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?

Have you even MET an estate agent? 😂

they have the morals and decorum of a rabid dog.

Agree.

DH was waiting in the front office of our former letting agent. They obviously hadn't heard him arrive and were slagging of other clients. All quite clearly audible in the front office.

Same agent denied receiving an email from us which resulted in a delay which cost us money. DH said he'd resend it, tapped his keyboard for a bit, told them he'd re-sent it (but hadn't) and miraculously, it appeared on their email system within seconds.

I could go on.

There was a thread the other day about someone's estate agent sister taking inappropriate photos of people's homes and posting them to WA. Is this the reverse?

This is bad and of course lots of
other sectors would dismiss for this. But EAs are generally a very unethical bunch who’d think nothing of selling their own grannies. I can name numerous instances over the course of many sales and purchases, where service has been questionable and edged on contempt for customers. Go elsewhere and be sure to tell as many people as you can about it.

I think that's very insulting to rabid dogs.

'They do it on purpose!'

I agree.

I wonder if going to the police as it was a pornographic photo would be worth doing. You'll get a crime reference, which helps you terminate the contract with the estate agent. You can then leave a factual review, or seek grounds for the estate agent to be removed from platforms such as Rightmove.

I would tell them if they don’t think its sackable offence then you’ll charge an agent

Id be asking for a free job

tell them your job is in safeguarding and has been compromised

I'd be moving estate agents immediately and telling the original company that I would NOT be paying them any fees.

That's really messed up. I mean if they were that much of a dick then do that and show it to their mates in the office. But don't actually put it out on the live adverts for the house?!

It's horrible and obviously people will assume it's the owners of the house on the telly or that the people there are into porn. And allowed an agent to come in and photograph while they watched a dirty film?!

OP's home was clearly identifiable if she was alerted by a friend. Would they have taken it down if OP hadn’t been told about it ? It’s so disrespectful. I’d have taken my business elsewhere to be honest. And my online review of the EA would be very clear as to why.

That's on a par with a customer ringing up then demanding to speak to the manager if they didn't get the reply they wanted, the usual call was 'who wants to play at being manager today/'!

I would move to a different agent. That's disgusting behaviour. I also don't think there were any consquences for the employee, the only thing that will make them think next time is taking your business elsewhere

@Stressedout150 that is very likely. Though in the unlikely event that the police did take posting a pornographic photo seriously, the laughing would stop.

I would put money on there being a mix up and the image to their mates got mixed up.

Have worked in social media for years and stuff like this is THE FEAR.

Not that I’ve ever pornified a photo, but just the wrong post on the wrong account…stuff like that. The cold blood that runs through you is something to behold.

I think years ago it was standard as I have had it but it was 25 years ago. It's advice before taking a case on. It's probably done by email now as quicker.

I would absolutely be looking for legal advice OP, it's appealing what they've done.

Dreadfully unprofessional. I would certainly complain to the central organisation that is supposed to uphold standards amongst estate agents.

I would demand to be released from your contract. Check your contract wording first, and go elsewhere. No way would I be giving them a penny of my money.

You do have the option of reporting them here: National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Teams - National Trading Standards.

I'm sorry that happened to you. x

I voted yabu not because I think his actions are ok and that he shouldn't have been sacked, but because expecting estate agents to behave with decency is just very odd! They have the reputation they do for a reason.

(If you are reading this and are a decent human being of an estate agent is then you know how rare you are.)

😂😂😂😂

Yes, this - and the more you deny it, the more the dimwitted 'no smoke without fire' brigade will take that as clear 'proof' that you were watching porn when the photos were taken, and are embarrassed at being caught out.

Now it's on the internet - and associated with the exact address - that could have very serious ramifications indeed. There are millions of perverts out there, just waiting for what they might interpret as any kind of signal for a 'come on', who could get in touch through any of various media - maybe sending you some more 'literature' in the post that they think you might like to see, or even coming to the door to arrange an 'adult' meet-up. These sad people need very little encouraging if they think that somebody might be 'game'.

Of course it is, if the offence in question impacted her. She may not get the outcome she wants of a firing but she's allowed to voice her opinion and question their policies, it's not (yet) law in this country that one may never criticise a corporation 🙄

You think someone is going to see a Facebook post - millions of perverts - and start sending come ons to the OPs door? What the actual?! 🤣

Of course she can question it. They don’t have to answer though!

Im not explaining it again 🤣