6th Jul 2026 (20 days ago)
We recently purchased our first home through Hilton & Horsfall. Throughout the transaction, we remained patient because we genuinely loved the property; however, below is an honest summary of our experience. Whilst I could write considerably more, I have limited this review to the main points.<br><br>Bella dealt with the majority of the transaction and was our main point of contact throughout. During the earlier stages of the purchase, she was helpful, responsive and professional, and we appreciated her assistance during what became a long and sometimes stressful process.<br><br>Unfortunately, our experience was not consistent across all members of staff. I have noticed that several other reviews mention Teal, and sadly our experience with him seems to align with other comments on Google reviews.<br><br>One recurring frustration was repeatedly being told, word for word, “I know you’re only first-time buyers, so you don’t know how this works.” Whilst we appreciate that first-time buyers may need additional guidance, comments like this came across as dismissive and condescending rather than helpful. This happened on numerous occasions, including when arranging surveys, requesting a second viewing and discussing the progress of the transaction.<br><br>Communication was also a source of frustration. From offer acceptance to around the 15-week mark, the only update we received was that matters were “with the seller’s onward purchase”. It was only after asking our solicitor to aid us in following up on the Estate Agent that we discovered there were Land Registry issues affecting the seller’s onward purchase. Earlier and more transparent communication would have made the process far less stressful.<br><br>Another concern was that on several occasions I called the main office number and was directed to voicemail. When I called straight back from with my Caller ID turned off, the call was answered immediately. The first time I assumed it was a coincidence, but after it happened repeatedly it was clear that the team at Hilton & Horsfall ignore calls that they do not want to deal with.<br><br>Completion day was particularly disappointing. Our purchase completed at around 12pm and we received a call confirming this, but were then told not to collect the keys until the seller’s onward purchase had completed because “that’s simply how it works”. I immediately contacted our solicitor, who confirmed this was simply not the case. Once completion had taken place, the property legally belonged to us. The sellers were sat in the front garden waiting for their own purchase to complete while our removal company had to be delayed until they eventually left the property at around 3pm.<br><br>Ultimately, we proceeded because we genuinely loved the property and wanted to complete the purchase. Had we not felt so strongly about the house itself, our experience would have led us to withdraw much earlier.<br><br>Whilst we understand that the seller is the estate agent’s client, the buying experience still matters. Bella was helpful during the earlier stages of the transaction. Unfortunately, our overall experience was let down by our interactions with Teal and the way the latter stages of the purchase were handled.<br><br>As a result, we would not choose to market a property through Hilton & Horsfall in the future and would be reluctant to view another property listed by them.... Read more