Timpson Reviews 

I have been a regular customer of Timpson for years, getting keys made, shoes repaired, and so on. I have always been extremely satisfied with their customer service, without a doubt. But this time was different.

On 27 April 2026, I experienced threatening and aggressive behaviour from a member of the staff, named Craig. During this incident, the individual verbally threatened me and escalated the situation further by physically grabbing my phone and threatening to throw it on the floor and smash it. He even threatened me again in front of the Sainsbury's security guards who came to intervene.

This conduct amounts to intimidation and attempted damage of personal property, and I consider it completely unacceptable. I found the behaviour deeply distressing and it has raised serious concerns about my safety and the standards of staff conduct within this company. Even more shockingly, the customer support advisor replied that he was powerless to help. It's unbelievable that a company that prides itself on excellent customer service would respond in this way to an employee's violent and abusive behaviour.

I called, and the area development manager, Dan, answered. He told me to go to another Timpson store nearby to have replacement keys made. I went there. The manager of that store, Jonathan, was very helpful and made working keys for me.

My daughter was delighted with the engraving you carried out for her. The Sudbury- Market Hill Branch are extremely professional and friendly. Thank you.

I visited Wallasey store Wirral.Andrew 5704 took care of me.He repaired my 83 year old sailing shoes within fifteen minutes…Andrew assisted me with a health issue that was so kind…Andrew is an absolute asset…I came home informed my neighbour Joe who had a key repaired by Andrew and also spoke highly of his service and positive personality…Yes we will return for additional service…Thank you Timpsons for identifying a positive kind communicative staff member a total credit and so uplifting in these current times…Thank you Andrew for taking care of us…Kind regards Rose and John…

I put a coat in for dry cleaning. Less than a year old, not dirty, just wanted a freshen up. When I collected it, it had blue ink mark on the front. Dirty marks in various places, cuffs looked grubby and bobbling, non which had been there before. The explanation from the assisrant was that sometimes items can come back worse as it can cause bobbling and sometimes what they use brings out marks not there!! Really! I said I wish I would have known I wouldn't have put it in for dry cleaning.
The assistant offered another free cleaning which it needed. When I collected I had a quick look through celophane bag but when I got home and checked it over it is in a worse condition. Still grubby marks, this time down the front, loose buttons.
If I could give no stars I would. I would never use them again and wouldn't recommend.
I have used independant dry cleaners in the past and never hada problem.
Was ready for collection second time on 23rd April I collected 25th.
I have photo's from both times

Mark at Chester Timpsons did a great job at mending my car key. He was efficient and the key looked like new and works perfectly. His customer service was excellent and my whole experience at Chester Timpsons was great. Thank you

The wonderful Llewellin just fixed my belt. All jobs are looking easy in his hand. Great service indeed! Thank you!

I popped into the Timpson store in the Crown Centre, Stourbridge after arranging a phone trade-in through MusicMagpie. I hadn’t actually finished setting up my new phone yet, so I wasn’t ready to complete the handover that day – I had just walked past and thought I’d check what I needed to do next.

Jess inspected the phone for me and very kindly talked me through the process step by step, even though she knew I wouldn’t be leaving the phone with her that day. It was genuinely helpful and reassuring service, especially as there was nothing in it for the store at that moment.

Jess is a real credit to the branch and the experience has given me a lot of confidence about completing the trade-in tomorrow. Big thanks.

Took my favourite pair of boots into Timpson, Darlington. Wasn't sure if they could be fixed but Mick did an amazing job! Extremely helpful and friendly service at a reasonable price. Highly recommended 😊

James was very helpful when I needed a new seal on my watch. Definitely recommend Ilkley one!! Excellent and very kind. Would not hesitate to go here from now on.

I am absolutely disgusted at the lack of care and support from Timpson. I brought my Apple Watch into store as it kept showing the Apple logo and nothing else. I paid for a diagnostic test to be done (£20) and after a couple of weeks they said they needed a further £80 to fix it. they said they ‘fixed it’- the diagnostic test said it was a battery change that was needed and that’s it (£100 later- happy to pay that if it is actually fixed).

A few days after picking it up my touch screen was not working, so I took it back in and the man in the shop said he can send it back to them to look at for longer as it’s under warranty as it’s not been long since it was last sent… I get a text saying it’s been delivered back in store and I go to get it. I am handed my watch only to find that it has not been fixed and they will NOT fix it because they found water damage and corrosion and that’s not under warranty. I am not happy because they must not have sealed it properly when it was ‘fixed’ the first time. The diagnostic test proves that!!!! So because someone didn’t take care to seal it all back up and ensure it was fit for purpose, I now don’t have a working Apple Watch and I’m £100 worse off.
it is not my fault it is Timpsons. Don’t take your Apple Watch to be fixed at Timpsons, they will be careless, break it even more and then say they won’t touch it. Disgraceful.

I took my shoes to the pepper hill timpsons for repair. They took 2 weeks and still had not ordered the parts. I took my shoes off them and brought them to the greenhithe Timpson, they ordered the parts in front of me, put them on a rush order and even gave me a discount for my trouble. When they were done they called me to let me know they could be picked up. Excellent customer service and I will be coming back

I called into see Brad at Timsons in Asda car park Thurmaston, Leicester.
I had a key cut earlier in the day at their premises inside Sainsbury's Melton Road Leicester. When I arrived home to try the key, it wouldn't go in the lock keep. I inspected the key against the original to see the shaft was not as long, hence the reason it would not go in the keep.
When I arrived at Asda it was obvious Brad was on a break, I said I would wait, he insisted he dealt with my query.
Brad was extremely helpful in resolving this issue as well as answering other queries I had regarding car key fob batteries.
I left the key with Brad whilst I did some shopping.
When I returned Brad presented me with the replacement key, advising me he had filed it down to match the original.
He reassured me, if I had any issues at all to go back and see him.
I returned home, the key worked a treat.
Excellent service from Brad, engaging, knowledgeable and friendly. I will certainly go to him in the future, what a great ambassador for your company.
Well done Brad, such a refreshing change to see someone who wants to deliver great customer service.

Paid £9.00 to get a key copied. The guy bragged about how quick he was. It was VERY quick, like 10 or 15 seconds. Key did not work in the lock. Took it back for modification and the guy threw it in the bin and cut another copy ( again in about 10 seconds ). This one didn't work either. Gave up. No confidence this speed merchant can do the job right.

I have used Timpson in Abingdon at the Tesco Superstore a few times now and can only say that the manager there is exceptional. I had an issue with my watch strap that was replaced and the pin kept falling out. Despite me having this work done over 2 months ago, I went back today, he remembered me clearly and resolved the issue for me -no charge and no questions asked.

Brought in a beige suit jacket to be dry cleaned, it has a water mark l, just water, nothing else and it came back just as it went in.

the Timpson repair shop in Dunstable used to be operated by a guy who bent over backwards to help. He left but I assumed all would remain the same so on 31 January 2026 I took a pair of Hobbs Pixie boots [£169 but a year old] and asked if they could be repaired. The opertor said "absolutely" but would take 5 weeks as they needed to be sent to their "expert" repair unit. At 4 weeks I checked to see if they had maybe arrived. Nope, should be next week. so since then every Saturday I checked ie 7, 14, 21, 28 March each time the operator checked his screen and said sorry i will chase them and call you. Never got a call. at 9 weeks on 4 April i called in to check again and moaned a bit cos i did not get a call but spoke to a young woman assistant in the outlet. She told me the back history of the boots. "they did not get sent till 13 February to the repair unit" " WHY" she could not say, but it still did not tell me why boots had not been repaired in the 5 week term i had paid for on 31 January £65. on 11 April having not heard anything i went to outlet again, they had not had an answer from his emails or from his area manager, i asked him to find out if we could get boots back, he said he would call me, unsurprisingly he did not call. But he did let out that the repair unit was actually "Thorn Open Prison" which is no big deal provided the inmates doing the work are "expertly" supervised and complete the repair satisfactorily after all £65 quid is not cheap. And ofc Mr James Timpson is a former Prisons Minister so kinda links.

Frustrated I took to emailing the complaints department on 13th April under "i have a complaint". I got auto reply with a complaint number on 15th it said someone would review my complaint "shortly" [what exactly does that mean? well to me its until I contact them again] so I did on 18th April.

i got a reply: Thank you for your email.

I am really very sorry for the delay on your boots, we are having major delays at the moment and for this I am sorry.

Your boots are going to be a further 4 weeks due to delays.

I can get them sent back or undone however , if you are happy to wait and send me your receipt with your sort code and account number with your name that appears on the card I will refund you for the repair.

once again , I am really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing you.

Another 4 weeks I could not believe it thats 23 May ish!! that is 16 weeks from handing them in, and I thought the prisons were full!!

I replied asking for the complaint to be escalated and to send me pictures of the condition of the boots at this time they could now be beyond repair or worse still lost!!!

got a reply: Thank you for your email.

I am really sorry this is how you feel and for the poor service.

the repair will be free of charge and when the repair is complete and back in the store you will receive notification.

the customer services person misses the point No Escalation, no picture. Its not about money its about service and satisfying the customers concerns and ofc being honest.

so I wrote:
WITHOUT PREJUDICE

I thought you would have read my email at least – this is beyond the cost of repairs.

It’s about communication, accountability and honesty something which seems not to figure is the Timpson vocabulary. I have personally been to you Dunstable outlet every Saturday since the 5 week deadline for completed repair passed. Each time your operator emailed your “repair specialist” for an update and even he got no replies. Each of the last three visits the operator said he would be in touch with us, not a single text or call.

I said ESCALATE – now if you do not know what that means then maybe we need to contact James Timpson, he seems to advocate Happy Staff over unhappy customers.

I need this to be escalated so please do not fob me off again.

and then another reply:

I have spoken to the repair Centre and your ankle boots will be leaving the repair Centre all complete tomorrow so will be back in the store in the next few days.

I have spoken with the area manager who is aware of the the issues regarding delays, and the repair Centre are working as quickly as possible to get the repairs done and back out to our customer's.

I do understand your frustration and you should of been kept updated regarding the repair and for this I am most sorry.

Once again , I am really sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you.

Its as if the writer is operting in a parrallel universe so in 3 days the boots have gone from not being done and needing 4 weeks to complete to have been done and on way back to shop. No further explanation.

I feel a letter to the ombudsman coming on and if Mr James Timpson want to call me he can cos they have my number albeit they never used it.

Today 21/04/2026 I went into Timpsons in Tollcross Edinburgh. I needed the pin in my watch replaced simple I thought , the man in the shop then replied by saying they do not do that repair, and to take my watch to a jewellers on princess street. you would think Timsons would be able to do this simple task but no, Im not impressed at all.

Gary at the Berkhamsted branch has been superb - never gave up on a tricky problem with my car key and went above and beyond to get it sorted - what a gent - thanks Gary !

If I could give them 0 stars, I would - please avoid Timpson at all cost. I've got a longstanding complaint with them but the TLDR is as follows.

I handed my watch for a battery replacement in Oct 25. The stem of the watch was broken by the in-store colleague, watch was sent off. Then they scratched the back off the watch case, watch was sent off again. Then they damaged the actual glass and stained the inside of the leather strap, watch was sent off a third time. Then they lied and told me they had sourced me a new replacement watch, the watch they gave me was bought off of eBay (they sent me the eBay advert for the watch).

As of today, I have no refund for the battery replacement and still have no watch. I've emailed their customer service and it's been a week and I've had no response. God knows whether they've sold my original watch, stripped it for parts or kept it. I rejected their eBay purchase because it was indeed a used watch which scuff marks on the strap and a really worn box.

The lack of customer service is absolutely awful. No apology from the "technician" in store and still no resolution, given I handed my original watch in 6 months ago. Definitely not a reasonable timeframe to complete watch services/repairs. Please avoid Timpson. Take your business elsewhere. They will ruin your belongings.

Asked my partner to drop my Sekonda watch off at local jewellers,(who I always Use) was not open ,so she took it into Timpsons MIddleton ,Manchester , Tesco ..for A NEW BATTERY (MIND BOGGLING)she told me paid for a battery for life £25..Now my watch does nothing but loose time .Timpsons put in new battery but still loosing time .Why would anybody in their right mind take a watch into a shoe repairer.UPDATE took watch back to my usual repairer .he put in new battery. And reset my watch.£8:50 watch is perfect now. JUST OUT OF POCKET £25 ,THANKS TO TIMPSONS