Gray and Farrar International Reviews 

I was introduced to a client who was presented as single and looking for a life partner. In the course of relationship it later became clear that he was, in fact, still living in a long term domestic/romantic arrangement (a civil marriage) with his former spouse, despite having formally divorced. There was also a second, short-lived marriage that was never disclosed to me at the time of introduction neither by the agency, nor by that individual.

This was not a simple misunderstanding or mismatch. It was a failure of vetting. Trusting the agency’s process placed me in a situation that caused significant emotional distress, serious health consequences, and even put my immigration plans at risk, as I made life decisions based on information that turned out not to be true. I have invested my time, emotions, and changed plans for this individual who was deliberately misleading me and simply played with my life!

When I raised these concerns with the agency, they acknowledged the situation but stated they were unaware of the client’s domestic circumstances at the time, and barely believed my truth although I have provided evidence. I was then offered a complimentary service as a gesture of goodwill, which the agency itself initiated. Unfortunately, despite repeated assurances, this offer was never delivered. Six months passed without contracts, introductions, or clarity — only ongoing delays.

I was never informed whether the agency continued representing that individual and if other women put under the risk that I have been through.

I’m writing this out of responsibility. Matchmaking operates in a space where trust is everything. When vetting fails and follow-up is handled poorly, the consequences affect real lives.

I hope this feedback encourages greater transparency, stronger vetting, and more accountability going forward.

STAY AWAY - 4 years ago 1 upfront payment close to 100.000EUR contract with garantee of 20 introductions meaning meetings. each profile presentation takes her aprx 1.3 months.. and like other clients discovered: the data are presented as suites the case - when talking with the candidate - it's not all correct at all! men seems paying much less for the "eternal membership" than women. I met 1 man & spoke to 2 in 4 years - that has nothing to do with a great matchmaking company.

My experience with Gray and Farrar, a dating agency that promises numerous "suitable" introductions, has been profoundly disappointing and deeply disheartening. When I first approached Gray and Farrar, I was filled with hope and excitement, lured by their grand claims of a high success rate and personalised matchmaking services. Sadly, the reality was starkly different, leading me to question their services and the integrity of their operations.

First and foremost, the service is costly—£3,000 per introduction. Investing in one's future happiness is one thing, but Gray and Farrar's fees are exorbitant, with the promised returns on this investment virtually nonexistent. Despite their hefty price tag, I found myself waiting months on end for a single date, a pace that makes snails seem hurried. My manager would also freeze my account during school holidays. Why could I not be given to another manager? This waiting game tested my patience and left me feeling like a low priority despite the significant financial commitment.

Moreover, the quality and suitability of the matches could have been better. Sometimes, I did wonder if they had paid an actor or relative to take me out. The claims of having a thorough matching process seemed hollow, as the discrepancies between their promises and reality were glaring. On several occasions, my dates' interests, values, and goals were so divergent from mine that I wondered if there was any vetting process. It felt like matches were randomly thrown together with the hope that something might stick, a method more akin to a game of darts played in the dark than a professional matchmaking service.

However, the most disturbing aspect of my experience was the realisation that Gray and Farrar's claims often contradicted the experiences shared by my dates. It became apparent that the narratives sold to me were crafted more for marketing than accuracy. Reflecting on my experience, I ponder whether engaging in Gray and Farrar's services was better than doing nothing. To that end, it was not. Instead of providing a genuine pathway to companionship, Gray and Farrar sell false hope, profiting from the loneliness and vulnerabilities of others. Their service felt more like a money-making machine than a heart-joining endeavour, with little to no regard for their client's emotional and financial well-being. Sorry to be so harsh, but it is how I feel after two years with them.

In conclusion, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend Grey and Farrar to anyone seeking meaningful connections. The mismatch between their lofty promises and the delivered reality is too significant to overlook. Prospective clients will likely find more genuine opportunities for connection through alternative means that do not involve draining their bank accounts for the illusion of a match made in heaven. In its current form, Grey and Farrar is a lesson in disappointment and a cautionary tale for those searching for love.

A NIGHTMARE.
My suggestion is: STAY FAR FROM GRAY AND FARRAR.

I have met my wife via Gray & Farrar. What else needs saying!

A superb agency in every which way. Attentive, selective, proactive and discreet. Too bad other success stories as mine are not being told on this review panel. Another friend to whom I recommended the agency is engaged and a third in a long-term relationship.

We are out there, we are men, we found our life-long partners via G&F.

Having tried two high end match making agencies, one being Gray and Farrar, with very similar disappointing experiences that can be described in the best case as wasting huge amounts of money I would strongly recommend any woman to stay away.
If you meet men they are likely to be non committal, not in line with your brief and possibly in a far weaker financial and economical position than you are.

I write this to save any other bright intelligent ladies from being hoodwinked into joining this agency.
Gray & Farrar courted me for almost 5 years; I even questioned the negative reviews on Google that was explained away by Claire Sweetingham as jealous competitors and not genuine.

My recent experience reflects exactly the negative reviews written about the agency. Their technique is admirable; they keep contacting you telling you they have some 'super' potential partners. You think, "Gosh they must really feel they have a match as they are so keen to have me."

The truth is, you are contacted by one of the "girls in the office" who appear to have absolutely no understanding of your needs or interest criteria. They describe a potential match who supposedly meets some of your criteria. You agree that yes it would be worth making contact. You wait sometimes 2-3 weeks and then alas said match is "on hold"
This happened 9 times with the potential matches having to rush off to far-flung places across the world, or suffering sporting accidents.

I did not meet one person so by my calculations the two telephone calls I received worked out at approx £4,000 per call!

I think trading standards should investigate the workings of this agency .I think they rely on the fact that most ladies are embarrassed - not because they have sought the services of a dating agency but because they feel foolish to have been taken in by this agency.

Terrible experience. As a female paid up client I was treated very poorly, in my opinion. I also was explained in writing that some of the men introduced to me had NOT paid their exorbitant fees only after I questioned the financial stability of some of the men introduced. (I had been assured prior to signing up that ALL of the men also paid the same fee as the women). The descriptions G&F provided on the men I was introduced were often embellished and inaccurate. One of the men was also described as wanting more children by G&F (Lucinda). When I met him the second time this same man stated that he had explained to G&F he did not want to have more children ! G&F knew I wanted to form a family and this man admitted to me that in his brief to G&F he had said he did not want any more children....what kind of service is this? At what point did G&F think introducing me to a man who had not paid the fees and was not interested in forming a family with anyone new as he had children - was a good idea, or fair to me, the paid up female client? When did my brief suddenly not become important to G&F? Also, I live in a jurisdiction not subject to VAT but I was still charged 20% more than my contract note and it seems from Gray & Farrar's own companies house reports that this 20% did not make it to the HMRC. I have encountered several women in Hong Kong, Switzerland and the United States who faced the same issues: men did not pay, G&F seemed to provide a very lax checkup on their male clients and did not seem to know them well or charge them, and they were also all overcharged by 20%, yet VAT was not listed as a line item on their invoices. If you are a female, my advice would be to use your money on anything else - a nice holiday or a nice watch or both - but not on Gray & Farrar. One of the most distressing experiences of my life.