Purplebricks: turns out it was too good to be true

[DurhamDurham]

We signed up with Purplebricks to sell our home, the prospect of saving ££££'s was too good to pass up. However we found out our agent was telling lie after lie, told us we didn't have a valid EPC, quickly booking us in to have a new one with a colleague of his. We discover we do have a valid EPC and the agent goes on to conform that he infact uploaded it! ( he didn't remember to pass on that bit of good news to us) . Due to the attempted mis-selling of the EPC we don't have the confidence to believe that he would work in our best interests or be honest with us.

We cancel, after all we have a 'not strings attached 14 cooling off period'. We didn't just change our mind, we lost trust in the agent and the company. The agent apologises and sends us two texts to confirm that payment of fees will not be sought. However we've now had emails from head office demanding payment, the small print ( which is available to you after you've signed ) says that if we cancel, even within the cooling off period, payment will be sought as they have delivered a service costing the full amount.

We've copies of all texts and emails, we don't intend to pay and would rather go to court. Does anyone have any experience of dealing with Purplebricks or similar on-line agents?

[kinkytoes]

They're a pain to organise viewings with too. Having tried this, we definitely wouldn't use them to sell.

[Andcake]

Don't go near them an absolute nightmare!
Avoid like the plague.

[Aliceinwonderlust]

They can't put a clause in the contract that over rides your statutory cooling off period. I'd tell them you'll see them in court and then ignore. What a nightmare!

[DurhamDurham]

Absolute shambles, can't quite believe we got sucked in by them.

The thought of going to court makes me feel sick but the thought of paying them any of our hard earned cash makes me feel worse.

[evrybuddy]

I'm not sure I would have tried to cancel the whole deal over a fifty quid (or less) EPC.

I know it's annoying with such a big thing as selling your house - but equally you could have had the same issue with any other agent.

I've used an online agent before and I think they had similar contract terms - you can't have a refund (we paid in advance) after they've done the home visit and photos - because that's what you're buying - professional photos/plans etc.... - we were quite happy though and had no issues - it was Housenetwork.

At the end of the day, it might be worth trying to get over this mistake, sell your house, and save the thousands of pounds that you might otherwise give to a high street agent - after all, that's the important thing - getting on and selling.

I wouldn't assume that you'll automatically have a better experience with ANY other agent - it's a cut-throat business and good, honest agents are like unicorns and rocking horse dung - pretty damn rare.

[specialsubject]

maybe, but this story is full of lies and fraud from the word go. Why give them any more chances?

[DurhamDurham]

I can't work with them now, the agent admitted he knew we had a valid EPC, he's the one who uploaded it on to Rightmove yet tried to sell us one. Why would we want to work with a company who tried to mis-sell us a service we didn't need? He agent also lied to us about the cooling off period, so it makes me wonder what else they lie about.

We're about to sign with a different agent, we've done a lot more homework on them this time so we are as confident as we can be that there should be no more nasty surprises. The agent we've decided to go with said about five minutes in to the conversation. " I can see you have a valid EPC" so already they've outdone Purplebricks.

[evrybuddy]

Good luck - I hope it works out better for you - when it comes to buying/selling houses - trust nobody!

The whole process can be a bit of a gravy train for the 'professionals'.

My personal experience has been that online agents have less scope to work an angle or turn you over, than high street agents.

Mainly because they aren't commission driven (if you pay up-frint), they have no incentive to pull any tricks.

Of course, the other side of that is they try to sell you all the extras in the one go they get - although, I didn't find that with Housenetwork because we processed the whole thing online and only spoke to them when we wanted to - so there was no opportunity for speaking with forked tongues.

[DurhamDurham]

Thank you, once we've moved that's going to be it. Such a stressful time that I cannot bare to do it more than one more time.

Our girls have left home so we're downsizing, can't risk them coming back

[Blueprintorange]

Rosie where did you hear about this website?

[chrome100]

I arranged to view a house that was on with Purple Bricks.

The vendor asked if we could change the time. We arranged it over text. I tried to change the time of the booking online and it sent her a cancellation which meant she wasn't even in when I came to view it. Nightmare.

[wowfudge]

OP - it is a statutory 14 day cooling off period for online purchases. It doesn't apply to things like hotel room bookings, but should apply to this. A company cannot override statute with their own Ts and Cs.

I'd write to them again - by email and letter (get proof of posting at a post office) and remind them of your right to cancel within the cooling off period. Tell them you expect a refund of any monies paid within 14 days - you are entitled to this by law.

It's a bare-faced cheek to try to withhold your rights when their agent has been deceitful.

Report to Trading Standards too.

[Anticyclone]

Rosie449, that site looks pretty suspicious to me. Whatever area you search it comes up with the same 5 houses which are hundreds of miles apart!

[Blueprintorange]

The other site doesn't appeal to me at all..

[orchidnap]

So... the cars started advertising after December 15th and xmas is jut after that... yet you've had time to see the cars, contact them, sign up, and sell your house?

OK THEN.

[Stillunexpected]

Now everyone, let's be nice to Rosie who has joined MN specially to tell us about the wonderful company which she works for which is selling her house.

[wowfudge]

One of those 5 houses is an 'example listing not for sale'. So they've got four for sale, mainly in the SW.

[Rosie449]

Wow. People are so suspicious! I've been a member of mumsnet for 2 years, since I had my son. The site was originally launched in December- for a trial and officially launched in Jan- we saw the cars in London and our house sold within 2 weeks, we priced it to sell and we weren't unrealistic!! I guess we were lucky and didn't have to deal with negative, suspicious people like you guys!
I don't want to pay an agent who does nothing to earn their money when I know I can do a better job and advertise it on a site that's free. Where the problem with that?!
Purple bricks and other online agents make money for doing very little, as evidenced in previous threads, the site we used made nothing from us and the whole process was entirely controlled by us.
And just to clarify, I work for an international charity, not the site!
I must remember not to try and be helpful on mumsnet again!

[wowfudge]

And was that the only place you advertised Rosie? Are you in London?

[woollytights]

I strongly feel she works for the company, or owns it. A couple of minutes on its Facebook page and the clues are all there.

I will concede that the idea of the site is good

[Blueprintorange]

All the posts are liked by someone with a name that is the full version of her username!

Her posts didn't read properly at all and were blatently advertising.

[Stillunexpected]

Shame people feel the need to do this. It just turns off potential users?