Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to circumnavigate the agressive slimy estate agent?

16 replies

bottomsup2 · 27/01/2018 20:32

Trying to buy a flat. One estate agent has been aggressively pursuing me to view a flat. He really got my back up but I wanted to see the flat.

Viewing was made for 11.30am today but he then changed it to midday, and I moved another viewing to do so.

He rang at 1150am to demand to know where I was because he was waiting. "On my way, it's ten to twelve and the viewing isn't til 12pm".
"It's FIVE to twelve" he replies. "Ok see you shortly" says I.

I got there on time - no estate agent. He'd gone. I knocked on the door and the vendors answered and showed me round and said they hadn't seen the estate agent at all that day.

I rang the estate agent to ask what had happened but he wasn't there and I haven't had a call back.

I like the flat. I'd like to put in an offer. But I don't want to deal with him again. AIBU to ring and ask to speak to a senior sales negotiator? What do I say when they try to make me speak to the actual man who was allegedly showing me round? I can't bear to talk to him again even once, let alone the (in my experience) 10-15 times I'll have to speak to him if they accept my offer. Can I say, as the buyer, that I'm happy to make an offer and negotiate, but only with a senior sales person?

OP posts:
Eatalot · 27/01/2018 20:36

Clearly he had somewhere else to be. Maybe it was important but he was not professional. Ask to deal with someone else im sure they want the sale more than hurting this guys feelings.

BigbreastsBiggerbeard · 27/01/2018 20:36

He sounds like a arse. There's no harm in asking to speak to someone senior. If they try to get you to speak to the other guy, simply explain why you don't want to. He's unreliable and rude.

TheQueenOfWands · 27/01/2018 20:38

Talk to the owners.

Maybe arrange a private sale.

StupidMcStupidFace · 27/01/2018 20:40

What a dick. I’d be really pissed off if I moved to accommodate him and he wasn’t even bloody there. I’ve tried complaining about an estate agent before to someone senior in the company - they couldn’t give a shot. I wrote the vendors a letter in the end saying I wanted their house but refused to put in an offer through the EA they were listing with. But then I’m a stubborn cow. I’ve been here 5 years now and I love it.

CleanerhousekeeperPA · 27/01/2018 21:09

Queen that’s not allowed. There is a Contract between the agent and vendor. The agent introduced them and as such, the agent will legally win any rights to his fee.

TheQueenOfWands · 27/01/2018 21:11

Oh, isn't it?

Didn't know that!

Original poster
bottomsup2 · 27/01/2018 21:11

**Cleaner that is what is really annoying ; wont he individually receive commission for “introducing” me to the flat?

OP posts:
saladdays66 · 27/01/2018 21:14

But he did introduce you to the flat... it diesn’t Sound like he’s done much wrong. I’m sure estate agents are under pressure ATM With the slowdown in the housing market. Maybe he’s working long days...

When you say he pursued you aggressively, how many times did he ring you?

JJPP123 · 27/01/2018 21:18

He's done plenty wrong. If you've an appointment at midday you don't bugger off before midday, particularly when the appointment was changed to that time on your say so.
Call the agents, say you'd like to make an offer bit you would prefer to deal with another agent as you found this one unprofessional. They'd be daft to deny your request if yours is the only offer on the table.

CleanerhousekeeperPA · 27/01/2018 22:05

The estate agent as a business will legally be entitled to commission upon completion, regardless as to whther you proceed through that business or not because they fulfilled their duty in introducing you to a buyer.

I was in the same situation as you & sought legal advice because the agent was so bad I didn’t wish to continue using them for the whole process.

Whether your individual Sales Negotiator receives commission is down to what his Contract of Employment states.

StrawberryToast · 28/01/2018 07:24

When we purchased our last house we went solely through the vendors. Offer was made directly to them and all communication. We just let them know we'd made an offer and it had been accepted, we still paid the estate agent at the end but had no communication with them.

ApacheEchidna · 28/01/2018 07:36

I would email the estate agent office (there will be a generic sales@ address) and say that you would like to put in an offer on property X but that you will not be proceeding if you have to deal with (agent name) who was rude, aggressive and disrespectful. Ball is then in their court to put you in touch with a decent human being.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 28/01/2018 07:37

He sounds an arse. Maybe he only works weekends (a few round here only do the show around and aren't in the office for negotiations) it's a long shot but I'm hopeful!

You can have a chat with the owners. But some people go through an estate agent because they don't want to negotiate with buyers. I would be a bit miffed if someone wanted to bypass the agent I had in place. But of course they would still have to pay the estate agents at the end if the sale went though. and that would annoy me - paying for a service I hadn't received.

If not then yes speak to the manager or senior estate agent. They'd be crazy not to accept an offer

SweetLathyrus · 28/01/2018 07:47

Since it would be the sellers who are paying the EA, contact them - he is potentially jeopardising a sale, and even if it went through, they would be within their rights to re-negotiate the commission on completion for poor service. That might just ease the whole process between you and them.

IdaDown · 28/01/2018 08:02

You could write to the manager of the branch or head office, if it’s a chain. I’d be tempted to CC the owners - i’d be pretty pissed if I was selling and the agent was being a dick to potential buyers.

AJPTaylor · 28/01/2018 08:13

Chill out. Estate agents can be dicks. In our recent move some were nice, one firm were tossers: like old fashioned used car salesmen. If the person at the bottom of the pile is like that the ones above will be, its company culture.
I didnt put off making an offer though when they had a house i wanted. Seriously buckle up, theres a long way to go.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page