Brook Street Avis 355

I don`t often review anything but this is a situation to raise to anyone taking agency work. Working for this agency turned out to be the worse experience I have had in my entire life. It was traumatising and emotionally scaring. These are such disgraceful people to work for , as you are always disposable to them ,never theirs to look after . Stay away from their job assignments unless totally desperate for work. To give this a little context, long story short, I`ve been employed by this company on a 6 months contract initially and then extended with claps and good feedbacks from those above, until 31st March 2025. Not long after the contract has been extended by Brook street client, due to funds being cut down their client no longer needed Brook Street agency workers. The client told me so straight forward no hidden agendas at the time and of course I insisted that the contract is honoured until the 31st of Match 2025 as agreed. Immediately after around Christmas period, they ( I refer to they as the company who hired me through brook street) started treating me bad and most of the time cold and ignorant towards me in an attempt to either find a reason to terminate my contract before term or to make me leave due to their awful treatment and so the fund cuts are met. I was constantly told that if I don`t like something or I have an issue to call the agency as I am not their problem. They where constantly finding me faults I didn`t have before and most days I was given no work at all and then hoovered over and bubbled behind for `` being useless`` and not doing any work. I mention that work is distributed or assigned by a manager we didn`t just get in and pic whatever to do. I raised the (no work while some are overwhelmed with too much work to do) issue with one of the managers asking for work as other colleagues of mine were clearly overwhelmed, I was always offering to help others in my team , but then again I was told to call the agency if I don't like it as I am not their problem. There was no kind communication from this employer anymore. After about 2-3 months of this sort of treatment and threats that if I complain it won`t be well , they finally somehow found me to be in ``conflict of interest with them`` for a job I was planning to undertake after ending the assortment with them and when that did not work they pinned me down for other bits and bobs and and finally ended my contract on the day I wasn`t even there preventing me from collecting my belongings in a decent way anyone would expect to . I was refused entry to collect my belongings after 12 months there, out of the blue I was treated like a criminal. I never knew what working for a agency feels like , not being a direct employee to a company makes you their door mat ,this is modern slavery as agency workers most of the time are treated bad and not equal as initially presented so you accept the job. Agency workers remain in job after figuring out the details to respect their contracts or pay the bloody bills but for me this is a never again .

Update : Spoke with Louise at Brook street and I was told that unfortunately this is the way agency assignments end with notice but also without notice at all. If you get unlucky and your assignment ends, without notice on a day you are not at work, you get disrespected and treated like a criminal and whatever you had on the desk or drawers etc goes at the front door so you can get further disrespected when you go to collect them. Basically you get binned like you were nothing , and that is standard procedure of ending assignments with Brook Street.

We are absolutely thrilled with the exceptional service provided by Janine. She truly went above and beyond in finding the perfect candidate for our team. From the very beginning, they took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for in a new team member, and their attention to detail was remarkable.

The candidate they supplied has exceeded our expectations in every way and is already making a significant impact. It's clear that Janine has a deep understanding of the industry and a knack for matching the right people to the right roles.

Thank you for helping us find our newest star!

When the job was advertised and they got me an interview etc and I got the job all was great-then I got paid and realised they were paying me £1 an hour less than they agreed. When I called them, what a surprise but couldn’t get hold of the person I had dealt with at the beginning. Someone else called me back and told me a load of dribble about the rate being lower for 12 weeks (my contract was only for 12 weeks) and 4 weeks later I’m still fighting. They have 1 week to get it sorted and pay what they owe and then I’m gone. Trouble is, where I have my job they are lovely and really struggling at the minute but need to prioritise.

Do not sign up with this agency, steer clear at all costs! Started a temp contract at an agreed hourly rate. Week 2 I was told that the hourly rate was advertised wrongly and it was less than agreed. Brook street called and said that as a gesture of goodwill they will pay me at the lower rate?! That's not a gesture of goodwill, that's a piss take!
Completed two weeks work and haven't been paid. Now taking legal action. They don't even answer the phone. What a joke.

I was applying for a contract position. This was being looked affer by Alex Harrison. Noticing there supposedly over 100 applicants I rang her. I called twice, was told she had my messages to please call me
.Sometimes one needs to explain work experience, especially if it mqybe work they may not be familiiar with. No call nothing. I then rang e more times that afternoon. Was transferred but my call went to cyberspace. I even chatted to the gentleman I spoke with in the morning. Whether I was suitable or not I expected a call. Knowing my many years of experience suited that role was obviously irrelevant. I find her behaviour rude. Why would anyone bother going through Alex Harrison I am unsure. I just hope that she did not realise my age and not put me forward.

Truly appalling, terrible communication, cost me money (over £700 because of their poor communication) in the end. Refused to provide me with their complaints procedure, spoke to me rudely. My employer ended up taking me on perm and discovered that they were being charged 6 MONTHS after I had left their agency as a temp worker. Avoid as a client. Avoid as a temp worker. Not one good thing to be said about this agency, and I spent 5 years working in recruitment so I know poor when I see it!

Terrible Agency, repeatedly messes up my pay, my annual leave, wont consistently pick up their phones (i have left the 15 missed calls today alone and the havent tried to follow up on them) and if u can get incontact with them they will lie and / or be of no help at all. AVOID

Never had a response from having applied for 10+ jobs, leads me to believe the jobs advertised either don’t exist or are left online even when they are filled. Frustrating and a waste of time when searching for a job. It is a shame as some interesting roles in the public sector are advertised on here. Had more luck with other recruitment websites such as CV Library and Michael Page.

This company write false information! It claims that all ex military personal are given interviews !!
I applied for a job at Lincoln crown court and didn’t even get a response , I’m ex forces so feel extremely disappointed as to the false advertising and claims made by brook street they should be ashamed

Misleading cold/texting. Messaging with a “hi how are you? Fancy a brief chat”. What an odd way to send a text to someone you don’t know? And given I’m unwell at the moment I wondered who this was. Awful approach. Cold calling and texting should be outlawed.

(Update - response to response. I appreciate that this could be a scam from someone else, although you don’t actually deny that your company is cold calling/texting)

I can honestly say Brook street as my employer has been continuously wonderful. I would like to mention ZOE COOK in the Manchester office as my recruitment consultant- Zoe went above and beyond during the process of getting my placement, helping with documentation and taking the time to talk to me during my pre placement, this helped my mental health and I can honestly say, I would not of coped without Zoe as my Recruitment Consultant. I know she put in extra hours , many telephone calls, and still gives me a follow up call to see how I am with her positivity and cheeriness. I believe Brook Street is very lucky to have her, and through her hard work , and dedication to employees Brook
Street the leading recruitment agency it is.

Sending out completely random whatsapps to me. I haven't had any contact with them, and don't wish to work for them or any of their clients, so why are they writing to me??? Will report it to offcom. Fines start at about 10k.
Bethany was the name given on the whatsapp, probably fake.

So she asked about my experiences and previous job roles. Everything was going really well, until I’d mentioned an experience I had with a different company where I was doing out bound sales. Whilst I was working there I’d auto dialed a lady who we shouldn’t have rung, as she wasn’t of sound mind and I was encouraged to get her bank information from fellow colleagues and management. As soon as I mentioned this she said that domestic and general are the same, and wouldn’t look kindly to this. She said domestic and general had the same work environment, then swiftly ended the call. Deflated is definitely the word.

This was my first ever agency Ive used and Mark & Emma were absolutely amazing during my assignment! Special mention to Mark for all his work behind the scenes and always checking in. I managed to get an assignment within the NHS through Brook St and spent just under 6months in the role. As of tomorrow I am fortunate enough to officially be a permanent staff of the NHS. Would not have been possible without my Brook St crew Mark & Emma. Super grateful.

Horrible experience just interviewing for a role. Very rude and abrupt. I had questions about the credit check I would be subject to because I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time if I wouldn’t be able to pass, but when I tried to raise my concerns, rather than explain anything, the interviewer became very short with me and said “so you’re not willing to do it” and when I tried to ask my question, he said “ok, bye” and hung up.
I’m a stay at home mum who has been trying to make ends meet, it has taken its toll on my credit. I haven’t done anything terrible so why be so rude? Horrible man, horrible experience.

UPDATE: In response to the message below; no thank you, I don’t wish to go through the rigmarole of a formal complaint. However, I would like to take the opportunity to suggest to Sean Buchanan that a little more patience and empathy would likely be well received from future candidates. No one deserves to be treated with contempt when they are simply applying for work.

Brook street was excellent, I rang about 1job and Colleen told me about a number of jobs, and she got me another close to home, very helpful, very pleased with the result. Thank you so much

Very helpful, informative nice genuine people. Always helped in anyway possible

I start work them on hotel ads first 2 days was ok then they start asking me to deposit money to keep work for them .SCAM!!!

Brook Street went out of their way to help me get started on a really good job when i was seriously in need of one. Bottom line, they did not have any obligation to do this, but they were very helpful along the way and helped me get started on a job that has been a really good fit for me. Other agencies I was talking to at the same time were no use. So I cannot give them anything but ☆☆☆☆☆ here.

Terrible from the start.
Offered me a position and signed forms and paperwork. Completed employment checks and passed, whilst waiting 3
Months for a start date I got a call saying that my position wasn’t guarantee’d and I may now not be starting. - I had to complain to head office in the end about it and the situation was sorted.
Since then it’s been almost impossible with communication with brook street for ANYTHING.
4 days for a response via email, and no response whatsoever via phone no matter what time of day or how many times you call or leave a voicemail.

Brook street are refusing annual leave when
It’s been accrued, and are also saying I owe them a repayment plan for holidays I was never paid for while they refuse holidays I’m requesting therefore I’m receiving no annual
Leave because of the confusion. Trying to contact brook street is impossible as they will only answer the phones if you select the option that you’re a ‘client’ but when they do, and realise it’s an employee, attitude becomes apparent and are unwilling to help.