HSBC arranged for a valuation on the house we own for a renewed mortgage rate. We purchased the house in 2017, did a complete rennovation from a 60s property, a two story extension and added a bedrooms, two bathrooms, a utility, integrated garage and extended kitchen. Amongst new windows, new CH and electrics - they valued it £10k more than we purchased it for! The boiler cost £4k! 2 x 3bedroom houses in the street sold for £40k more than they valued our new 4b property in the six months - so it's not hard to value it! CLUELESS!

This come is absolutely the worse to deal with. I am a real estate investor and I study the markets that I invest my money in. The appraiser is the dumbest appraiser ever. He appraised one of my completely remodeled homes and appraised for $50,000 less than its value. He compared it to other homes that were being sold as foreclosures that needed $20k-$30k worth of work and valued my remodeled home less than those homes. Such an idiot.. the worse part is that he took great pictures of the house.. I think he should have went to school to be a photographer because he sucks as an appraiser. I'm getting my house appraised again but I hate that I wasted my money with this company.

I had to use DV for my valuation and building survey after being referred to them by First Direct. They have caused delays at every stage of the process. On the first day I was in contact with them, they were unable to take my payment because of a computer problem. That took two days to sort out, after which they took nearly a week to ring the estate agent and book the survey. Even after the survey took place, no report has been sent to me. I'm told that the report was written a week ago, and that the surveyor has simply not emailed it to them. He is apparently not returning their calls. They say there's nothing they can do. This whole process has taken much longer than expected, and I'm now two days from the agreed date for exchanging contracts with no building survey. I now have to decide whether to proceed without seeing it, or whether to make everyone in the chain wait another month (because of a deadline to give notice on a rented property) and risk it falling through. I would rather not have bothered with this awful company, who have taken my money and caused a lot of grief.

We haven't had a great experience with Direct Valuations who are doing our mortgage valuation for HSBC. Absolutely clueless telephone assistants, one confused my partner with the estate agent and thought he would be able to give access to the property we are in the process of buying. Then they cancelled the mortgage valuation on the day it was going to take place and it's an absolute pain to rearrange an appointment, no one can tell me when it will take place or why it never happened in the first place. Avoid if possible.

They were quick to take money and said they do not provide invoices or receipts of payment. They said they did the survey but in fact it was done off right move. Property undervalued by 50%. Avoid direct valuations. It is recommended by HSBC & First Direct as they get commission. The customer service is very poor and the staff on the phone are rude. Worst survey company in England and run by dishonest people. They will be reported to Ombudsmen. My friend has also been made to use Direct valuations and I have been told that the surveyor walked around with muddy shoes (not authorised safety boots) and made marks all over the carpets. AVOID THIS COMPANY!

The person that came out to value the house was rude. Didn't ask if we want him to remove shoes upstairs and then stated our house has three bedrooms when it clearly has four. Not impressed at all as property was valued lower than it should have because of this.

hsbc recommended took 4 weeks to provide appointment still cancelled again on the day due and need anthor 2 to 3 weeks to re book.

Like some of you, HSBC Premier instructed them to carry out the valuation on our property before the mortgage is granted. This company was very quick to take my payment weeks in advance of my contract exchange but when it came to the DAY OF my contract exchange, they still had not done the valuation. When I contacted them they said they couldn't find a contact for the development (this property is a development of the biggest UK developer so that was a load of ****) and that they had sent a request to HSBC for further instruction. No such communication was received by the bank. I then had to reason with the developer to extend the exchange by a week so I could get Direct Valuations in. Myself, the bank and the developer have all told DV that this case is a matter of urgency. The valuation was done 4 days ago. They told me and the developer they could sign it off in 24 hours as it was urgent. It has not been signed off. I have rung multiple times to get this pushed through and the staff are incompetent, unsympathetic, and were incredibly rude to the developer. They confirmed my file has been marked as urgent but clearly none of them understand the meaning of the word. I am now 24 hours away from my extended exchange date and am being forced to proceed without a mortgage due to their inability to do their job.

Incorrectly under-valued our house with because the valuation agent couldn't count the number of bathrooms in the property. Unfortunately chosen by HSBC so I had no say!

First Direct decided to use Direct Valuations as the "broker" for the valuation of a property I'm trying to buy. I ordered a valuation and a full Building survey. At first they seemed very good and extremely efficient, I called them to arrange a valuation only to be told that it had already been arranged and will be happening in a few days. They stated that the valuation will take around a week to be completed and 2 week for the full build report. I sat back and waited, after 1 and a half weeks I called direct valuations to see what was happening. They told me that the surveyor was working on the valuation and that the report was complicated - hence the delay. This is when the fun begins, I call them on the Monday (5 days later) only to be told that the valuation report was still being worked on and that it should be completed today/tomorrow. The lady I spoke to took my number and promised to call me back. By 4PM the following day I had still not heard anything and called back, guess what. The same sorry excuse, the surveyor has not got back to them. To get any kind on conclusion I eventually had to log a complaint with their customer relations team and mysteriously the report arrived the following day. I was hoping that this would conclude my relationship with the company but sadly it didn't. The valuation report stated that there were damp, structural and other issues with the property and that further reports would be required before the house could be properly valued. At this point the building survey was yet to materialise and again they give me the same excuse, the surveyor is working on it but they state its complicated hence the delay. Eventually after logging another complaint with customer relations, the building survey arrives. Its well written but contains nothing more than the valuation report, in fact it merely regurgitates the same bad news. I won't be bothering with a building survey again. 3 weeks pass. All required reports are obtained, all of them clear stating there are no issues with the property. We pass these reports over to the company, then total silence. A week later I chase them up again and guess what, the same excuse. The valuation is complicated and will be completed as soon as possible, I ask them to chase the surveyor and they tell me it will be completed today/tomorrow. Friday comes around and still no valuation, I call them again. The surveyor states that the valuation will be completed today or Monday at the latest. Monday comes around and nothing, chase again. Now the surveyor is out of the office. This goes on until Tuesday when the Surveyor finally responds but guess what - its not the valuation, its a letter stating that they will be writing a new valuation report and submit it. This breaks the system, direct valuations believe the valuation is complete, the bank do too. After chasing all week, the bank state that the report has not been submitted and direct valuations tell me the same. So still no valuation, another week wasted and literally no response or recourse. 6 weeks on and no final valuation, incorrect assumptions made in the report and a whole log of hassle. If First Direct tell you they are using Direct Valuations, run away because its not worth the hassle. At this point, I'm about to abandon the whole thing and take a mortgage out with someone else.

As part of our mortgage application we were advised by HSBC to go with Direct Valuation and get the highest possible survey done. When the result came back, the house was de-valued with £10k, and list of essential repair. Upon contacting the vendor, I got to know that the report is full of with mistakes, and incorrect information. At this point it was clear to us, the valuer is not reliable and didn't do a thorough job. Try your hardest to avoid them, insist with HSBC that you don't want this company, rather go with someone else. The most upsetting example, DirectVal valuation stating asbestos roof on garage, that needs change and repair cost over £2000. The vendor sent us proof (original plan, letters from the building company) that it is indeed NOT asbestos. Their response, they think it is (no test, no sample just by the look of it), and if I wanna prove it's not asbestos, they strongly advise to get an asbestos test done. Absolutely unprofessional, no knowledge, no quality.

We were advised by HSBC to take out a full structural survey with Direct Valuations, which we did and the date was arranged. Where it all went down hill was when we received our survey report back. There was a crack at the back of the building and we needed to know if it was structural or thermal movement, the surveyor couldn't comment and suggested we got a specialist in, the report said we had woodworm in the garage and we needed to get a timber specialist out, the report also said there was damp in the front bedroom and we needed a damp specialist out. There were too many get out clauses and the surveyor didn't even state what remedial works could be taken. In my opinion if you have a full survey you would want to know the defects, what has caused those defects and what remedial work should be taken not suggest you get another specialist in. Our report had none of this, in my opinion it wasn't worth the paper it was written on. We complained to DV who were only willing to give a small refund, no where near enough to cover the cost paid out. Needless to say we called out another surveyor who could give us the report we wanted. But what's more annoying, is that HSBC know we had to call another surveyor out as we were unhappy with the first report but they have now sent the second report we had done back to the first surveyor for their opinion!! Why?? I have no idea. As you can imagine, this has left a very sour taste in our mouths not only with DV but with HSBC and we are now close to pulling out altogether because of this. We will never use Direct Valuations again.

My lender, First Direct, part of HSBC, instructed me to appoint this company. I chose the middle option of a Home Buyer's Survey at £160. The speed of appointment of a local surveyor I could not fault, nor the week's turnaround time for completion....HOWEVER, the bank then rang me before I had received the survey to say it had been informed by the surveyor the house was made of poured concrete and insisted on a full structural survey because of this. I rang DV in Nottingham to be told it had no copy of the survey but could arrange a structural survey for £500. I arranged one myself at lower cost and was staggered to read it was not a poured concrete building but a timber framed and rendered one..........in short, am £375 down due to incompetence. My complaint to First Direct and Direct Valuations will follow.

Staff are rude, dishonest, and incompetent. In two weeks I've been told about 5 times that they've made a booking, only to find out that no booking has been made. The vendors have taken time off work, but nobody showed up. I've waited on hold and then been hung up on. Now the house sale is looking dodgy. Reccomend them to a friend? Ha! I wouldn't reccomend them to an enemy.

Quick to take your money, slow to get anything done. Staff rude and unhelpful.

Quick to take your money, slow to get anything done. Staff rude and unhelpful.

Survey time from payment to report is likely to take a month. Have had to go back to First direct as I am unable to sign my mortgage offer within the specified one month timeframe. First Direct have now logged an official complaint against them.

I tried to get a survey done and at 2 rival companies I was quoted 2-3 weeks for an appointment. That was unacceptable and I ask that I be found someone who could do it much quicker. Direct Valuations found me someone to do this in 4 days and the report was back same day. I found the staff polite and professional and I would definately reccommend to a friend. Really really pleased overall