Homebuyer Online Reviews

This company are very good at taking your money and very good at little else. I cancelled my original survey as I pulled out of my house purchase.
When i tried to contact them, the phone went to straight to voicemail, regardless of how often I rang and the time of day. Despite leaving numerous request for a callback, all were ignored. I even sent emails regarding the issue and they again were ignored. It was only when I threatened to report them to the RICS that someone finally rang. They then said that they would investigate my refund, but again no callback, Eventually after yet another bout of voicemails ( again phone never answered ) and emails, and another threat someone deigned to call me and sort the situation out.
I would never , ever use this company again and will be strongly recommending that no-one else does. Customer service is non-existent

HBO is just a broker, not surveyor. Based on my experience I will never use him again (I did not know I was using a broker due to the misleading web site) and would not recommend HBO to anyone. He is quick to take money but then washes his hands of any further dealings.
The web site when I viewed it gave the misleading view that 'they' do the surveys themselves, not that they allocate it to a third party. As such it is a lottery as to who you will get to do your survey. Don't take that chance.
I was given a totally incompetent surveyor who missed major problems. The surveyor we got was arrogant beyond belief, incompetent or lazy, or both, totally unhelpful and totally obstructive. I later discovered one of the surveyors in the company appointed to do my survey had been struck off. It happened to me, don't risk it happening to you.
I received terrible service from HBO which was not as described on the web site, resulting in building repairs costing several thousands of £'s and a court case with the surveyor. You have been warned!

I chose this company based on other peoples reviews and to be honest I feel I have no possible recourse other than posting this to try to help someone else not to make the same mistake.

I paid for the premium service which cost me over £1000.

I believe a Mr. Hugh Greenhouse to be responsible for the website/company, Homebuyeronline.

I wrote the following to Homebuyeronline and to the company that carried out the survey called Sykes Robinson:-

On Tuesday 26th May a full survey was carried out by Mr T Sykes at my property.
Contracts were exchanged on Friday 26th June and completed on Thursday 9th July, this was when I moved into the property.

On the 9th July when I moved in to the property it became apparent that there were some small beetles in one of the bedrooms, on further investigation I have been told that these beetles are wood boring and that other parts of the property also has active wood worm.
Can you please advise me of my course of redress, as now I am now faced with the cost of putting this right.

The report stated ‘On older timbers we found attack by wood boring beetle which did not appear to be active. We would expect to find woodworm on all older buildings’

The treatment could have been carried out prior to moving into the property had it been highlighted.

I am not an expert, as I understood it I was paying for an expert this is why I paid £1050 for a premium building survey, I do not visit houses on a regular basis to carry out surveys, yet on day one I recognised that something wasn't right.

Please advise.

The response I received: -
Further to your query in connection with the above property, we refer to page 16 of our report where we stated that your legal represenatative should make the necessary enquiries in connection with treatment.

I replied to Homebuyeronline, copying in Mr. Sykes fro Sykes Robinson.

Good afternoon Hugh
You will have received a copy of the email below.
I paid for a premium survey, I don’t believe that the website description of a premium survey is the same as the survey I received from Sykes Robinson.
They refer to page 16 of the report.
I refer to page 22 which states ‘On older timbers we found attack by wood boring beetle which did not appear to be active. We would expect to find woodworm on all older buildings’
The fact remains that the woodworm is active and potentially that could cause structural damage.
I could have just had a standard survey and relied upon the information from the vendor, however, this is not the case.
I wanted assurances and felt that your website offered this.
My solicitor has made the following comment
‘I agree wholeheartedly with you that the surveyor should have advised that expert opinion should be sought in relation to wood boring insect damage firstly because there was some evidence of it having been present in the past and secondly because in older properties this is quite a common occurrence I believe.

I do not think it to be sufficient to endeavour to pass responsibility for an apparent structural defect to your conveyancing solicitor.

I think the very least I should receive is a refund of the fee I paid, this will go towards the cost of me having to resolve this problem.

Today, 17th August 2015, I am still waiting for the courtesy of a response.

They are very quick to take your money and then just ignore you!