Can I ditch my estate agent?

[Coriandersucks]

Got valuations from 3 agents, chose one we felt was the best fit for the property and signed the papers 2 weeks ago.

So far they’ve only listed us on zoopla (does anyone look for new properties on zoopla?!) and put a board up on Friday. We still aren’t on rightmove nor are we on their website.

The other agents said we would be listed within 24 hours and I’m getting fed up of his excuses as to why we aren’t up yet. Apparently it’s something to do with them having to renew their paperwork with rightmove or something - it didn’t really make sense but I gave him the benefit of the doubt - this was a week ago.

We have had two viewings but no feedback yet.

I get that we have signed to be with him then for an agreed amount of time but they’re not fulfilling their part of the contract by marketing our property.

At what point can I walk away and sign with one of the other agents? Anyone else got agents who don’t seem to be in a rush to sell?

[Raifa]

Does the contract says the agent has exclusivity on your property? Thing is, as we re going through a mini volume boom I suspect agents are picking up as much business as people but prioritise what sells the fastest at the expense of the less a est able property

[Raifa]

Marketable*

[Coriandersucks]

Yes we’ve signed exclusivity but if they’re not fulfilling their side why should we?

[FAQs]

That does sound poor!! What’s your notice period?

[Coriandersucks]

I don’t know - I didn’t get a copy of the contract *adds that to the list of things to moan to him about later

[FAQs]

Blimey that’s dreadful!

[FAQs]

Are they a well known brand or an independent with no route of complaint?

[ladybirdsarelovely33]

Tell them that they have not fulfilled their contract and you are disinstructing them with immediate effect. Go and collect keys from them if you need to.
They won't say much is my guess and tell them to take it off Zoopla.
If they suddenly get their finger out and working for you, well that would be a turn around.

[that1970shouse]

If you signed the papers at your house (not their office) then you have a two week cooling off period, during which you can cancel. If that has expired then you’ll be liable for whatever penalty clauses are in the contract.

[Longdistance]

We’ve just given our EA notice. We’ve only had two viewings and had lots of viewings cancelled which is highly irritating when you have to arrange and clean the house to be told they’re not coming. We’ve looked at the price and compared it to the other properties in the area so it’s not that. I’m not keen on the photos and every time we mentioned them they’d fob us off.
We’ve another agent coming to value it in the next few days.

[Coriandersucks]

@Longdistance that’s interesting - have they threatened you with asking for money or anything or just accepted notice?

[Coriandersucks]

I’ve got my contract and it just says if we sell through another agent they will be entitled to 2.5%. He’s calling me this afternoon and I’m planning on saying that if we are not online within 24hrs we will be going elsewhere on the basis I don’t expect they have a leg to stand on. That’s got to be reasonable?

[Coriandersucks]

Bump

[user1471538283]

Tell the estate agent you are giving notice as of now. It should only be 4 weeks or a month. However, they may just let you go

[ladybirdsarelovely33]

Tell him exactly that and that you are expecting a call after every viewing and weekly progress updates. That is what I used to do to keep clients even in slow markets.
Yours has been flipping well lazy . Call him out on it and say it is awful.

Tell him, he has a week to get going with viewings or you have a right to break the contract as he has not done enough. Tell him you will kick up a real fuss over the contract because you have written down all contact between you and the agency.
He wont bother pursuing you as he knows he has been a lazy arse.

[Longdistance]

@Coriandersucks my dh specifically said:
Please confirm my understanding of the original agreement that following this cancellation notice; unless we have an offer from either of the two parties that have viewed the property, or we have a new offer from a party introduced by you in the next two weeks, we will not owe XXXX Estate Agents any money in the future?
A copy of the email dh sent. All agreed. They verbally said they’d try their best to sell in the next two weeks... yeah, right 🤔
It was going to be nearly £7k to sell our house through the EA.