• Gumtree UK

Gumtree UK

Is this your business?
Write a Review

Overview

Gumtree UK has a rating of 1.1 stars from 82 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Gumtree UK most frequently mention customer service, email address, and live chat problems. Gumtree UK ranks 208th among Classifieds sites.

  • Service
    25
  • Value
    22
  • Shipping
    17
  • Returns
    17
  • Quality
    19
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
Positive
0
Neutral
0
Negative
4
16
See all photos
How would you rate Gumtree UK?
Top Positive Review

“Like all classified ad sites, and especially the free...”

Paladin A.
2/9/11

Like all classified ad sites, and especially the free ones, Gumtree does indeed suffer from scam ads. That said, they seem pretty good at taking down scam ads when reported and there are active forum moderators who aid in that cause. The site itself carries a growing selection of ads and it's free. I think the site is a good choice for items that you can buy locally and transact face to face (which was, I beleive, the original concept behind the site). But don't use it to buy things remotely from people you haven't met.

Top Critical Review

“Refusing to take down an illegal add”

Diane L.
10/2/24

A woman bought a puppy from me I am the breeder a couple days later she put it up for re sale breaking lucys law that prohibits the resale of any animal under 6 months the puppy has to come back to the breeder she has not come back to me and is therfore breaking the law

Reviews (82)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (14)
Thumbnail of user vincentc386
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
June 2nd, 2021

Horrendous service. I put up an ad, paid for featured ad, it lasted 36 minutes. It gets pulled, I contact Customer Service (don't bother with the live chat, IT'S NEVER AVAILABLE!)

Customer service sends me a mail the next day, tells me my ad was pulled for violating their t&cs without actually pointing out WHICH T&Cs. Then second half of the letter goes on to effectively tell me I won't be refunded.

Not only do they not vet your ad to determine if it violates there t&cs to start with, they sucker you into paying for ads and then proceed to keep your money on the pretext that you violated their t&cs.

SELLERS BE WARNED!

Tip for consumers:
DON'T USE THIS SITE IF YOU'RE SELLING. A lot of people have had the same experience and I only found out after i had been scammed by the site.

Products used:
I put an ad as a seller

Service
Value
Returns
Thumbnail of user tamr9
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
July 24th, 2022

Beware beware beware do not touch these dodgy mechanics
Changed engine for me
Van now not running
Left with a tub o nuts bolts washers that's not been put back where they belong as you can see from pictures and can take more pictures oil filler back bolts missing broke the plastic clips that hold header tank onto front panel broke bolts that hold the inner plastic arches on nonaatemlt to fix them broke bolts that hold pressure plate and still put gearbox back on without fixing them
Oil pouring out timing belt cover
Do not go near these pair
Took the tub o bolts into Renault garage today explained to them and there exact words was
That is not good
They advertise on gumtree under mobile mechanic lanark

Thumbnail of user briank2259
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 28th, 2023

I needed some work done on my garden. I found what turned out to be a lying, useless con man trading as M.G. Gardening - and it turns out M.G Landscaping, M.G Jetwashing and many other versions that the owner, Martin Grimshaw, based in Crewe, Cheshire, uses to rip people off.
After being ripped off by this lying con man, I thought Gumtree might want to know, so I sent them photographic evidence and explained what had happened and... they were NOT INTERESTED. The advert of the lying con man is still on Gumtree, so he can rip off other unsuspecting people! The con man was also advertiding elsewhere and as soon as I showed them proof of what a con man they had advertising, they REMOVED the ad immediately - but like I said, NOT gumtree. That speaks volumes about Gumtree and I have noticed many other people saying how they too have been scammed and ripped off using Gumtree. You have been warned!

Service
Quality
Thumbnail of user alanm1019
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
June 20th, 2022

GUMTREE have Deleted all contact numbers from there websites and google if you do find one it will not work, your money is best of spent somewhere else, As entrepreneur when i use a service and pay for it like i did with gumtree adds, I expect what service I have paid for to get that service! Not have to proceed with court judgements to get your money back out of them for the service they have not supplied and cannot be contacted in any way.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user vikih6
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
December 16th, 2021

Absolutely disgusting service sold some jeans sent by hermes and never received the money for them £20 I've been scammed and gum tree have done nothing

Service
Value
Shipping
Thumbnail of user derekc3
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
June 30th, 2013

To many scams, utter crap website. Avoid it completelly.my worst site ever visited.and don't even attempt to buy a pet. There all library pictures.and worse... so... sorry

Thumbnail of user emyq1
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
June 25th, 2021

Hi,
I posted an ad a week ago to sell a kitten of my own, and my ad has been removed straight away with no explanation and no refund.
I tried for days to get some information but only had robotic answers that I breached the rules, with no more explanation of what rules I was not following. Also I was informed I couldn't get a refund as I didn't comply to the Gumtree policy, but at that still didn't know what was my "supposed" mistake!
It took 5 days of patience to finally have a human answer through the live chat (by the way it's not really a chat, because you cannot "chat" with anyone, you are sent an automatic answer and disconnected straight away), and I was vaguely told that I've already posted 2 ads for pets in the last 12 months with another account, which is completely wrong and I wonder where they got that from?
I offered to send my ID to prove that I'm a legal individual person, or talk on the phone or on video to someone to show I am not usurping anybody identity, but no answer and no possibility to talk to anyone.

I have the right, like any other person to sell kittens and if they don't accept my application with no reasonable reason and evidence that I did wrong, then it's called slander and it is illegal! And on top of that they are stealing my money.

Nobody to talk to, no investigation from their side, I want my rights back and sell my kitten before I have to drop him in a shelter instead of him having a loving family. As a woman, I feel discriminated and isolated.

Products used:
Selling pets

Service
Thumbnail of user eveb28
GB
2 reviews
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
December 18th, 2022

I opened an account I placed an advert after paying im blocked, later on I get an email stating No breeders No Dog fighting No illegal animals or underage to which I agree on apart from breeders however Sandy states breeders can advertise even though rules say NONE its all made up rules no one knows whats going on (breeders are the only ones doing things right on here) My cat wont fight is 2 years old so not underage not illegal she is a bsh and Sandy said breeders are allowed she works at gumtree? I explain this they say posted 2 adverts! Of course I did u blocked my first one for no reason! So then i look at adverts and I report over 100 adverts of animals that are sold offering delivery (not allowed) dogs not microchipped age 8 weeks plus and all are ignored and still live! Imported dogs on their and docked and cropped ohhh and a dog on finance what the actual hell is happening! No one is checking these adverts some idiot is blocking account on random people you only have to read these reviews to see that! They need to sort this mess out! And I suggest refunding the people you block and also explaining who is checking this adverts?

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user craigs193
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
April 29th, 2018

I bought a van listed on Gumtree from female seller at a residential address with a 12 day old mot described as nice clean van. This is the list of jobs i have had to had done new break pipes front to rear(unsecured and corroded) new fan belt and tensioner, antiroll bar link and D bushes, secure air box, replace windscreen, rear light, reversing lens, faulty headlight, no spare wheel, inoperable cd player, broken window winder, missing lower wing mirror, catalytic converter welded together. All this on a 12 day old MOT with NO ADVISORIES. I contacted her after taking it to 2 garages and told her their concerns over the validity of the MOT and the list of jobs needed doing and she showed no interest whatsoever. She list under a 3 letter or sometimes 7 letter name beginning with M. Be VERY diligent if you wish to deal with this seller.

Thumbnail of user johnm1191
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
October 18th, 2017

In the past I've placed adverts for web design glasgow even though I am not based in Glasgow (just outside) and they appeared no problem because I registered the advert on the www.gumtree.com/glasgow page. Well over the past week I placed my advert first of all, it came up in my local small town of Greenock which is no use. I've since been mailing gumtree "support" back and forth on twitter where they specifically said if I place an advert in drafts they would post it free for website design in Glasgow seemed reasonable enough (although I wasn't that happy they couldn't amend their own product.) Anyway after alot of wasted time given I have a business to run the new advert then simply appeared again as a duplicate in my home town of Greenock. I am not happy at all I was genuinely considering a bigger package from gumtree or at least placing one of these adverts each month I am now put off as their customer service is awful. After I raised my last complaint that I simply had a duplicate advert in the same location they just ignored me and left me no choice other than to leave this review. I honestly would still like it resolved and understand that things happen however if it doesn't get corrected that won't be happening. I also recommend gumtree to certain businesses I provide SEO and lead generation for so the balls in your court gumtree...

Tip for consumers:
Great when all is well. Terrible!! When there is even a small issue.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user carlh266
GB
2 reviews
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 9th, 2020

Sorry but you're getting too much

Sorry but is not right your strictness with Agent & Agencies you're getting too much...

I am an agent who joined recently the industry and due to COVID19 broke indeed, keen to build a transparent business but apparently a tiny hard to understand 4 you... Millionaire company...

You have all the rights and I am with you on protecting your customers as everyone should do, but you can't kill new agents or people who's willing to build something... Obviously, all need time and money hence may not everyone has handy money as you do...

This is completely unfair...

On top of it they block the account but keep filling my email with their marketing & I can't stop it cause I can't access it... Seems a prank...

You might be great with a part of your customers but remember that us agent are one of your the CORE of your business... not only Tenants are your customers...

Without us posting you would have none seeking... remember that...

Not that big without us... better safer than sorry

Thumbnail of user huap1
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
January 12th, 2020

Honestly, I have come back and forth trough the years, giving this cesspit the benefit of the doubt. Every time it is the same, an exercise in futility. NO SALES even for 1/4 of original prices for the items. Lots of TIME wasters who send you myriads of messages and vanish once time for collection and payment has been agreed, no follow up. INSANE buyers who are self centered enough to DEMAND you deliver something for free in 100+ mile radius from your location. Spammed by unsolicited ''courier'' offers who just want to pocket payment for delivery and the item you deliver, wonderful how Gumtree allows this to continue. Never had a single sale over the years, only aggravation. Now they expect people to pay excessive promoted ad rates - pay to play just like eBay, so why would I choose this POS site if rules are the same? This is the last time I will ever be using Gumtree for selling. No profit, wasted time, pointless. DON'T BOTHER. Give your stuff away to a charity or flog in a car boot, you will be better off.

Thumbnail of user stepheno16
GB
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
April 27th, 2015

THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING BUT A RECIET NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT IS WRITEN ON HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH IT ADS ON GUMTREE STILL WAITING FOR A REPLY FROM GUMTREE
I HAD TO RATE THE SITE TO SUBMIT THIS REVIEW

Thumbnail of user mikes3994
Pakistan
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 1st, 2022

As soon as I post my ad people started calling me saying that I had a recent car accident which I never had and they are saying that my compensation is pending

Thumbnail of user zens1
GB
1 review
2 helpful votes
  • Send Message
April 30th, 2013

Are Gumtree using restrictive software against users?

Users who are 'flagged up' in some way?

Gumtree advisors admitted I had been flagged up,
And that this changes the service Gumtree gives.

I notice that my stats,
For an advert in what SHOULD one of the busiest sections of Gumtree Brighton,
In a city with 300,000 people,
Shows a mere 101 people on LISTING VIEW in 8 days.

12 people a day, for
Miscellaneous Goods/Hobbies, Interests, & Collectibles.

If this Listing View statistic is true,
Gumtree is in serious trouble,
Because it is £20 worth of effort in,
For £1 worth of result ( if one is lucky).

If not even FREE adverts are worth the effort,
The Gumtree game is not worth the candle.

The suspicion is,
That Gumtree are restricting access by Users to my adverts,
And internally manipulating their process,
Because I find it hard to believe
That a mere 12 people a day visit that listing.

If Gumtree do not want me as a User,
Then I would appreciate the honesty of simply saying so.

Because if internal software is intended to grind me down,
To the point where I abandon Gumtree,
That's evil.

And the advert input page is a clunky nightmare,
Badly positioned,
And with silly time-wasting.

Why is the cursor not already positioned in the Post Code Box?

Why is ENTER not available, meaning one must move to the mouse?

Why is my Post Code not stored, saving typing it at all?

If 1 million people unnecessarily lose 2 seconds of time,
That is a waste of 555 hours.

Zen Brighton

Thumbnail of user stephend802
GB
4 reviews
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
November 1st, 2021

Good for personal ads, but you can't delete messages sent to businesses - and they send them your email address! How is that legal, Gumtree - data protection act? It's the same if you send a CV; it can't be deleted! I don't want to see old/obsolete messages, or my personal information online forever! Please make these DELETEABLE - NOW!
Messages to/from personal sellers can be deleted without any problem. Why are business messages different? No I'm not interested why you do this, I just want them to be the same as personal messages.
Searches are far too basic, no option for choices or negatives (as on ebay).
Car search options are pretty good, but why fixed options for mileage and age - why can't we enter these ourselves? 80k and under/over 10 years is not much help to anyone - let us enter our own ages and miles!
Lastly, please STOP showing eBay ads for things anything like I've seached for! If I've searched for cars, I DON'T want to see ads for CAR PARTS! The same goes for other categories. Please let me SWITCH OFF eBay ads - permanently!

Tip for consumers:
Just don't message businesses, or put your CV online - unless you don't mind having these visible in your online messages forever!

Products used:
Free personal ads - very good.

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user doctora11
GB
9 reviews
70 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 1st, 2020

Last month, I listed a professional camcorder on Gumtree. Within just an hour of posting, some phisher by the name of "Pascal" messaged me saying he was in another city about 200 miles away and offered £50 extra for delivery and willing to pay with PayPal. Many red flags were raised. I got super suspicious, but decided to play along.

He gave his spaced-out phone number and requested we talk on Whatsapp. I immediately did a reverse phone number search and found multiple complaints from other people saying this guy claims to be from another city and offers more money for postage, then claims he gave vendors the money so he can have the item for free.

As seen from the screenshots, I confronted him about it and, of course, he never responded back. Apologies for the language.

The very next day, I got messaged by a user of a different name who claimed to be from another city and wanted to pay with PayPal, and offering extra for delivery. I suspected this was the work of the same parasite [Pascal], but acting under a different alias, so you can pretty much guess the amount of respect I gave them.

Overtime, I am mostly met with users asking "Is this still available?". Later I found out that 99% of these users are one-stars and the reasons being mostly down to them not responding. I did some researching and found out that there is a multitude of bots on Gumtree that are programmed to go through various ads and ask the sellers this very question.

The true nail in the coffin was when I subsequently wrote up a lengthy complaint to Gumtree's official email address, only to receive an automated response saying that the email address I wrote to isn't being monitored. There is an option on Gumtree where you can rate and report the customers, but it's only so limited to a few categories, none of which exactly fits the nature of the ordeals I had.

I believe Gumtree should request ID for verification whenever opening an account on their site. At least then no one should be able to go through the stress of having their time wasted and their hopes up with this nonsense.

Thumbnail of user yw23
GB
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
May 19th, 2022

They remove paid ads without a right reason and don't refund, never give you an answer when you ask customer service

Thumbnail of user michaelg88
GB
1 review
5 helpful votes
  • Send Message
June 26th, 2014

I just got the same scam as some off you its now a woman looking to by my thing from gumtree with her passport

Hello,
Thanks for mailing back, am ok with the price and the condition, i work
With New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in
New Zealand Taranaki Basin on kupe project.We do not have access to
Phone at the moment 15days off and 15days on and that's why I
Contacted you with internet messaging facility. Regarding the payment, i
Will be paying you through PayPal, please get back to me with your
Paypal details so i can process the payment, you can alternatively send
Your bank account number if you have no PayPal acct. I have also
Contacted my courier who will come for pick up and deliver it to my
Place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct
And attached is a copy of my passport for any confirmation you might
Need about me.

Await your reply
Ernela

Thumbnail of user caitlinl36
GB
2 reviews
9 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 5th, 2020

Be very careful when using gumtree, I had a bad experience and was scammed when selling my iPhone 7, they made everything so believable using fake emails and receipts.BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS!

Thumbnail of user jenaw
GB
1 review
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
October 10th, 2013

I wanted to use gumtree to sell my scooter. When I didn't receive any reply to my ad for a few days, I went back on the website and discovered that my ad had been removed without any explanation - they say in their terms that they would send you an email if its removed, but they didn't. It was completely unclear where I was in breach with the posting rules so I send an email to their customer service, kindly asking why my ad had been removed and what I could do to avoid breaching the rules. The automated (yet still rude) reply said that "continuous breach of rules is evident in this case", which frankly is ridiculous because I had never even used the site before and my ad was removed straight away. They wrote that it was possible to appeal against that decision. So I replied asking for an explanation why my ad had been removed and that I wanted to appeal. Within minutes I got another automated email saying that my case had been reviewed and the decision was final, and that emails would not be answered any more. How idiotic is that! I never got an explanation, and the fact that my ad was removed straight away leads me to think that they have some overactive spam filters, although I tried posting my ad even without any text, to no avail. Their customer service is pathetic (this is a euphemism). I wouldn't actually call it "service". It doesn't end here though. I posted on their facebook website, expressing my anger, and although someone got back to me, asking about my ad number, I didn't hear from them again. What is wrong with this company? I used other websites now and have sold my scooter without any hassle. Gumtree is a shadow of its former self and I'll go out of my way to discourage everyone I know from using this scam page that is obviously run by some very incompetent people.

Thumbnail of user nicolad70
GB
1 review
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
May 12th, 2022
Verified purchase

Yesterday I got some legal advice from a family member that specialises is criminal law, as I previously stated you took payment for 3 advert that you are refusing to refund because of what you say is I breached T&C's but funnily enough can not tell me what exactly I've breached, fortunately for me I screenshot the 3rd advert before submitting it to you with payment which I was able to show her and she said NO T&C's have been broken and also when I spoke to a member of your staff her words were

"I can't see anything wrong with them, I will have to escalate this higher"

So I think we can agree that your T&C's clearly state you can keep the money paid for the add IF T&C's have been breached, IF T&C's have NOT been breached then it is you that is illegally obtaining funds making you a fraudster and considering you tell EVERYONE they have breached T&C's with ABSOLUTELY NO EXPLANATION AS TO HOW shows that it's you breaking the law by breaking the legal agreement that is between the consumer and yourselves.

A decent company would take the time to look at an advert and discuss it with the consumer then put it back up visible to the public once it's established NO T&C's we're breached, not just tell people to basically F off.

You are a disgrace. Like I previously said I've spent about £2700 getting a qualification that is VTCT and insurance so I am able to as a single mum stay off benefits and rent a private house but you scammers think it is ok to take away my livelihood just because you can

Tip for consumers:
Don’t pay for your advertising

Products used:
This was online advertising

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user kareng2282
Belgium
1 review
2 helpful votes
  • Send Message
August 5th, 2022

Not trustworthy, not reliable, it's a joke. The ads are not taken seriously and people just ask questions to make fun of the sellers.

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user rutap6
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
August 24th, 2023

To place an ad it's £10 and If they remove your ad they don't refund you your money for ad that was never seen in the daylight.

Thumbnail of user henryq1
Germany
4 reviews
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
January 19th, 2013

They removed my add with no reasons. I put a book there and this stupid people removed it. I hate this site and i recommend all to not use it.

Sitejabber for Business

Gain trust and grow your business with customer reviews.

About the business

Gumtree is the first site for free classifieds ads in the UK. Buy and sell items, cars, properties, and find or offer jobs in your area.

How do I know I can trust these reviews about Gumtree UK?

  • Sitejabber’s mission is to increase online transparency for buyers and businesses
  • Sitejabber has helped over 200M buyers make better purchasing decisions online
  • Suspicious reviews are flagged by our algorithms, moderators, and community members
Have a question about Gumtree UK?

Is this your business?

Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and manage your listing.

Claim Your Business