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Hi. I took my car into a (what I thought) was a reputable nationwide mechanics chain to have my rear brakes overhauled, replacement of wheel cylinders & shoes, hydraulic system bled, adjustment & test at the mechanics recommendation at a cost of $380. Have driven car twice since then & the brakes feel extremely unsafe!
I have to press quite firmly, as they feel very soft, to stop the car at traffic lights etc but the car still 'creeps' forward slightly. The brakes feel worse than before I got the work done. I feel that I wouldn't be able to stop properly in an emergency situation.
The handbrake was adjusted too as there was a loud creaking noise from the rear of the car when the handbrake was engaged. The creaking has now stopped but it is so tight that I have to use two hands to pull it up & it only goes up a couple of inches. That can't be right surely?
Also I can feel a metallic sensation, like metal against metal, when I press on the brakes that causes a whirring noise that passengers in the car can hear too so i know its not just me!
My son says it sounds like a plane that is getting ready to descend! The car feels like it has lost some power, sluggish and heavy steering since this work was done. I didn't have these problems before I took the car in.
Please advise as to what you think it could be as I am going to be taking the car back to insist they rectify this, but it would be helpful to have an idea of to expect.
My pregnant daughter also drives this car so I did explain to the mechanic that safety of the car is paramount, as any repair work should be anyway. i did question whether the car was worth fixing or just cut my losses but he insisted the car was worth the repairs.
It's a 1997 Nissan Lucino with 172,000 mileage.
Appreciate any advice, thank you.

Have you discussed these concerns with the repairer? That should always be the first course of action in cases such as this.
Regarding the different feel of the brake pedal, this can be quite normal when brake pads are new, so may not be anything to worry about. It's likely the pedal will become firmer as the new pads bed in.
If the car feels sluggish, this is not normal and could be that the brakes are binding - possibly an over-adjusted handbrake, which would also explain the reason you need two hands to apply the handbrake.
Regarding the grinding sound, this is unusual. It's not uncommon for new pads to squeal especially if they are non-genuine pads, which is likely, given the amount you paid - which seems quite cheap for all this work.
As I said, you need to go back to the repairer and discuss your concerns with them to get the work rectified. If the work is faulty, there will not be any further charges to you.