving dates and measure up for made-to-measure blinds, which we were prepared to purchase ourselves. At this point, we genuinely believed everything was agreed.

Fortunately, we had not yet given notice to our existing landlord. Around a week later, Linda called to say the owner had received a viewing from a potential buyer, agreed a sale and the property was no longer available to us. Had this happened a few days later, we would already have given notice and potentially been left without a home.

What made matters worse was that the landlady then stopped responding to our emails, texts and calls. We simply wanted to understand what had happened and whether she wanted the made-to-measure blinds we had ordered specifically for the property.

Winkworths also seemed to step away from the situation and left us to communicate directly with the landlady.

We were particularly concerned to discover that the same property had been advertised for sale with Winkworths since June, while it was simultaneously being offered to us as a rental. This was never disclosed to us during the process, despite us being encouraged to commit financially to the move.

After several unanswered messages and having sought legal advice, we eventually received a voicemail from the landlady's partner saying: “Stop messaging my partner, she has done nothing wrong and she is stressed. If you don't stop I will find you, so this ends now.”

We found this extremely threatening, particularly as we had simply been trying to get a response regarding the blinds.

Thankfully, we were able to cancel the wardrobes without losing money. The landlady eventually agreed to take the blinds and reimbursed us for them, which we appreciated.

I appreciate that circumstances can change and that a landlord is entitled to sell their property. What I find difficult to accept is the way this was handled, particularly after we had been actively encouraged to commit to the property and spend money preparing for the move.

Based on our experience, I would not recommend Winkworths. What started as a very positive experience ended with poor communication, considerable stress and a complete loss of confidence in the process.

For anyone who owns a part share of their house in the Sleaford area i would highly recommend these people to deal with the sale of your property.
Lauryn has been a godsend as there are many hoops to go through as NCHA are not the fastest when it comes to your sale so be warned it can be very frustrating.
But as for Winkworths extremely friendly and very very professional.

Very rude agent, i think their name is Maggie. Was very unhelpful and rude.
My mother confirmed the viewing and provided her phone number but the agent failed to even call. Called later and belittled my mother while being snarky.

If you're an owner looking for a tenant, go elsewhere.
We engaged Winkworth to find a tenant for an office space we own in London. We signed the contract, a listing was published on their website and they simply disappeared. They did not do the photoshoot they were supposed to, they never gave any pro-active feedbacks we had to chase them, and when we decided to cancel the contract 6 months later, they did not even acknowledge my cancelation. We worked with an MD of the Strand Office.
Worst. Service. Ever.

Dreadful mess of a business.

Franchise that failed and no update given to the client.

Customer service is a joke.

Complete waste of time. Was trying to rent a flat through Winkworth and was hounded by the agent for an offer. Put the offer in and turned down other flats. Over a week later was told to go look elsewhere. Highly unprofessional and wouldn't use it recommend them for renters.

One of the worst experiences I have had as a tenant.
We were due to move into our flat in New Cross last August, but the move-in date was pushed back multiple times. I had already paid for a van and moving arrangements, and we spent two weeks in limbo with no clear idea of when we would actually be able to move in.
When we finally got into the property, it was filthy and had clearly not been professionally cleaned. None of the requests we made before moving in had been completed. Much of the furniture was broken or in poor condition, including an unstable wardrobe and tables with vinyl peeling off.
When I viewed the property, I specifically asked about mould and was told there had never been any mould in the flat. As soon as we moved in, we noticed mould and reported it immediately. It then took over six months of back and forth before anything was properly done, and the issue was only taken seriously after we contacted Lewisham Council. During this time, my flatmate became seriously ill.
There were also issues with pests and a broken shower. Every serious maintenance problem seemed to take at least a month to resolve. We sent over a dozen emails asking about compensation, but this was repeatedly ignored or brushed aside.
To be fair, the summer has been smoother, but overall the team at Winkworth New Cross has been reactive, unhelpful, and slow to deal with serious problems. Whether that is because of the landlord or the agency, tenants should not have to chase constantly just to live in a safe, clean, properly maintained home.
I’m leaving this review so others can see what our genuine experience was before renting through them.

I recently purchased a property through Winkworth Estate Agents, Harrow Branch and experienced an outstanding level of service from start to finish. The team—consisting of Mr. Kamal Makwana (Director), Rickyn Magdani (Manager), and Kevin Whitehead (Negotiator)—demonstrated exceptional professionalism throughout the entire transaction.

Kamal set a wonderful tone from our very first meeting, immediately putting me at ease and providing insightful, friendly advice during the initial viewing. Rickyn ensured the process ran smoothly by keeping me consistently informed with prompt updates at every stage. Kevin proved to be an exceptionally skilled and professional negotiator; his collaborative and approachable manner was instrumental in helping me successfully secure the property I desired.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the entire team. I highly recommend Winkworth for their exemplary standards, efficiency, and professional approach.

Joseph

I purchased a flat through Winkworths Blackheath as a buy to let approx. 7 months ago. Winkworth's were already familiar with the property so I decided to use them as letting agents. So far I've been very impressed with the service I've received. I've already had two tenants (the initial tenants had to move out at short notice due to a job change), new tenants were found quickly and moved in a couple of weeks after the original tenants moved out. The transition has been very smooth and trouble free. A refund was provided for the shortfall in the contract term with no hassle. The team; Keira, Arrun & Alison have been delightful to deal with. They are all very effective communicators, efficient and approachable......it has never been a problem to run through things before making a decision. Blackheath, you have a great team! Thank you.

Utter waste of time and energy.
Tried three times to book a valuation. First time yes will confirm. No confirmation. Called again two days later. held on for a few ,inutes then cut off. Tried again now its no the valuer will not be in on the day previously arranged.

I would highly recommend Kiren from Winkworths North Kensington to anyone buying or selling a property. She was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. Communication was exceptional throughout the entire process, keeping me updated at every stage, responding promptly to any questions, and proactively ensuring everything progressed smoothly. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and her professionalism, knowledge, and attention to detail gave me complete confidence throughout. I can't thank her enough for making what could have been a stressful experience so seamless and straightforward.

The Blackheath team were absolutely fantastic to work with, they were able to get us an offer within 4 weeks of putting our home on the market. Tom Wilcox was extremely conscious of the fact that we have a young family and created open days rather than daily viewings. His colleague Patrick Delvin did a fantastic job support the post-offer to completion process, bringing together solicitors across the chain to make sure we were able to move as planned. Thank you both!

John and Guy were really so helpful to me as a first time buyer, organising multiple viewings for me at the flat, helping me to measure walls, answering all my many emails, chasing for updates from solicitors, and being so helpful when the solicitors went radio silent on the days leading up to exchange. Really reduced stress levels knowing that I could give them a call/email to chase things from their side.

Very friendly contact via email with Abbie Greisman.

My explicit request not to use my data for any marketing purposes was simply ignored though. We send agreed on a date for a viewing, for which I received an appointment reminder on 13/07. But nobody showed up at the property, and the error wasn't even acknowledged; Abbie referred to a much earlier email exchange from 09/07 though, suggesting that it was all our fault. Poor.

Prior to our engagement with moving to London, we were receiving very helpful exchange with Shaun, which we don't understand he got lazy at one point and stop trying to help us. Moving from one country to another is not an easy step and requires alot of advance planning, which Shaun fails repeatedly to see despite knowing the conditions of our leasing.

I even send multiple emails to other branches to enquire but none of them got back to me, and ultimately we decided they are a big miss.

Cooperative before contracts exchange. Uncooperative to the point of rudeness after. Made moving in moe dfficult

Buyer side, we had a lovely experience with John and Guy from the Greenwich office, both have been very supportive and easy to reach throughout all processes. Very good communication and informative, I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone. Thank you guys so much!!

I am extremely disappointed with the service provided by this agency. It has now been over a month since I moved out of the property, and I have still received no clear response regarding the return of my deposit.

Despite repeated attempts to obtain an update, communication has been poor and unhelpful. The most concerning aspect is that the agency’s advice has simply been to hire a solicitor in the hope that this might put pressure on the landlord. Rather than actively assisting in resolving the issue, they appear to have shifted the responsibility and cost onto the tenant.

A letting agency should act professionally, communicate effectively, and help facilitate a fair and timely resolution of deposit matters. Unfortunately, this has not been my experience. I would advise prospective tenants to think carefully before using this agency.

Sadly due to the threat of legal action my review has had to be removed about this branch.

I cannot thank Vincenzo enough for his support, dedication and professionalism throughout my property search.

My circumstances were particularly complex and presented a number of challenges, but from the very beginning Vincenzo took the time to understand my situation and worked tirelessly to explore every possible option. Rather than simply focusing on the obstacles, he actively looked for solutions and remained engaged throughout the process.

What sets Vincenzo apart is his willingness to go above and beyond for his clients. He took the time to make enquiries on my behalf, explore alternative routes through referencing and guarantor requirements, and keep me updated throughout. His communication was honest, approachable and supportive, and I always felt that he genuinely cared about helping me achieve a positive outcome.

In a process that can often feel stressful and overwhelming, Vincenzo’s persistence, professionalism and determination made a huge difference. He treated me as an individual rather than just another applicant and consistently demonstrated a genuine commitment to finding a way forward despite the complexities of my situation.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Vincenzo to anyone looking for an estate agent who is knowledgeable, proactive, understanding and truly committed to helping his clients. His dedication, patience and hard work have been exceptional, and I am incredibly grateful for all of the time and effort he has invested in assisting me.