I have mobility problems following a stroke.I was introduced to Jill Elliot by Lindsay Grant, Manager, Marden Court.I was most impressed by Jill's professionalism and likeable nature. her first step... See more
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We are the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, offering high quality age-exclusive retirement properties to more than 20,000 homeowners across the UK. For all communities opened since 2010 we remain landlord and managing agent, looking after the wellbeing of our homeowners and managing our properties. We believe that life in older age is something to be enjoyed and celebrated, and our developments offer a welcoming sense of community and a diverse range of facilities and services to enhance everyday life. Our customers are at the heart of what we do and we are proud to have been awarded the Home Builders Federation 5-star customer satisfaction award every year we have taken part in the survey. For developments built prior to 2010, where we are not the landlord nor managing agent, please direct any questions to FirstPort, who look after these schemes.
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100 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AL, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
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I Moved into Pele Court over a week ago and the move was made so positive due to the help and understanding of Di the Manager. She has been so extremely helpful and kind, listening and dealing with any issues or queries which I have had nothing has been any trouble to her and she has made me feel so welcome. I have also met some of the other residents all have been welcoming and happy living here.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Very nice visitors room. Very spacious. Very quiet.well equipped
The staff are very friendly and welcoming.
I stayed at Lady Susan Court in Basingstoke

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Andrea at Calico Court helped assisting with a recent issue Her willingness to go the extra mile ultimately prevented the issue from escalating further, showcasing her commitment to excellent service and problem‑solving. Thanks for all your help Andrea

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Toni Roberts- Me n my husband are looking for a place to retire and for the past 6 months Toni has been in regular contact with myself, but i have decided to look at a different area due to my health conditions,but Toni has always phoned and has been a pleasure to chat to, always a joy to speak with, very chatty and happy and caring, empathy kind and understanding and i am very sad i will not speaking with Toni again. i would definately recommend McCarthy and Stone to everyone as
you will be looked after by Toni

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
I would like to take the opportunity to say just how much we appreciate Mandy our house manager, and everything she does for all of us at our retirement complex.
Mandy works incredibly hard to support the residents,
always going above and beyond what is expected of her.
She works 9am - 3pm five days a week carry out all her usual duties, but somehow still finds the time and engergy to do so much more.
For me personally Mandy has been a tremendous help .
I have a disabled husband who has numerous health problems which means many appointments, and there have been occasions when he has fallen and we’ve spent long hours away from home in A&E
During these difficult and stressful times Mandy has been there to help with our little dog , taking her for walks when I have been able to do so.
Recently our little dog developed a burst ulcer and needed drops every two hours , when I was unable to be there Mandy once again came to our rescue.
Sadly after treatment she had to have her eye removed
It was an extremely upsetting time for us and Mandy’s kindness and practical help meant such a lot .
But it isn’t just the individual things she does for us ,
She works so hard to bring the whole community together, organising quiz nights, coffee mornings , film afternoons, fish n chip evenings and much more often giving her time outside her normal working hours.
These events make such a difference to life here and give us residents opportunities to socialise ( if they so wish ) have fun and get to know one another.
Mandy is one of those special people who doesn’t simply do her job , she genuinely cares about the people she looks after .
Always willing to help , kind, approachable and incredibly hard working .
We are very lucky to have Mandy , and I just wanted to say a huge thank you to her for everything she does her kindness, compassion and willingness to go that that extra mile are appreciated far more than she probably realises.
So thank you Mandy , for everything you do for us all

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
My elderly mother who is 95, resides at the new Saffron Walden site and was the second person to move in back in 2025.
She receives three care visits a day and has all of her needs met - from a cup of tea in bed, to helping her choose her clothes to wear for the day, to shopping, cleaning, meal prep and even just some company watching the TV. The team are also very handy with a spot of DIY and fix items if and when necessary!
Every one of the care team are friendly and treat her with kindness, respect and a smile, even in challenging situations.
I am very relaxed knowing she is in the best place and whilst it isn’t a care home - it is a place where she can get help 24/7 which puts my mind at ease.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
I had the pleasure of staying in the guest suite at Brookes Court recently. What an experience. The House Manager was super friendly and welcoming. You could tell so much thought had gone into preparing the room. Not only that, but I had a real emergency when I arrived and Sarah was discreet, helpful and didn’t make much of the issue. Thank you for a great stay.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
A really wonderful place for your retirement years. I stayed in their guest suite. It was an amazing place to stay - modern, clean, quiet. Julie the house manager does a fantastic job and helps with anything you might need. Strongly recommend this apartment complex
Btw it’s called King Scholars Court !

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
I just arranged to rent an apartment for my parents and the experience with the tenancy team was great. Jana Medvecova led me through the whole process seamlessly and with speed and efficiency. Always quickly answering emails and being of the best help to make sure we got my parents into the apartment when we needed to. Thank you!

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Ice T's brought our Ice Cream Van to both Roman Court and Marbury Court and had a fantastic day courtesy of Joanne Birch and Shelly Denne. Also a massive thanks to Emma Naylor

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
t’s difficult to give McCarthy & Stone an overall rating because the experience is very much split into two parts.
On the positive side, the properties themselves are wonderful. They are generally well maintained, well managed and supported by professional on-site staff. The McCarthy & Stone resales team I dealt with were also polite and professional. Unfortunately, that’s where the positivity ends.
The biggest issue is the financial side of owning and eventually selling one of these properties. Many properties appear to lose value over time, and selling can be extremely difficult because of the eligibility restrictions on who can purchase them. In the meantime, owners continue to pay service charges, ground rent and other associated costs.
There is also a 1% building fund charge based on the sale price, payable to McCarthy & Stone. This comes on top of the sales fees and the full outstanding service charges, ground rent and other costs, without any apparent discount or adjustment.
In my particular case, following my mother's death, I was also liable for 200% council tax because the property was classed as a second home. Because of the restrictions surrounding these properties, renting it out was not an option. Consequently, while waiting almost two years for the property to sell, it continued to accumulate service charges, council tax, ground rent and other costs.
Another particular frustration was the way information was handled during the eventual sale. The purchaser used a McCarthy & Stone-recommended agent, who asked questions about the lease and other matters. I was then told to obtain the answers from my own agent — McCarthy & Stone. It felt like an unnecessary loop, and one that had the potential to generate yet more fees and income for the company.
So, would I recommend McCarthy & Stone?
Unfortunately, no.
The properties and on-site management are good, and I have no real criticism of the staff I personally dealt with. However, the difficulty and length of time involved in selling, the ongoing costs while waiting for a sale, the restrictions placed on owners, and the various charges and income streams associated with selling have left me with a very negative overall experience.
For those reasons, despite the positives, my overall rating would be 1 star.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
My mum lives at Joules Place, Market Drayton. Julie Grieves is a great House Manager. Mum loves her apartment .
Julie is very kind, cheerful ,helpful and approachable. She solves any problem without complaint and enables the residents to live as independently as possible. She arranges a range of events and activities too. It’s a lovely friendly environment to live in.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
I’ve been at Elm Tree Court for nearly 5 years, the development has just turned 10 and the house manager Wendy organised a celebration of high tea. So many of the residents came, and are still talking about how good the afternoon was. Wendy really put herself out to make us all feel special and put on a lovely do for us and she deserves a big gold star, always going above and beyond for us all.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Poppy Grange Maghull wow where to start !!We moved mum into her luxurious appartment over a year ago and what a difference it has made to her lifestyle.She is so much happier in hereself.
Angela who dealt with the sales was superb making it an easy transition.A important member to the company.
Julie Duty Manager a shining star!! She is a credit to the company
Nothing is too much trouble such a lovely caring trustworthy individual who gives a 100% to every resident living at Poppy Grange.She organizes so many delightful events bringing the community of Poppy Grange together.
McCarthy Stone would be lost without these two members !
Building and grounds are beautiful.
Wouldnt hesitate moving any family member here.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
My Mum is getting ready to move in to her apartment at Brookes Court in Whitchurch and throughout the process the House Manager, Sarah Haycocks has been incredibly helpful and welcoming. It's confirmed to us that it's been the right decision to move to somewhere where there is support when it's needed. Sarah's advice and guidance has been invaluable to making it a smooth transition at what can so often be a busy and stressful time.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
This review is done on behalf of my mum Jean Kell, 19, Waveney Place and it refers to Lucy (house manager)
Lucy has been an exceptional support to all of us at Waveney Place since the day she started.
Nothing is ever to much trouble for her and she always makes time to listen no matter how small a query or problem may be.
She constantly finds solutions with efficiency and care.
Her professionalism warmed and dedication make her a true credit to your team.
She represents Maccarthy Stone with a standard any company would be proud of.
We would generally be lost without her and many of us think of her as a friend.
Well done Lucy and thank you for your continued hard work in looking after us all.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
My Mum moved to Brideoake court in Standish in February after selling her home which she had for over 20 years. The team at Mc Carthy and Stone made the moving process feel safe and supportive for the whole family . Having the reassurance Mum is safe and settled especially with family not being on the doorstep, having Gemma the house manager has made the transition for her so much more simple. I would highly recommend this development , it always looks well cared for within both the communal areas and the beautiful garden area. The community are friendly and welcoming , Gemma keeps a gentle check on the building and residents we feel lucky Mum is now settled.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
Don't touch this company with a barge pole. Re-sales plummet but the exorbitant service charges keep increasing. Over £1000 per month in Tunbridge Wells.
Purchased for £365,000 in 2020 sold for £135,000 in 2026.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
We live at Walter house in Chelmsford since March 2025 we have had too live with our back balcony door which had a broken glass which was fitted with the incorrect glass, the frame was badly damaged by fitter who was unable to secure door frame satisfactory we have had three visits from glass fitter’s who have said we need a new complete glass door or to have this one re pressed at the factory. Our door at present will not close shut so has to be lashed down with long rope. We have complained frequently to house managers and sent copies and photos to head office. We were promised care free living coming here but it has not been that.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
From the very first day I met Annette, the concierge at Clock Gardens, in early May, she put me completely at ease.
Moving somewhere new inevitably comes with a hundred questions — and, in my case, probably several questions I’d already asked before! Yet Annette has never once made me feel that I’m asking too much. She either has the information I need, finds it for me, or patiently reminds me of something she has almost certainly already told me.
What makes Annette so exceptional, though, she goes far beyond simply being good at her job. It’s simply the way she is. She is calm, warm, pleasant and completely natural. She has that very rare quality of making you feel as though you’ve known her for years. There is an ease and warmth about talking to Annette that is difficult to describe — nothing ever feels formal or transactional. It just feels natural.
Annette has made my settling in here at Clock Gardens absolutely remarkable. Having someone like her there when you first arrive makes more of a difference than I can adequately put into words.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Is she really that great?”
Yes. She really is.
In my humble opinion, Annette deserves the very highest praise.
Clock Gardens is extraordinarily fortunate to have Annette. And speaking as someone whose experience of settling in has been transformed by her presence, so am I.

Reply from McCarthy & Stone
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