9th Jul 2026 (19 days ago)
Unfortunately, my experience with GSC Grays left me feeling that I had to end my instruction due to a complete loss of confidence in the way my property keys were handled.
During my instruction, I discovered through an AirTag attached to my property keys that they had been taken to a private address and remained there overnight. The company acknowledged that a member of staff had accidentally taken the keys home. Whilst I accept that mistakes can happen, I consider the security of my property keys to be of paramount importance. There were other occassions over the past 2 months where the location of the the property keys were in other areas of Barnard Castle, well away from the branch, which I found very concerning as there were no viewings booked. When I asked about the security of the keys, I was initially told that the keys had not been touched since May 23rd 2026. When I showed some of the documented photograph evidence (I have many more on other occassions), they admitted the initial mistake.
Since that incident, I found myself checking the location of my keys several times a day because I no longer had confidence in the procedures for safeguarding them. As a homeowner, I should never feel the need to monitor the whereabouts of my own keys.
One of the questions that immediately came to mind was what would have happened had the property been burgled or suffered an emergency while the keys were at a private address overnight. I found myself wondering what the implications would have been for both GSC Grays and the member of staff who had inadvertently taken the keys home. Fortunately, nothing did happen, but I do not believe clients should ever be placed in a position where such questions need to be asked. In my view, property keys should remain securely within the branch, except when being used for an authorised viewing or other legitimate business purpose.
What I found particularly disappointing was the lack of accountability from the branch's management. At no stage did I receive any communication or apology from the Branch Manager on behalf of the office for what I regarded as a serious breach of trust. A simple apology from the person responsible for managing the branch would have demonstrated that the matter was being treated with the seriousness it deserved. Instead, all communication came from a Senior Sales Negotiator. Whilst I appreciate their efforts, I believe this situation warranted ownership and accountability from the Branch Manager.
As a result of the incident, I reactivated 24-hour CCTV monitoring at the property and arranged to have the locks changed for my own peace of mind. These were costs and concerns that I never expected to incur.
Trust is fundamental when appointing an estate agent. You are entrusting them with access to your home, and unfortunately this incident irreparably damaged my confidence. For that reason, I exercised my contractual right to terminate my instruction by giving the agreed notice.
I hope GSC Grays reviews its key security procedures and internal management processes so that future clients can have greater confidence in how their property keys are managed and in how serious issues are handled when they arise.... Read more