To be shocked by this? Can an Estate Agent actually do this? OMG!!!!

[PostBellumBugsy]

To put my house up for sale without my knowledge or permission???????

Back story:

Had my house on the market last year. I had a 12 week agreement with the estate agent & by the time I took the house off the market in December, that agreement had long since expired. As well as speaking to the estate agent, I also sent an email informing the manager of my decision to take the house off the market & I asked them to remove all marketing material from their website and all other marketing channels.

So, I have two different estate agents coming to pitch on Monday and I thought I'd have a quick look on rightmove to see what the competition is looking like & was stunned to see my own house up there (I had checked in December that all the marketing material had been taken down). It is also up on their website too.

Before I phone them & read them the riot act, does anyone know if they are able to do this?

[MumVsKids]

Definitely get friend to organise a viewing, with the agent present!!!

And in the meantime, the whole of mn can draft the letter you can hand to said agent upon their arrival/departure :)

[Goodadvice1980]

Did you also ask the agent to confirm/provide a list of people they could legimately claim to have introduced to the property?

If your new agent introduces a buyer who can "proceed to purchase the property" make sure the old agent doesn't try to claim a slice of the commission as well!

[DeafLeopard]

oooh yeah do what maddening suggested.

Or put the rightmove link up and we can all ring your Estate Agents to ask for a viewing.

[JaneFonda]

Getting your friend to view the house is a brilliant idea. :o

[PostBellumBugsy]

Thank you all. I didn't need to get the friend to ask for a viewing. I got a phonecall yesterday morning before I sent the letter from one of the perky young juniors asking if they could book in a viewing. Fortunately, I was in a meeting, so the call went to voicemail. So, I think I can conclude that they definitely haven't put my property back up by mistake!!!!

Goodadvice1980, can I do that? I am really worried about this, particularly as it would appear that I wasn't clear enough at the end of last year about terminating the contract, so we are going from today now.

Grrrrrrr, I am so pissed off with them & annoyed at myself for not treating them like the slippery, devious eels they so clearly are.

[DrRanj]

They will put it on the site, then when someone enquires about it, they have a new lead. It doesn't surprise me at all tbh. I used to work weekends for an estate agent as a student and they had a window full of properties that were let/sold. Just draws people in. Didn't last there long - was an awful place to work.

[DeWe]

If an estate agent has your house up for sale they have to have a photocopy of proof you own the house. If you haven't given them that then they could be in trouble if they're inspected, even if you'd agreed to that.

We put our house on the market in a bit of a hurry, and that got forgotten. Got a phone call about a month later, urgently needing it. They were so desperate to get the info they needed they phoned, got in the car and drove straight over to get it.

[PostBellumBugsy]

I did all the proper stuff when I signed the contract with them last June DeWe. I also gave them formal notice to take it off the market last November, but wasn't specific about terminating the contract, so they have taken it upon themselves to put my house back up for sale, without discussing it with me, notifying me or getting my permission. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

[DeWe]

Okay, sorry, I didn't get that.
However, I think if you suggest you might talk to the inspectors (can't remember the official term, but I think all estate agents have to be inspected by them) they will run quickly-the ones we had said they could have their branch closed down, an would certainly be heavily fined if they didn't have the documentation we'd missed.

[urbanproserpine]

When I bought my house it was being advertised online months after we moved in by an agent who wasn't a member of the relevant trade body. I rang and made an 'enquiry' and they fobbed me off. Then I shouted at them. A lot. It took them ages to take it off. They had just copied and pasted the details from the real agent whilst it was for sale!

[Deaglan]

Hi ... I might get shouted at but what the hay..

I'm an estate and letting agent I have my own agency.

I'd like to throw my professional opinion in,

they don't have a contract with you; meaning if they sold you could argue (Very well) that they are no way entitled to ANY comission or costs due to the fact they have yet to receive any communication.

the other thing to do is ignore them, they will soon learn that due to your continued silent treatement that in fact no matter what they do or who they bring they will not be getting anything - then prospective buyers will see other marketing and chase that - even better upon the 'allowed' agents make them all put on their advertising under 'owners opinion' such n such estate agent have not got permission to market this property only calls from these agents will be recognised' its harsh but there's no law in you doing so plus it'll be picked up by the property ombudsman too - or at least should be.

hope this helps

[valiumredhead]

Zombie thread - thought I'd read it before!

[PatPig]

Estate agents are scumbags. Almost universally.

[Decoy]

Obviously I'd never actually recommend this, but..... I'd be tempted to get lots of MN-ers to phone the agent and make VERY high "offers" on the property