To put complaint in against estate agent?

[Macanecheeseeee]

In the process of buying a property. It has been an absolute shambles from start to finish. I've purchased a house before so I know how stressful it can be but this is on a whole new level. EA has lied about certain issues and overall I'm just really disappointed by their attitude and the service. Problems that could have been avoided easily if they had done their job properly, having to ask them to do something multiple times before they got it right etc, you get the picture. It took 2 months just to get the paperwork sorted (everything was fine and ready to go on my end). My offer was excepted and then everything came to a standstill because the agents hadn't reported something beforehand (something that they should have reported when the property was put on the market). I have no idea what is going on or if the property is still even mine. I'm coming and going and just feel like I'm in limbo. Communication is extremely poor (well, it was ok when they needed something from me) but now they've messed up, I've not heard a peep from them.

I phoned the agent this morning and she said she would get back to me. I even explained how frustrating this whole process has been which she didn't even acknowledge or apologise for. I told her I was debating whether or not to withdraw my offer (they haven't had any other offers for the last 9 months, I wonder why). It is a fairly large branch with a complaints and feedback department. WIBU to phone them up and explain the situation? Or am I best off waiting until I (possibly) buy the property. I don't want things to be awkward with EA but also feel she should take responsibility for her error. When I've made a mistake in my job I've always been pulled up on it.

If it wasn't for the fact I love the property/location so much I probably would have pulled out by now.

[starfishmummy]

Yabu. The estate agent works for the sellers not for you.

[Hothammock]

Can't your solicitor stamp their feet and feed back via the vendors solicitor that the estate agent is not replying to anything

[Macanecheeseeee]

@starfishmummy did you not read the post properly? They did not report something (which should have been reported when the property was put up for sale 9 months ago) which has directly affected the sale and put a huge standstill on the process. I've had to run around like a headless chicken for the past week trying to sort it all due to their error. It doesn't matter who they work for. They did not do their job properly which has caused issues that could have easily been avoided. Also, when I asked them questions in regards to the property (before I put an offer in) I had to ask them multiple times before I was given an answer. Who else was I suppose to ask about the property?

[Bluntness100]

As the first poster said, you don’t employ they agent the seller does and they are the ones who they act for, if anyone is to complain it’s the seller. And you don’t know how much the seller is behind the agents behaviour. Usually it’s all of it.

So yes, you’re being unreasonable.

[NewIdeasToday]

“ Who else was I suppose to ask about the property?”

Are you confusing the role of the estate agent and the solicitors? As a PP said the estate agents act for the seller. Normally your solicitor would Kaiser with the seller’s solicitor to establish all the details of the sale.

What info should the estate agent have provided and if it was so crucial why didn’t your solicitor address this?

[DameCelia]

@Macanecheeseeee you were supposed to ask your solicitor, who would as their solicitor.
The agent doesn't have to disclose anything, they only have to value it and advertise it. They don't even have to check that the person selling it owns it!!! That's down to the seller's solicitor.
You'd hope they'd get that basics right, not advertise a bungalow as a house for example, but expecting anything else is a stretch.

[Bluntness100]

@NewIdeasToday

“ Who else was I suppose to ask about the property?”

Are you confusing the role of the estate agent and the solicitors? As a PP said the estate agents act for the seller. Normally your solicitor would Kaiser with the seller’s solicitor to establish all the details of the sale.

What info should the estate agent have provided and if it was so crucial why didn’t your solicitor address this?

This,

[Macanecheeseeee]

@Bluntness100 why would the seller complain? Their error hasn't affected the seller one bit. Well, unless I withdraw my offer. Surely it is in the sellers best interests for the EA to do their job properly and make sure everything is reported in a timely manner so that the buyer doesn't pull out due to their incompetence.

[Macanecheeseeee]

Please read my responses clearly, some of you are clearly struggling to do so. I said "when I asked the EA questions before I put an offer in". The solicitor was not involved at this point. It was general questions about the property itself which shouldn't have been too hard to answer.

[bookworm20]

YANBU. In my (quite vast - 14 house moves) experience of estate agents, none of its been good, so I can totally relate to them messing things up and not taking responsibility for it even though it affects both buyer and seller massively.

Not sure about holding off until after the house purchase completes though. I'd probably complain then as estate agents seem to be a rare breed determined to make everyone elses life as difficult as possible.

I'd go via the solicitor and make sure the seller also knows what a sham its been and perhaps if both of you are on the agents back they might actually do what they are supposed to be doing and getting paid to do.

Good luck though. Sounds pretty stressful!

[NewIdeasToday]

“ Please read my responses clearly, some of you are clearly struggling to do so”


Wow. If you’re as rude to the estate agent as you’re being to a bunch of strangers here I can understand why they haven’t engaged with you very much.

[sunshinesupermum]

As pp have stated what has your solicitor been doing??!

[Bluntness100]

Op, your posts don’t make sense. It does read like you don’t understand the role of a solicitor v an agent.

What was the agent to report that was not the job of either solicitor? Maybe this will help us understand?

[Hoppinggreen]

As has been said you are not their customer so they are unlikely to care about a complaint from you

[Macanecheeseeee]

@sunshinesupermum EVERYTHING actually. I instructed my solicitor but then it came to a standstill due to the EA's error. Nothing is happening at the moment because the EA's is still trying to resolve this error.

[Chloemol]

YABU. It is not the estates agents responsibility to answer all your questions and it’s up to your solicitor to find out any issues

[Bluntness100]

@Macanecheeseeee

Please read my responses clearly, some of you are clearly struggling to do so. I said "when I asked the EA questions before I put an offer in". The solicitor was not involved at this point. It was general questions about the property itself which shouldn't have been too hard to answer.

Ok but they need to rely on the seller providing the info, are you sure the seller provided this in a timely manner?

[Chloemol]

And personally you sound a nightmare the EA works for the seller. Not you

[Bluntness100]

[quote Macanecheeseeee]@sunshinesupermum EVERYTHING actually. I instructed my solicitor but then it came to a standstill due to the EA's error. Nothing is happening at the moment because the EA's is still trying to resolve this error. [/quote]
Can you explain the error? It will help people understand.

[Bamski]

What is the issue they should have told you about?

[Macanecheeseeee]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the solicitor. Please listen. The EA was suppose to report and gain permission to sell the property when it was put up for sale 9 months ago. The EA did not do this. I put an offer in which was excepted to then be told it might not possibly go ahead as the EA did not request permission to sell. I have my mortgage in place, solicitor ready to begin proceedings and now we can't continue as we are having to wait for the EA to sort out this error, re-list the property, request permission to sell (which might possibly be refused)

[Theunamedcat]

WHAT IS THE ERROR

[Hereward1332]

Not sure why other posters are saying only the seller can give feedback. If an EA does a bad enough job to threaten their sale of course you can complain - the seller may never have known you thought of pulling out. While the seller pays, you are still part of the process.

[Bluntness100]

Ok, this is really confusing, who does the agent need to request permission to sell from? The person who instructs the agent should have the permission to sell.

Is this maybe a very unique situation?

[Macanecheeseeee]

Exactly @Hereward1332 thank you. I'm sure the seller wouldn't be best pleased to know I pulled out due to the EA's incompetence