Great company, highly recommend what they are doing and how they help people who can't afford to borrow through usual means
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Easy to use with a clear layout. Supporting selected ethical groups and investments. ` And one of only a few genuine platforms for green investments I've been using the Ethex for a number of years a... See more
Company replied
Enjoyed reading the clear information and guidance about what i was investing in. Clear instructions about how to buy and the emphasis that I could lose all my money. Simple to take action.
Company replied
Really difficult to transfer an existing ISA to you which isn't a set amount - ie you can specify 'full amount' on a normal ISA transfer, but you want a definite figure,which you don't get until the... See more
Company replied
Company details
Information provided by various external sources
Ethex makes it easy for everyday people to invest positively in organisations that are working hard to protect people and the planet. Join our community of 15,000 people and find out how you can use your money as a force for good, whilst targeting returns of 5%. Capital at risk.
Contact info
The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, OX4 1JE, Oxford, United Kingdom
- 01865 403304
- help@ethex.org.uk
- ethex.org.uk
4.6
Excellent
575 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 75% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 2 weeks
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Good concept, but flawed
I bought into this idea because it's a great concept and I wanted to invest money into things that would make a really positive difference.
Unfortunately, my experience has been that it is a very quick way to lose the money you invest.
The first investment was in Signalise, which to date hasn't made any interest payments (and for what it's worth, I understand and agree with the reasons why). However, it seems there was nothing tying Signalise into remaining on the Ethex platform for the duration of the investment. It is now no longer part of the Ethex platform, which makes tracking the investment more difficult.
My second investment was an IFISA investment into Vocaleyes Democracy CIC. On this one, I have to question the level of due diligence made in relation to the claims made in this investment offer, with the company ceasing trading in Sept last year. Though matters haven't been helped by the Directors of said company acting more like fly-by-night crooks than responsible Directors, providing a misleading update in March last year and then nothing until informing us of the company's demise as late as April 2024. I still have no idea of what happened to all the Ethex bond money invested.
My fingers have been burnt enough and if I want to give my money to good causes for no return, I'd rather do it via charity donations.
Edit: I have just received a response from one of the Directors (personal and not formally on behalf of the company), albeit one that confirms that answers to my questions will be given to bondholders via Ethex. On this basis, I will withdraw the above "fly-by-night crooks" comment, though I am still far from impressed by their lack of transparency and communication.
May 2, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Ethex
Thank you for your review. We appreciate all feedback from investors. We want to respond to your comments and concerns about the Signalise and Vocaleyes raises on our platform.
These two examples are different situations.
While it is inevitable that some of the small businesses that list will not survive, we understand the pain when a loss occurs. We also feel strongly that, regardless of financial performance, issuers have a duty to keep investors informed about how their money has been spent and the impact achieved. We are engaging with the Directors of VocalEyes Democracy CIC to ensure this happens.
While Signalise has faced challenges, the organisation is still trading, has grown rapidly and is delivering a much-needed and valued sign language interpreting service. Members voted at the recent AGM to make a first modest interest payment.
We accept that it is easier for investors to keep track of their investments if issuers take up our Registry service, whereby we manage the investor register, payments and ongoing communication with investors. Although we explain this alongside other advantages of the service, we have, so far, stopped short of making it a condition of listing on the platform (except in the case of IFISA bonds).
The large majority of organisations that have been listed on the Ethex platform are delivering financial returns and impact, tackling climate change, building fairer societies and creating stronger communities. To date, out of 159 individual offers on the Ethex platform, 155 are still trading, that’s 97.5% of our total offers since 2013. While this demonstrates a low failure rate, we do take every default extremely seriously, and we’re continually working to improve our due diligence process to reduce the risk for investors.
Thank you again for your review, if you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch via email help@ethex.org.uk
Ethex very much simplifies the…
Ethex very much simplifies the management of investments in the companies under its umbrella
April 15, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
The risks of investing
This is an update on previous reviews I have left on Ethex.
Some two and a half years after I started investing in companies on this site three out of four of the companies I invested in seem to have settled down and are making the promised payments with no further hitches to date.
However, one - Vocaleyes CIC Democracy - simply dropped off the radar about 6 months ago, with no notice or way of getting in contact. Ethex said they had tried to get in touch with them but I didn't hold out much hope and I knew there would be no redress.
This was confirmed today when I received a notice from the company to say that they had become insolvent and were applying to be struck off the companies register. I have the option to petition for them to be wound up and any assets sold so that I can at least partially recoup my investment but apparently this will cost more than the investment, with little chance of success.
I knew in making these investments that they carried a risk of failure, and the warning banner above the home page on the Ethex website now makes this clear in very stark terms, but I had not expected firms in this sector to simply disappear into the night like a cowboy company, leaving me out of pocket and without even the satisfaction that they have achieved some good.
It confirms the risks of investing in companies, especially start-up companies, in this sector.
April 22, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Ethex
Thank you for posting your updated review here, we appreciate all feedback from investors. Firstly, we would like to assure you that Ethex takes any event of default on the platform very seriously because of the effects on our community of investors.
You are right to point out in your review that all investments carry risk, and this is something we strive to make clear to potential investors at every step of the process. While we are continually working to ensure our due diligence process is as thorough as it can be, a small minority of the organisations listed on the Ethex platform have not survived.
Like you, we feel strongly that companies have a duty to keep investors informed about how their money has been spent and the impact achieved. Along with all bondholders, you should have received a copy of a letter to that effect issued by Ethex to the Directors of Vocaleyes Democracy CIC. We will keep investors informed of any further developments.
Thank you for being an Ethex investor and supporting organisations making a positive social and environmental impact. If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please don't hesitate to contact us directly via email at help@ethex.org.uk.
Yours,
The Ethex Team
Good information and communication via…
Good information and communication via the platform.
April 3, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Amazing platform
Amazing platform - great concept, easy to use, excellent communication / responsiveness
April 1, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Easy to access and pay
Easy to access and pay. Emailed updates on purchase and payment.
April 3, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Reasonably straightforward process (few…
Reasonably straightforward process (few hurdles because of being a corporate but then we live in a heavily regulated world!)
March 28, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide! If you have any comments or suggestions to improve our service, please get in touch at help@ethex.org.uk
Yours,
The Ethex team
All very good and clear from your side
All very good and clear from your side. As always our bank was very cautious about moving the money, but that makes sense too
March 25, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Clearly laid out and easy to follow
Delighted to support a good community cause with the possibility of a good return on my investment - safe in the knowledge that the proposal had been vetted by a genuinely ethical investment platform like Ethex. The transaction went through smoothly, each stage clearly laid out and easy to follow. Will definitely go through Ethex again
March 11, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
I've always been happy with Ethex
I've always been happy with Ethex. You don't have to sign in to see what investments are available, which saves digging out your login details, something that is not always convenient to do. I have an IFISA and so far my investments have gone well, fingers crossed it continues with this latest one.
March 2, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Informative but not "pushy" when it…
Informative but not "pushy" when it comes to investments. Easy to use too.
March 10, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
All very straightforward way to support…
All very straightforward way to support ethical ventures
March 8, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Easy to use site.
February 27, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Simple to use
February 26, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Clear explanation of risks involved
Easy to navigate and a delay built in for you to reflect on risking your capital when ethically investing.
February 26, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 4-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide! If you have any comments or suggestions to improve our service, please get in touch at help@ethex.org.uk
Yours
The Ethex Team
Access to ethical investments
Access to ethical investment opportunities for investors and providing an efficient process for both investors and fund raisers
February 21, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
Personal contact and help
February 14, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
All very straightforward and prompt
February 9, 2024
Reply from Ethex
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Ethex on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Ethex team
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