To be surprised this estate agent wasn’t sacked?

😂😂😂

However, you could ask for compensation as people may have associated this with you. Tarnish your reputation.

That's not what happened though! They put a small porn picture over the tv screen in a shot of the living room. Not pictures of the OP!!

I'm pretty sure that most plumbers and electricians don't charge when they come around to give you a quote.

I got the impression that some porn had been digitally added to the TV screen.

Probably the owner’s son

its up to them what disciplinary action they take against their own staff, but I’d expect most employers to dismiss for this. Maybe there is mitigation you aren’t aware of.

You can also leave factual reviews on the main review sites like Trustpilot and Google Reviews. There are also specialist agent review sites. Don't forget local media. Bad reviews could directly impact their pockets so long as they are factual. They could try to threaten you with lawyers but this is unlikely to come to anything. Suing someone for defamation is very expensive. Proving that you have lost business is difficult and truth is the absolute defence.

you could repot it to the police and seek compensation - its that serious if I'm honest.

While agents are not required to hold specific professional qualifications to open a business, it is a legal requirement to join one of the two authorized redress schemes:

• The Property Ombudsman
• Property Redress Scheme

How to Make a Complaint

If you are unhappy with the service, there is a specific step-by-step process you must follow:

• Complain directly to the agent first: You must raise your complaint formally in writing through their internal complaints procedure.
• Allow 8 weeks: By law, the agency has up to 8 weeks to investigate and provide a final response.
• Escalate to the redress scheme: If you are unsatisfied with their final response or they fail to respond, you can escalate the issue free of charge to whichever of the two schemes the agent is registered with
• Action from the Ombudsman: The Ombudsman will mediate or investigate the case. If your complaint is upheld, they can force the agent to take action, apologise, or pay

I wonder why people expect a free 30 minutes or an hour with a solicitor but somehow don't suggest that to plumbers or electricians. I suppose some solicitors might do a free 30 minutes as a loss leader but no law firm I have ever been associated with would have entertained the idea of working for free for 30 minutes let alone an hour. We have liability insurance, rent, staff wages, training costs, costs for accessing specialist databases, and all the overheads any other business will have. We are not set up for doling out free legal advice.

I’d either want the fee basically cancelled
OR
id be taking my contract elsewhere, lodging a complaint with the ombudsman and posting a very factual/evidenced account on social media.

sometimes hitting businesses locally is where it hurts most.

You think they’re gonna phone her back and go ‘it’s fine I sacked him’?

It is actually, having been a manager at various places. I will listen to your complaint and then deal with it and the employee as per our internal policies, whether it’s a training issue or a disciplinary issue. The customer doesn’t need to know what happens after that 🤷‍♀️

Thanks for the sarcasm though 👍🏼

What a bizarre thing to do, what was the purpose? I don't understand why they thought posting an intimate photo of you and your husband would increase the likelihood of a sale? Also, how did they get a photo of you both?

The mythical ‘free hour’ in which solicitors will give you all the advice you need to gain significant compensation.

Has anyone in RL actually found this marvellous service in a situation like this?

They certainly wouldn’t be representing me any longer. That’s ridiculous. I’m another saying get released f4m the contract, contact the Ombudsman, there’s another thread running currently about an estate agent sending inappropriate photos to family members, lots of useful advice on there.

I agree with this. Don’t be fobbed off. They acted so unprofessionally!

I’d terminate the contract and tell them you’ve written to the property ombudsman to lodge a complaint. I’d also write an online review explaining what they did.

I would be removing my business and going elsewhere. They have shown you that they don’t give a fuck. Believe them and switch your agency.

I'd expect a substantially reduced fee or to be able to leave the contract immediately, but ultimately a sacking or otherwise has to be up to the employer.

theres no way I’d be continuing with this EA

I’d be telling them they were no longer acting for me

I'd be sacking them immediately.

I'd also be posting negative reviews online detailing my experience.

When someone is charging you thousands of pounds for a service, this is completely unacceptable behaviour and they need to learn a serious lesson. Hit them where it hurts - their wallet and their reputation.

if he keeps his mouth shut about it, how will OP know it was him?

Assuming it was a man, that is.