The Problem: Inflated promises, hidden costs, wasted time
One seller, who asked not to be named due to personal reasons, came to us after a highly frustrating experience with a larger national adviser.
Here’s what went wrong:
Bad valuation: To win their business, the adviser promised a headline-grabbing sale price. However, when serious buyers looked over the numbers, they quickly walked away.
Hidden fees: Once signed up, unexpected charges started to appear, “marketing packages” and “admin fees” that had never been explained up front.
Wasted time: After months of effort, the seller had received no credible offers, spent thousands, and the process had gone nowhere.
They felt misled and stuck, but unable to speak publicly because they were still bound by contract.
The Solution
How the Hilton Smythe Client Charter would have protected them.
If this seller had been working under the Hilton Smythe Client Charter, their experience would have been very different:
Honesty: A realistic, evidence-led valuation from the start, not an inflated promise to secure a contract.
Integrity: Every fee is clearly explained in plain English, agreed upon upfront, and there are no hidden extras.
Commitment: We only take on clients we believe we can deliver for, no wasted time, no empty activity.
Trust: Expert-led support focused on connecting with serious, qualified buyers, not just creating activity for activity’s sake.
The Lesson
Cutting corners doesn’t save time or money; it costs both.
The Hilton Smythe Client Charter exists to protect sellers from these exact pitfalls and to raise the standard in an unregulated market.
Discover how the Client Charter safeguards your sale