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When you’re selling your property, it’s of vital importance to know who you’re working with.
This is our independent McHugh & Co Auctions review. Our private researchers analysed their company records, strengths and weaknesses.
In here, you’ll find everything you need to know about McHugh & Co Auctions and whether you should trust them to sell your property quickly.
Your next step
Once you’ve read our impartial guides, you’re completely free to choose an auction house or a cash homebuyer and contact them yourself. There’s no obligation to use our introduction service. We’ll be happy to have helped you to find a company you can trust and stop you being taken for a ride. Our work here is done!
However, we understand that choosing a company to buy or sell your home is a big decision, so if you prefer, you can break it down into easier steps.
First, click the cash offer calculator button below to see how much cash buyers offer for properties like yours. It’s completely free to find out, and it only takes a couple of clicks. You don’t have to give any personal information, just an estimated value of your home.
Then, if this figure works for you, simply add a few more details of your home and we’ll connect you with the cash homebuyer we think is best suited to you.
If you’d rather take the auction route, click the ‘free auction appraisal’ button and we’ll put you in touch with the auction house that we think is the best fit for your property.
Our recommendations cost you nothing and they guarantee you the very best service. The PSW is well-respected within the industry and companies will go all out to prove that they’re worthy of our recommendations, so that we keep sending customers to them.
Click below to start your home selling journey.
Company
Established in
1983
Members of RICS
Not stated
Members of Propertymark
Yes – NAVA
Trading standards approved?
Yes
Members of TPO
Yes
Registered with ICO
Yes
How often are auctions held
Approx. seven auctions per year
Online auctions
Yes
Fees
2.5% + VAT £300 + VAT upfront listing fee
Complaints procedure
Yes
Customer service
4.4 / 5
Google rating
4.2 / 5 (196 reviews)
Trustpilot service
2.2 / 5 (22 reviews)
McHugh & Co auctions is a large London based auction house handing significant numbers of properties across London as well as nationwide. They are a family company with significant local knowledge and experience and high standards of customer care.
- PSW Rating
4.6 / 5
1. McHugh & co Auctions: Company Overview
(source: Companies House)
- Listed with Companies House: 3rd December 1987
- Registered Office: J R House 236 Imperial Drive, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex, England, HA2 7HJ
- There is one registered director, founder Christopher McHugh
- Company number: 02202410
- All the information seems up to date and correct
McHugh & Co Auctions are one of the largest and most successful auction houses in the country. They are a family firm, run by founder Christopher McHugh and his family since 1983. Christopher was born and bred in Camden and knows the London property market well.
Since Covid, all auctions have been held online, with over 200 lots in every auction. These range from garages at just a few thousand, to £2million properties bordering Hampstead Heath. They have a very high success rate with the majority of properties selling each time.
Auction houses such as McHugh & Co Auctions offer a quick and easy way to sell your property compared to the six months or more of stress you could face when selling on the open market. You may also get more for your property than you would selling to a quick cash homebuyer. However, with just seven sales per year, you could have a wait of up to two months for the next sale if your property does not sell.
Auctions will charge commission, in this case 2.5% + VAT, along with an auction entry fee that will not be refunded if your property fails to sell. You also need to factor in legal fees for the preparation of documents both prior to the listing and following the sale. These fees are comparable with an open market sale through an estate agent, whereas with a quick cash sale, there are no fees, and in most cases, no legal costs either.
Auctions may generate a higher selling price for your property than a quick cash buyer, but it is still likely to be less than an open market sale could generate. It is also worth noting that there are no guarantees on price or speed of sale with auction houses. A cash home buyer may not give you as much for your home, but they will guarantee your sale in as little as seven days.
2. McHugh & Co Property Auctions: Strengths & Weaknesses
McHugh & Co Auctions hold around seven auctions per year, all held online. These auctions take place over a set time period, but can be extended if there is bidder activity close to the closing point. They have a large catalogue at each sale and will thus attract a wide range of bidders.
McHugh & Co boast a high success rate, with their last two auctions (Sept 24 and July 24) generating 80% and 78% success rates respectively. The September 24 auction had 237 lots, of which just 46 went unsold or were withdrawn. The July 24 auction had 216 lots of which just 46 lots went unsold or were withdrawn.
The company are also proud of their customer care. Being a family firm and a local success story, they say they will ‘do our utmost to give the best possible experience when selling your property’.
Some of the independent reviews suggest that McHugh & Co may under-estimate their guide prices, or revise them closer to the day of the auction, which can be frustrating for buyers who have invested time and money investigating a property. However, the majority of their Google reviews are five-star, suggesting most customers are more than satisfied.
Some buyers also appear to be confused with the charges and fees, finding them to be excessive. This may be because they did not fully investigate the fees before bidding.
Are they Propertymark members?
Yes, the McHugh & Co website shows the logo for Propertymark for NAVA – the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers.
By using a Propertymark Protected member you are guaranteed to be talking to a professional who will give you up-to-date advice and guidance. Propertymark regulates members’ activity according to a code of conduct and rules, with disciplinary action for instances of non-compliance.
Are they TPO members?
Yes, McHugh & Co Auctions are members of the Property Ombudsman. This means that you can rest assured that they will work to a strict code of practice and abide by independent arbitration in case of disputes.
Membership of TPO means that you have an additional method of resolving complaints that can’t be resolved between you and the auction house. TPO offers independent adjudication on disputes and can mandate compensation payments up to £25,000 in cases of proven financial loss.
Are They Regulated By RICS?
McHugh & Co Auctions do not appear to be registered with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and we could not find them on the RICS member search web page.
Using a RICS member gives you the peace of mind that your auctioneer follows the Common Auction Conditions and ensures that clients are provided with terms of engagement that are fair and clear and meet all legal requirements and relevant codes of practice including reference to complaints-handling procedures and, where it exists, an appropriate redress scheme.
Are they Registered With The ICO?
Christopher McHugh has been registered with the ICO since 2003.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent regulatory body set up to uphold information rights. The ICO also governs all forms of data collection and advertising intelligence. The ICO has a Free Online Checker where you can verify whether a company is registered with them or not.
Are they GDPR Compliant?
The McHugh & Co Auctions website has a privacy policy which explains how your data will be collected, stored and used. These suggest that the company is GDPR compliant and will follow established codes of practice.
It is reassuring to note that this privacy policy states that ‘McHugh & Co. will not give your data to any third parties unless required for the proper administration of your account and for the avoidance of doubt, will never give your personal details to third parties for marketing or other non-essential purposes.’ This should avoid unwanted marketing communications.
Nonetheless, you should always be very careful about what information your disclose and what cookie policies you agree to. You should always have a choice, and you should read any cookie / data use agreements carefully rather than just clicking yes to clear your screen.
Have They Traded For More Than 5 Years?
McHugh & Co were established in 1983 by Christopher McHugh and have been trading successfully ever since, giving them over forty years of experience.
We use the ‘over/under 5 years trading time’ as a rule of thumb to gauge whether a company is an established entity with a lot of experience under their belt, or just a newly founded business that may not have the expertise or reputation you can rely on. With over forty years behind them, McHugh & Co Auctions have far exceeded this benchmark.
How often Are Auctions Held?
McHugh & Co Auctions hold property sales online roughly seven times a year. This means that there is an auction every six or seven weeks. Each of these auctions carries over 200 lots, with properties ranging from London homes to properties in Southampton, Hull, Manchester and across the UK. They also have land for sale.
Auctions are held online, with bidders able to take part online or by telephone, or by placing a proxy bid with the auctioneer. You are no longer able to attend auctions in person since Covid. Bids take place up to a set time, although it is company policy to extend auctions beyond their due finish time if it is considered that this will bring in a better price for the seller.
To place a bid, you need to have registered in advance and provide compulsory information such as proof of identity and your source of funds, in order to comply with money laundering regulations.
If your property is sold at auction, then the deal is done and there is no risk of the sale falling through, as there would be with a sale through an estate agent. As soon as the hammer falls the sale is binding and contracts are exchanged. The buyer must pay a 10% deposit, which they forfeit if they fail to complete the sale within 28 days.
The auction process provides you with a very fast and certain sale, which will not be affected by surveys, cold feet or the countless other issues that can scupper an estate agency sale. However, this tight, four-week completion timescale may not leave enough time for potential buyers to arrange a mortgage, and so this will limit potential buyers to developers, investors and cash buyers.
what does it cost to sell with McHugh & Co Auctions?
McHugh & Co Auctions do not list their charges online, however our sources state that they charge a seller’s fee of 2.5% + VAT. This is about average for the auction sector and higher than some auction houses. Sellers also have to pay a non-refundable deposit of £300+VAT upfront to enter an auction, and this will not be returned if the property is withdrawn or goes unsold. Once again, this is around the standard charge for the sector.
As discussed above, there is some controversy around the charges levied on buyers, although the company do state these charges in their extensive terms and conditions. Buyers are advised to study these documents carefully to make sure they fully understand what it will cost to buy at auction, and to take legal advice if needed.
How long does it take to sell?
Looking at their recent auctions, McHugh & Co Auctions have a very successful track record when it comes to auction sales. Their last two auctions sold 80% and 78% of the lots listed, and several lots were withdrawn at each sale, so the success rate could be higher still.
This means that your property could sell quickly with McHugh & Co.
That said, even with an 80% success rate, one in five properties will still fail to sell. With just seven auctions per year, failure to sell could delay your sale by around two months, making your sale little quicker than an estate agency sale, while getting less for your property.
Here is where a quick cash sale could be a better option, as your sale is guaranteed in as little as seven days.
Anything Else Suspicious?
We didn’t find anything that raises suspicion during our thorough research of McHugh & Co Auctions. Our investigators sifted through all of the data and legal records of McHugh & Co Auctions and everything was clean.
However, we’ll redact this paragraph at the first glimpse of dodgy practices.
We never stop researching and our unbending commitment to excellence doesn’t waver. This paragraph is only valid up until the ‘Last Updated’ date of this review, which can be found at the top of this page.
Anything Else You Should Know About?
As far as we are aware, McHugh & co Auctions haven’t received any additional awards or prizes.
There’s nothing more we could add.
3. McHugh & Co Auctions: Customer Experience
To assess the overall user experience (UX) of mchughandco.com we first analysed their website for ease of use and intuitiveness.
The McHugh & Co Auctions share a website with the estate agency side of the business, with tabs for auctions, sales and lettings. It is reasonably easy to navigate, although the design feels a little traditional and dated.
The site has sellers’ and buyers’ guides, full terms and conditions and a ‘meet the team’ page, which underlines the friendly, family feeling of the firm. It also lists the upcoming auction catalogue, as well as the results of previous auctions, so potential sellers can see for themselves the success rate and the prices the company has achieved for different kinds of properties.
First Response Time
We calculated their First Response Time (FTR) by messaging them at approximately 11 AM on a non-holiday weekday (on a Friday to be exact) and used a stopwatch to estimate how long it took them to respond.
McHugh & Co Auctions responded in 1 minute 10 seconds.
Which is much faster than the industry average. And a fast FRT is something we consider highly important, especially in this sector.
A faster response time suggests that the auction house is better equipped to deal with customer queries.
And if they’re better equipped to deal with customer queries, then it means they’re investing their resources where it matters the most.
Client Satisfaction Guarantee
We also asked if they offer some sort of ‘Client Satisfaction Guarantee’, and if yes, what would that guarantee consist of.
The McHugh & Co Auctions website does not list a specific guarantee, but it does state that ‘we pride ourselves on customer care’ and ‘we aim to ensure our customers’ needs are met by our professional and attentive team of staff.’
This positive, customer-focussed approach is a big plus for the company.
Client Complaints Procedure
Like most reputable companies, the McHugh & Co website does have a published complaints procedure, whereby customers can express any disagreements, issues or just plain dissatisfaction with the overall service. Having such a procedure in place, shows that the company are willing to listen and if possible, rectify any problems that may arise.
It is worth noting that they are also proactive in answering negative reviews, engaging with unhappy customers and investigating any issues raised.
As they are members of the Property Ombudsman service, customers of McHugh & Co Auctions have the extra protection of independent mitigation for any disagreements that cannot be solved directly with the company.
Speaking To Past Customers
A legitimate auction house that does what it promises shouldn’t have a problem letting you speak to their past customers.
Of course they need to have the permission of the individual involved and provide some kind of proof that it is a genuine past client of theirs.
We strongly encourage all our readers to ask to speak to a past client.
4. McHugh & Co Property Auctions: Online Presence
In this section, we’ll discuss what the public thinks of McHugh & Co and what online reviews the company has received.
Keep in mind that online reviews can be easily faked. The company in charge might hire fake review writers to write positive reviews. Or on the other hand, their competitors might hire fake review writers to write negative reviews and tarnish the said company’s reputation.
Also, social media followers can be artificially inflated.
That’s why we deem this section as purely anecdotal.
Customer reviews
- Trustpilot rating 2.2/5 (22 reviews)
- Google reviews 4.2/5 (196 reviews)
This Trustpilot score may appear to be concerning, but many of these negative reviews are from buyers not sellers, in particular from buyers who did not understand the fees and were upset by their final bill. These do not reflect MvHugh & Co’s service to sellers.
The Google reviews are more positive, and have a larger sample size, and this probably gives a more accurate reflection of the company.
Domain Rating
- Domain Rating (DR) – 59 / 100
- Search Traffic – 12,500 unique visitors per month
Social media presence
- Instagram – 1030 followers
- X (Twitter) – 2492 followers
Media Mentions
- N/A
TV Channel Features
- N/A
We didn’t find anything suspicious with McHugh & Co Auctions’ social media or online presence, and their relatively low customer reviews should be taken in context as explained above. We also didn’t find anything suspicious with their domain rating and backlink profile nor their unique monthly search traffic.
The Final Verdict
As a well-established, family run property firm, with extensive local knowledge and over forty years’ experience, McHugh & Co are rightly one of the largest property auction companies in London and across the UK.
They boast a high success rate of around 80%, with fees around the average for the sector. Buyer fees may be somewhat higher, but this does not affect sellers.
The company holds regular auctions covering a wide range of properties across the price spectrum, with a focus on properties in London, but also featuring properties from across the UK.
Their independent review scores have been skewed by unhappy buyers, and this should be taken into account when considering these. Their consistent success rate and strong reputation says more about them than a few disgruntled customers.
On balance, McHugh & Co are a professional, traditional auction house based in North London and are an excellent choice for sellers in the South East. They are also well worth considering for sellers elsewhere in the country.
Get The Best Cash Offer For Your Property
Your next step
Once you’ve read our impartial guides, you’re completely free to choose an auction house or a cash homebuyer and contact them yourself. There’s no obligation to use our introduction service. We’ll be happy to have helped you to find a company you can trust and stop you being taken for a ride. Our work here is done!
However, we understand that choosing a company to buy or sell your home is a big decision, so if you prefer, you can break it down into easier steps.
First, click the cash offer calculator button below to see how much cash buyers offer for properties like yours. It’s completely free to find out, and it only takes a couple of clicks. You don’t have to give any personal information, just an estimated value of your home.
Then, if this figure works for you, simply add a few more details of your home and we’ll connect you with the cash homebuyer we think is best suited to you.
If you’d rather take the auction route, click the ‘free auction appraisal’ button and we’ll put you in touch with the auction house that we think is the best fit for your property.
Our recommendations cost you nothing and they guarantee you the very best service. The PSW is well-respected within the industry and companies will go all out to prove that they’re worthy of our recommendations, so that we keep sending customers to them.
Click below to start your home selling journey.
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The Safe Connect™ programme was created to ensure you not only get the best possible, genuine cash offer, but also to protect you in this unregulated market.
If you click the orange button below, we’ll automatically Safe Connect you to the best property buyer in the UK – as vetted by our team of investigators. And most importantly, you’ll see exactly why we objectively classified them as the best property buyer in the UK.
If you use the Safe Connect™ programme to connect with a cash home buyer, we’ll personally hold them accountable. We’ll ensure they go the extra mile and treat you like a VIP.
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Compare Companies
McHugh & Co Auctions is just one of the many fast home-buying companies in the UK.
In order to make sure you choose the right one, it’s best if you compare them all.
Look at their strengths & weaknesses, their pros & cons and make an informed decision.
It’s essential to know you’re in safe hands, that’s why we’re here to help.
Use our company comparison table to find a reliable and trustworthy service, and decide whether expediting the sale of your property is the right thing for you.
Content Updates
This review is being constantly screened by our investigator team and will be corrected in line with the emergence of new evidence.
If a company contacts us with a genuine and verifiable piece of information which supports their cause, then we’ll immediately redact the review and point to the new information.
On the other hand, if we discover that a company which we’ve previously praised for a certain industry trait, starts to dabble in dodgy practices, we’ll also redact the review immediately.
We’ll point to our new findings and we’ll adjust the table metrics and scores accordingly.
For this reason, make sure to take notice of the ‘last updated’ date at the top of this page.
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