Gumtree Reviews 7,495

I have been using Gumtree for many years and to be honest I have only ever had a problem when selling and iPhone. Then, all the scammers came out to play. Apart from that it is a great site and I am still using it today!

I had a very disappointing experience buying a cockatiel through Gumtree from someone going by the name “Kira”, active in the Salford area.
He sent me an address, and when I arrived, I realised it was just a parking lot, not a proper home or bird setup. He showed up alone and handed me the bird in a closed cardboard box with holes, without letting me see the other birds, choose one, or get any clear information.
There was no health certificate, and he didn’t explain anything about the bird’s background or condition.
Within two weeks, the bird became ill: sneezing, open-mouth breathing, fatigue, and nasal issues. I took him to an emergency avian vet, and the bill came to over £200.
When I contacted the seller (I wasn’t happy, of course), he showed zero compassion, denied any responsibility, refused to answer properly, and even mocked me for asking about a health certificate.
I reported the situation to Gumtree, but their response was very disappointing. They just don’t care, as long as people keep using their platform, they don't take any responsibility for fraud sales with animals.
My advice: be extremely careful when adopting a pet from Gumtree. Don’t accept any animal unless you can see the flock, ask proper questions, and check the living conditions. If the seller avoids all of that — don’t go through with it.
In the meanwhile, i have escalated this report to RSPCA and look forward to get a serious response from them.

I first joined Gumtree in about 2007, according to my profile and for quite a while, everything seemed okay for a site which relies heavily on trust. However, in recent years, everything has gone downhill.

For me, by far the most annoying thing is that the e-mail address that I signed up for is no longer in use because the company that provided it no longer exists and Gumtree will not let me change it. I can add an address to which replies to ad mail is sent but all Gumtree correspondence is sent to the defunct e-mail address. Their only response is to open a new account.

Seriously, in 2025 you can't change my e-mail address?! So, then I try to post an ad and I get a message that the ad does not obey their rules and that an e-mail has been sent to the e-mail address which does not exist anymore! So, I don't have a clue what I am supposed to have done wrong. I e-mail their support address but get no reply. I resort to asking ChatGPT which, after analysing my ad and suggesting several amendments, which I carry out and the ad is still rejected, pretty much gives up.

And what has happened to the users? No shows used to be a rarity (in the olden days) but even when trying to give away a guitar, people say they want it but either just stop responding or don't show up which has a knock on effect with people who responded the ad later on to whom I have told it has been promised to somebody. It would be a lot less stressful to throw the guitar in a skip!

The site feels like the server it is hosted on was abandoned ten years ago in some dusty cellar.

Who on earth comes up with such a flawed rubbish feedback system?
I advertised an item and was contacted by a scammer/fraudster, so I blocked and reported them.
In return they left me 1 star feedback. When I contacted gumtree they refused to remove the 1 star feeback!!!
No wonder the site is full of scammers!

I wish I could give 0.
Scammers- charged me £9.99 after half an hour advert has been removed. With no refund of course.

Although I bought & paid for a Firestick on the 28th March ., The "SELLER " never sent the item , or Refunded ,although I made continuous requests .
Gumtree were NOT at all interested , Leaving me £15 out of pocket . This is Still ongoing !! Gumtree are apparently hoping I will loose interest & write the money off , No Chance .

It has got to be the worst place on earth to try to sell anything, If it isn't scammers, it is time time wasters, After another coupe of hours wasted waiting in for a no show, I have decided to never try and sell anything on Gumtree ever again.

Gumtree consists of 95% timwasters . I’ve had stuff for sale at very cheap prices and even good free stuff. The amount of times I get “ is it still available “ ? With no telephone number supplied. They expect you to give your full address and when asked to provide a tel number they can’t be bothered. Unbelievable. Gumtree is a last resort. Awful site.

Dreadful experience. Have tried many times to deactivate my account or stop those annoying emails, all to no avail.
Asked THEM to do it and just got a very curt response telling me it is MY responsibility.
Avoid like the plague (does anyone use Gumtree these days anyway??)

In coherent don’t reply to questions blocks your account without reason
No empathy or reasoning why
Pathetic sick in adequate management or staff.
DO NOT use this site under any circumstances bunch of mis-managed people
One of the worse selling sites in the UK
Be warned
Say what like do what you like you want my number ring me maybe we can verbally discuss this or you suffering from tongue twisted by O2
Noel Watson

Unfortunately there are a lot of sad idiots who message and ask if an item is still available and you never hear back .and a lot of scammers who say they will transfer money even without seeing the item which obviously nobody would agree to . I have bought some good bargains on Gumtree but I am not a time waster .......

Can sometimes be good if looking for low value items & furniture but don't bother hiring any men to do work,

I booked in a painter & decorator...had to wait 3 weeks, cleaned up the room, put everything in bags prior to his arrival...
Never turned up...
I messaged him a few days before & no communication...

RIDICULOUS

This has happened to me Multiple Times with all sorts of different jobs...

DONT HIRE ANYONE FROM GUMTREE
ALL CLUELESS,

Go to Proper Company

I’m paying money to post genuine ads on Gumtree, but what’s the point when the entire site is flooded with fake and spam ads? I’ve reported dozens — even hundreds — of them manually, one by one, and NOTHING happens. No action. No cleanup. Just more spam every day. Meanwhile, real users who are actually trying to run a business get pushed to the bottom. Honestly, this platform has become a joke. I will never recommend Gumtree for any serious advertiser.

I’ve always liked Gumtree, but no, you’ve taken probably £50 of my money and I never got a refund so you lied! I’ve been posting kittens, and you took my money and deleted my post thank god for pets4homes! Will never use this site again!!!

Worst company I’ve paid money for add that’s not posted and can’t contact anyone anyone

gumtree. WATSE OF TIME . what do the staff do with these silly algorisms. i try 5 times. now i locked out of my own gumtree account. silly site. 18.34pm

Zeus . mother god.. (swear word**) i have been update listings that have finished. then all of a sudden at 18.30pm. teh site shuts down and then a new screen come up log in . etc. which i don't do i always have to open. NOW I FACED WITH A PROBLEM at my age messing about like this is not only tedious is so time consuming as some thing always goes wrong.. what the hell. . waste of time.

Gumtree is a disgusting website. Without any giving reason my ads are deleted or never show up. Always bump you down for pai customers an do not even allow you to refresh your ads. Gumtree you suck. I hope no one advertisers with a corrupt BS site like yours. Byebye Gumtree. you are a joke

Absolutely shocking the treatment with customer service. I was a member for year's and now all of a sudden I can't post or respond to adverts without any explanation, avoid at all cost's.

I advertised my Vango 800 XL tent for £595 on Gumtree last week and paid to have it featured, fully expecting the same high standard of ad that I had a few years ago when I sold a caravan that way on Gumtree. This time Gumtree have split my advert above and below a loop of videos advertising products like Nike trainers. If you look at the photos of the tent and try and scroll down to the details, you first get the videos that are irrelevant to my advertisement. I’ll be very surprised if anybody gets read the Description of what I’m selling but they might buy a pair of Nike trainers instead! What’s going wrong with their platform?

I was scammed by gumtree for 2 tickets for Arsenal, I have had no response, only rude. They are a fake company