To be surprised this estate agent wasn’t sacked?

[Easack]

We listed our house with the biggest estate agent in our area (also with the best reviews/reputation).

We approved the photos to be used and description to be added to the usual portals such as RightMove.

Shortly after it went live, a friend told me it had been posted on our town’s community Facebook page. On one of the living room photos, the TV on the wall had been edited to include a couple having sex.

I immediately called the estate agent who got back to me shortly after, apologised and said they’d remove the photo and instigated a full investigation.

They contacted me today and said they had identified it was a junior colleague who did this ‘as a joke’ and that they’d been reprimanded. They confirmed they’ve kept their job.

I am perplexed by this. Surely that is a sackable offence?

Yes, it’s definitely sackable, but ultimately it’s up to his employer. Personally, I’d have dismissed him.

They’re sex people, Lynne!

Yeah I’m surprised that’s not gross misconduct but ime estate agency involves a lot of nepotism and family friends so I bet that’s why.

It’s none of your business though, what their internal people policies are.

Now I would go back and say due to the embarrassment for you you expect them to halve their fee

What an insightful reply..

I hope they offered you a discount on their commission

As an estate agent myself, I’m afraid what’s more likely happened - is they’ve all pissed themselves laughing about it. And then said “oh just tell her he’s been reprimanded!”

Have they offered any recompense?

I’d not find that funny at all and if unhappy with their reply I’d leave negative reviews everywhere I could think of!

Seriously?

I would absolutely expect him to be sacked or at very least them to give you a discount on fees. How unprofessional.

Yep!

I worked as an estate agent in my early 20s and yes, sadly this rings true. Although given I was doing it back in 1066 or thereabouts, you’d hope things had moved on. Sadly not

That doesn't really remedy the fact your home, and your photos were used this way - are they the only estate agent you're happy going with, are you still happy for them to be in your home?

To be honest, if they are not doing this properly, I wouldn't trust them with a sale - so would be saying to part ways with full reimbursement of fees.

I’d be using a different estate agent, not appropriate at all

You definitely cut the contract with this estate agent and leave a Google review including their explanation of what happened

It's correct though.

If you are not happy look to remove your property from sale with them.

I would tell them that I no longer trust them to market your property and demand that you be released from your contract. I think there is some sort of regulatory body you could complain to.

Yeah, keep your nose out OP! I mean, what’s it possibly got to do with you 😂

I’d ditch the agent straight away. That’s just absolutely unprofessional. I’d have no confidence that they would act in my best interest. They won’t fight you on this, and if they do, you can go to the press. They will love this.

A lot of people online do things to create a stir. Sometimes it’s quite benign like mispronouncing/spelling a word because it will increase comments/clicks/engagement from people correcting them.

It’s possible the junior employee will be saying ‘look how many people viewed your property ad!’ Without grasping that it was distasteful and not all publicity is good publicity.

Totally unprofessional and whoever did it displays a complete lack of judgement

I bet you could sue them. Ask for a pay off.

If she went to the press she’d have to stand next to a laptop showing the post, point at it and do a sad face, so I wouldn’t even go there.

I would be asking for a steep discount or ending the listing with them. Arseholes.

@FloodlightsOnTheSquareis correct though. A company should never divulge employment process outcomes to an external person. They shouldn’t have even told you that he wasn’t fired.

They sound massively unprofessional. I would be looking for another EA and telling this crowd you’ll go to the papers if they even try to pursue you for fees.

I wouldn’t want to deal with them after this - take a free hour with a solicitor and get some advice.