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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is the estate agent screwing my mother?

371 replies

dodgyestateagent · 12/04/2021 20:06

DM, who is elderly, has just had to put her family home up for sale, she is moving to assisted living. She is 78 and has lived in this house for over 50 years - my father's recent passing has meant she can no longer cope with the house by herself. She has no idea about market value, valuations, selling a house, so we have been dealing with the estate agent ourselves.

The house went up for sale on Friday, and we were told it was inundated with interest. So much so that the estate agent held an 'open viewing' for viewings on Saturday, for one hour. We were told that over 200 people had come to visit the house!

We've just been told the highest offer, and it's below what would be expected for the area (we are South East, detached, 3 bedroom, large south facing garden). Especially since he said they'd been inundated with viewings and interest. When we queried the estate agent on how he got the offers, he told us that due to having so much interest, he was doing an anonymous 'best and final offer'. The highest offer (and best position) we've been given is supposedly the highest of all of the 'best and final'... However, when we enquired whether or not he'd gone back to any of the other interested parties to see if they'd like to improve on it, he said he hadn't to ensure 'fairness for everyone involved.' It doesn't seem like he has tried to get the best price for my DM. Myself and DH have purchased a couple of properties, and each and every time we've been told about other 'higher offers' and been asked if we'd like to improve on our offer... It just seems a strange way of doing things and I am worried the estate agent has got some sort of back hander going on... AIBU?

OP posts:
mumda · 13/04/2021 17:19

Yes.

MNWorldisCrazy · 13/04/2021 17:23

@dodgyestateagent Hi how are things? Daffodil

AllThatIAmRoom101 · 13/04/2021 17:28

Sorry this is of no help at all but when I saw this I was like omg this is going to be a great thread. Then it turns out you meant a different type of screwing. #gutted

Truth2001 · 13/04/2021 17:30

Your mother is 100% being ripped off take it away from the agent and place with another get two other agents quotes. If You are sure he has undersold it report him to anyone and everyone-Trading standards
The only problem is your mother would have signed that between 3-6 months that agent can still claim commission despite not being the selling agent. So look at the contract and find a breach by the agent to write and cancel the contract or she will end up paying two sets of fees on the sale. I would if sure tell him straight he's not achieved the best price and you strongly suspect he has ripped her of like you have heard he did to some other over the years. Call his bluff he wont know and certainly would have ripped of other as he is after all an estate agent one of the lowest life forms.

Tessabelle74 · 13/04/2021 17:36

I'd bet this weeks wages the winner is a friend of the estate agent

FelicityCentre · 13/04/2021 17:38

not what i expected from the title

Pliudev · 13/04/2021 17:39

Re those people suggesting the estate agent knows the buyer and is trying to get him a deal: yes I'd suspect that. When I sold my DF's apartment I was so naive I let the estate agent talk me into dropping the price by a considerable ammount for a cashbuyer he said was desperate to buy having sold his own property. I went ahead and only later discovered the buyer was a property developer who'd previously bought an apartment in the same block only to do a bit of work and sell it on six months later for a large profit. I have sleepless nights thinking about what my DF would say if he knew and what I could do with the money I was tricked out of. Please find another agent.

Plunger · 13/04/2021 17:40

Have any houses similar in the same road or nearby sold in the last year? Look up how much they sold for online. Simply type in ' sold prices ( name of road) ' Prices have risen sharply lately and property is selling fast due to stamp duty holiday. Do take into account that your parent's house will probably need updating.

BizzyBone · 13/04/2021 17:41

@Runway

I only opened this as I thought you meant literally screwing her
Me too 😂
FlyingBurrito · 13/04/2021 17:46

Do you know what he meant by anonymous? Surely not that he doesn't know who has made the bid, that would be crazy

It's a bit risky pressing your mum to accept a lower offer as the other bidders can see that they've been duped when it goes online.

Ddot · 13/04/2021 17:50

Is HE buying your house

PamDenick · 13/04/2021 17:50

Haven’t read the full thread, but.... is there a link?

Notmulan · 13/04/2021 17:51

we’ve recently sold and offered (this week ) on a property that went to sealed bids. The EA had the offers in writing with the buyers position and all offers were out forward to the vendor. The property went over the asking price as ,which is what I’d expect from a sealed bid scenario when it’s just come to market. Nothing has happened till you’ve exchanged

Ask the EA to see all the offers in writing. They can’t do best and final with only one of them

If he pushes back you can report him to the property on ombudsman

Lemoncheesecake20 · 13/04/2021 17:51

Guessing the ‘best and final offer’ came from a builder friend who wants a cheap house to do up and make a massive profit on. Agent gets cut.

PamDenick · 13/04/2021 17:51

Could we get all Mumsnet tears to phone up interested in the property and ask why it’s undervalued?

Original poster
dodgyestateagent · 13/04/2021 17:51

To say I am livid in an understatement...

Got a friend to ring up today and put in a higher offer. She was given the same spiel about needing to put a 'best and final' offer in straight away as the property has had so many offers and is so popular. The estate agent then did his very best to put my friend off Shock. He told her that she should 'only offer what's she's absolutely happy with, she's got to feel comfortable with her offer and not to go above that'. Even worse, he told her that 'the elderly woman who lives there needs to find somewhere else to live, therefore it won't make the stamp duty holiday, and to bear that in mind when she puts her offer in'... DM is going into assisted living, so that is a flagrant lie to put potential buyers off!!

OP posts:
Notmulan · 13/04/2021 17:52

And yes you wouldn’t get 200 physical viewings. Perhaps online virtual ones

Puzzledandpissedoff · 13/04/2021 17:53

We suspected it was some sort of 'scam', with him having a friend / builder / relative involved. It's an absolute prime property to be renovated, extended, turned into flats... so I could easily see him accepting cash on the side from a developer to be the 'highest bidder'

Par for the course I'm afraid, especially with a property ripe for development - if you decide to change agents, the only problem you'll have is finding one who isn't at it

Notmulan · 13/04/2021 17:55

Holy moly. Please report him (I think to the property ombudsman) and choose another agent

Thereluctantgrownup · 13/04/2021 17:56

@dodgyestateagent

To say I am livid in an understatement...

Got a friend to ring up today and put in a higher offer. She was given the same spiel about needing to put a 'best and final' offer in straight away as the property has had so many offers and is so popular. The estate agent then did his very best to put my friend off Shock. He told her that she should 'only offer what's she's absolutely happy with, she's got to feel comfortable with her offer and not to go above that'. Even worse, he told her that 'the elderly woman who lives there needs to find somewhere else to live, therefore it won't make the stamp duty holiday, and to bear that in mind when she puts her offer in'... DM is going into assisted living, so that is a flagrant lie to put potential buyers off!!

What was his response to this? Definitely time to find a new estate agent. Is there some kind of governing body of estate agents you can report him to?
peak2021 · 13/04/2021 17:56

Did your friend tape the conversation? Perhaps get someone else to call, be on speakerphone and record it. Then visit and play it back at full volume.

Slander is unfortunately very expensive to pursue.

notapizzaeater · 13/04/2021 17:57

Wow, isn't there a governing body to report to ?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 13/04/2021 17:58

Just cross posted with you, OP; of course he's trying to put other buyers off - that's what they do when an "associate" is involved

At least you can now be in no doubt as to what's going on, but while you'll never prove it I'd certainly tell him he's been sussed. It won't make any difference and he'll just be irritated that you caught him out, but it should be a satisfying conversation

Roszie · 13/04/2021 17:59

200 in an hour? I hope she's got a big driveway.

Lying bastard. I hope you give it to him with both barrels.

Bakingcupcake · 13/04/2021 18:00

@peak2021

Did your friend tape the conversation? Perhaps get someone else to call, be on speakerphone and record it. Then visit and play it back at full volume.

Slander is unfortunately very expensive to pursue.

You cant legally use taped conversations unless you tell the person you're taping them so this wouldnt stand up. He sounds like a piece of work though...200 viewings no chance...get rid go elsewhere. We have best and final offers in scotland...you have to go through a solicitor who puts this in om your behalf so hes full of BS basically....id name and shame him online too and report him