Estate Agent. Is this normal?

[MaybeMonday]

I am selling DMs house. Estate agent was not in a rush to come to value the house. I eventually accepted the valuation and instructed them to take on the sale but since May 24th when I gave them all the completed forms and paid for the EPC I have heard nothing and the house hasn't appeared on their website. I am inclined to think they are not bothered and will go with another agent. Or am I being impatient? I expected details to be on the website a couple of days after instruction and for EA to call me by now, or is that unrealistic?

Ime they will usually list a house before you have approved the marketing info and photos so this seems strange.

Is your DM still alive (sorry to ask this) and, if so, are you legally able to sell her house on her behalf? If she has passed away, have you provided any documents they've requested? Did the EA take photos?

Have you tried calling the EA? Ask for the manager - the person you dealt with may have left or be off sick. Depending on how they respond you can either push to go ahead or go elsewhere.

I have financial power of attorney and provided all of the documents. No reason at all not to crack on straightaway.

I emailed today and will call on Monday but I am already inclined to try another agent as I think they should have started acting by now.

In that case then I think finding another agent would be the best course of action. I would actually get at least another couple round before you decide who to go with, but tell this shower you don't want to go ahead with them asap.

Just a thought, is the house on Rightmove, OnTheMarket or Zoopla at all? You mention the agent's own website, but not whether you've checked other places.

I have looked at rightmove too and nothing there.

Sounds a bit suspect tbh. Perhaps they have a friend or business acquaintance who may be interested in buying the property at a reduced price when no sale transpires & are trying to string you along in the hope that you won't notice they are doing nothing? Why else would they not market the property?

Have they come round to take photos/blurb yet?

They came to do photos last Friday, 7 days ago. It's a provincial/rural area so maybe things go more slowly. I called today at 1 and there was no answer at all, I guess it was lunch hour, which just doesn't happen in London. I can't judge whether I am being an impatient Londoner or they are being slack.

EAs are usually in a hurry to impress at first and get things moving, then they slow down later. For yours to never speed up at all is worrying. I'd change.

I agreed a 16 week exclusive arrangement. I guess that means I have to drop them if I go with other agents?

I would be suggesting they haven't kept to their contractual obligations and it should be torn up in order for you to be able to instruct someone who does want to market it. We're in a semi rural location and many EAs offices aren't open at the weekend we discovered when we were looking. You could book viewings but these were usually with either the vendors or weekend viewings people who provided a presence with a key but knew diddly squat if you asked them anything.

I agreed a 16 week exclusive arrangement.

I think you probably have to give them that long. They do sound slow and uninterested. Chase now and plan to give notice anyway.

Next time don't sign a lock in- cross out that clause from both copies of the contract and make sure both you and they initial both copies. They won't say no.

I would be suggesting they haven't kept to their contractual obligations and it should be torn up in order for you to be able to instruct someone who does want to market it.

I agree, but I think OP will need to give more time and set targets in writing for this to fly. Pushing them will probably work acceptably, but if not the written evidence of having nagged them.will show breach of contract.

Depends what the contract states and what they have said about online marketing. The fact the OP has asked here suggests they didn't give a timeline. Imo they will either pull their fingers out or suggest to the OP that she go elsewhere and not hold her to the 16 weeks. None of the EAs round here ask for tie ins.

It's not a tie in, I can withdraw anytime, it's an exclusivity agreement
that means I won't involve another agent during this period.

This sounds like they are dragging thier heels.
The market is moving pretty fast at the moment. Houses are back to selling on first viewing days in residential areas. Rural might take longer especially as it's not even being marketed.
Since Brexit didn't go through people have realised they can't wait forever. I've been selling for a couple of years had a sale fall through last minute !
Check your contract is not :stay with them for the whole 16 weeks: that's a very long time.
I always negotiate them down on their fees and terms.
The EPC is yours and you can search to see if it's been created yet. You need that to market officially but some will naughtily go head with without out.
I'd get a few in too value.
I've had new ones market us within a couple of days. You should have sent detials to approve.
They are probably the local agent that gets all the houses so are just relying on that.
If they don't answer phones to you how can Viewers get through. I call potential agents see how they deal with enquiries and have even been viewings. The crucial Saturday staff can be clueless idiots. Good luck

It's not a tie in, I can withdraw anytime, it's an exclusivity agreement

Goodo. Do double check before dumping them, some contracts stipulate that if you withdraw within that period and another agent sells you house then the original agent still gets their commission as well.

OP do look on On The Market and Zoopla too. In some areas agents favour different websites and an agent using On The Market has to agree to only use Rightmove or Zoopla as well.

I'd give them another week, then sack them and get another agent.

I wonder if they have a 'friend' who's interesting in buying the house and are holding off spending money until they come through?

Definitely not normal. Selling ours at the moment-has sold just doing all the boring stuff now! Our advert was on both the estate agents website and rightmove within an hour of the photos being done (we took our own and sent them to the estate agent as DP has a great camera and patience to wait for the sun to come out). Multiple viewings lined up pretty much instantly and sold within 2 weeks. (2 bed flat perfect for first time buyers on the edge of a city which probably helps).

I'd definitely question what I was paying them for.