When you’re considering something as significant as equity release, you shouldn’t have to take our word for it. Every review on our Trustpilot page is written by a real client — someone who sat down with one of our advisers, asked their questions, and made a decision at their own pace. Some proceeded. Some didn’t. All of them were treated like family.


Reading reviews is the right first step — it tells you how we treat people. But knowing why clients trust us is just as important as reading what they say. Here’s what sits behind every five-star rating.
Reviews are one of the most honest signals you can find — but they have limits. Here's what to keep in mind before making any decisions.
The clients who left these reviews all had different homes, different family circumstances, and different reasons for exploring equity release. A positive review tells you that another homeowner was well-treated and well-advised. It doesn’t tell you whether equity release is right for your specific situation. That’s what a personalised, regulated assessment is for. Learn what equity release actually is before deciding whether to go further.
This is something most firms never say aloud: a meaningful proportion of our five-star reviews come from clients who, after speaking with an adviser, decided equity release wasn’t the right route — or were advised to consider alternatives first. We believe this is the strongest indicator that our advice is genuinely independent. Reviews that come after a “no” carry more weight than reviews that come only after a sale.
Knowing that clients rate us highly is reassuring. But FCA authorisation (Ref 816029) and Equity Release Council membership go beyond reputation — they create legal and regulatory obligations. You have the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if you are ever dissatisfied. That protection exists because of regulation, not reputation.
Even the best adviser can only help you if you understand what you’re considering. Before or after reading these reviews, we’d encourage you to explore how equity release costs work and what equity release is in plain English. An informed client always makes a better decision.
Mortgage Strategy — Winner
Equity Release Broker — Winner
Equity Release Broker — Finalist
Equity Release Broker — Finalist
Equity Release Firm — Winner
Equity Release Broker — Winner
All of our client reviews are published on Trustpilot at uk.trustpilot.com/review/accessequityrelease.com. Trustpilot is an independent review platform used widely across financial services. We chose Trustpilot specifically because its verification process requires that reviewers have genuinely engaged with a business — reviews cannot be anonymously submitted by anyone off the street. You can read every review in full, filter by star rating, and see the date each review was posted. We don’t cherry-pick what you see here, and we never respond to reviews with anything other than transparency.
The phrase that appears more consistently than any other across our reviews is some version of “I never felt pressured.” Clients describe advisers who gave them time to think, never followed up aggressively, and made it clear from the outset that the consultation was theirs to end at any point. Several reviewers specifically mention returning weeks or months after an initial conversation, having taken time to discuss things with family — and being welcomed back exactly as warmly as if no time had passed. The pattern is unmistakable: people leave reviews not just because the outcome was good, but because the experience itself felt respectful and calm. That’s not a script — it’s what happens when advisers are paid on completion rather than on volume, and when a firm’s reputation genuinely depends on the way people feel, not just the plans they sign.
Trustpilot uses an invitation-based verification system for financial services firms. This means that after a client engagement concludes — whether or not they proceeded with a plan — clients receive an invitation to leave a review. Trustpilot then verifies that the reviewer had a genuine interaction with the business before publishing the review. This matters in financial services because unverified testimonials on a firm’s own website can be selectively published or edited. An independent, invitation-based platform removes that possibility. It also means that clients who chose not to proceed, or who had a neutral experience, are just as able — and just as likely — to leave a review as those who completed a plan. The result is an honest aggregate that reflects the full range of client experience, not just the highlights.
This is the review pattern we’re most proud of — and the one that tells you the most about how we operate. A number of our five-star reviews come from clients who, after going through the advice process, were told that equity release wasn’t the right solution for their circumstances. These reviewers consistently say variations of the same thing: “I was disappointed, but I trusted the honesty” or “He could have pushed me to sign but he didn’t — and for that I’m grateful.” One client put it simply: “Most companies would have taken my money. This one sent me home to think more carefully.” A 5★ rating that includes clients who didn’t proceed is a fundamentally different thing to a 5★ rating built only on completed sales. We believe it’s the clearest proof that our advice is led by your interests, not ours.
Family involvement is one of the most frequently mentioned themes in our reviews — and almost always in a positive light. Clients regularly describe bringing an adult child, a sibling, or a spouse to a second appointment, and note that their family member arrived sceptical and left reassured. Advisers are trained to welcome loved ones into the conversation from the very first call, and reviews reflect this consistently: “My daughter had a list of hard questions — he answered every single one, honestly and without rushing.” Family members who were initially opposed to equity release frequently become its most vocal supporters once they’ve experienced the advice process directly. We see this as one of the most meaningful quality indicators we have, because a family member’s peace of mind is often as important as the client’s own.
A 5★ average is strong by any measure, and particularly in financial services, where complexity and emotional stakes make it harder to earn consistent high ratings than in, say, retail or hospitality. The equity release sector has historically had a mixed reputation, which makes genuine client trust harder to earn — and more meaningful when it’s demonstrated over time. What we’d encourage you to do is not just compare stars, but compare the substance behind them: look at review volume, recency, and whether negative reviews (where they exist) were handled honestly. We’d also point you to our guide to the best equity release companies for a broader look at how to evaluate any firm you’re considering — including us. A number is only meaningful if you understand what’s behind it.
