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?

I agree with PPs that, if this was some idiotic teenager, it might be dismissed as 'just a bit of harmless fun' until the point at which they realise that it's lost them business, when OP cancels the contract with them and goes to a competitor... in which case it suddenly will become a much bigger deal to them.

When it comes to morals and respect, most people don't judge the acceptability of it neutrally or objectively; it only becomes 'unacceptable' once it starts to affects them negatively. Look at how many 'loveable rogue' nasty thugs who only start crying for the first time when the judge tells them they're going to prison, but never managed to find any cause whatsoever for upset when it was only their victims who were suffering.

Omg yeah. I guess they are all doing stupid stuff like that in their office so the boss can't sack someone when it could be exposed s/he was leading that 'culture'.

It is just embarrassing how some some companies in England are so unprofessional.

I really don’t see the issue. The person who edited the photo has apparently been reprimanded, and I would very much doubt if the listing showing one photo which included a couple having sex on a TV, which presumably is only a small part of the picture, would have any impact on the number of people wanting to view the house. We’ve been looking for a new house for over six months now, and the standard of many photos used by estate agents is dire - they tend to stretch and distort pictures to make everywhere look bigger anyway. Quite honestly if I enlarged a photo in a listing enough to be able to make out what was on a TV screen and saw this, I would find it very funny.

edited to add that I wouldn’t expect anyone to be sacked or significantly reprimanded if the agents selling our house had done this.

You are absolutely right to be angry, that behaviour is not acceptable. However, you dont have the right to decide on a 3rd party's sanction. That is confidential and rightfully so.

What you could do is check your contract for a get out clause. You could use 'Loss of trust and confidence' as you feel you cannot trust the agent with your sale. Im pretty certain they would agree to you finding another agent given they wouldn't really want to poor publicity

Ask for your fee to be reduced. If you’re in the cooling off period get out of it.

I would be livid if this happened to me . I certainly would be asking for a fee reduction. How many people saw that photo and downloaded it with your furniture etc in it so you could be identified.

I would be fuming. Agree with others, significant amount of the fee, or break contract and leave reviews everywhere!

How did an image of people having sex end up being approved to end up on Facebook?

They probably do that to most house pictures and only remove them before they upload the real deal. It must get quite boring in an estate agents office.
Its absolutely not acceptable to have that published and does warrant a disciplinary of some sort.
However, if I wanted viral marketing on Facebook - there may be a positive in this mess. Just add your comment on the post that the estate agent had a key for the house and took the pictures!!

“Just a joke” is such a feeble excuse. The fact the edited pic has made it onto their social media implies it’s been saved to/done on a work device, which is even more crazy that they’ve kept their job.

I'd be going elsewhere.

No, I was completely wrong - there really aren't any perverts who use the internet or ever look for outlets or avenues where they can make contact with potentially likeminded or suggestible people who may help them to take the things that they enjoy further...

When I was 9 - long, long before the internet - I had a request published in the Smash Hits pen pals page, with my age clearly stated; and even then, a 22yo man with his own twisted interpretation of something innocent that I'd written contacted me to offer me illegal pornography (like offering legal pornography to a 9yo would have been much better), and my DPs had to get the police involved.

I somehow doubt that this issue would have been rendered less problematic in the internet age.

Change agents, tell them why, that will get their attention

You shouldn't be told outcome of disciplinary action

Pay them nothing, cut contract & find one that is more professional, and 1 star review.

It's definitely worthy of gross misconduct and dismissal as its massively brought the business (and a client) into disrepute - but it's up to them. Their investigation will have looked at prior conduct, maybe up to that point they were amazing, maybe theres some kind of mitigating circumstances. Maybe as a business they actually found it hillarious, or all knew he'd done it and so can't really sack their scape goat. Who knows.

I'd personally be after more than an apology though- rather than punishing the individual they say did it, I'd be wanting a discount or an apology gift of some variety!! Ignore whatever their internal processes are, they're not really your concern, I'd instead focus on what this business, who have embarrassed you (whoever or however it occured) are going to do about it for you.

And you wonder why the profession is distrusted and in some cases despised. For good reason it seems.

Quite an effective way to generate traction nonetheless!

Nope never said I wondered

Also didnt say i agreed with it, just its the reality in most- although not all

I’d get another estate agent right now !

Yanbu But whilst it’s bad, at least it shows the youth of today still have a sense of humour 😂

How do you know? Nowhere in the post does it state this.

How? It’s tacky. I’d never view a house where the TVs were on the wall. Definitely pretty high on the grim things in houses scale.

Haven’t read everybody’s replies.
I would be asking for compensation for the damage to your reputation-as some people will never think it was the estate agent and that it’s true.
If they say no then it would be letter before action and file a claim in the small claim court.
Considering around 90% of small claims re settled before it gets to court l would think you have a reasonable chance of it never going to court. Dont forget you claim your costs, including time.
l would also advise them that a minimum four figure compensation is needed to ensure you don’t discuss this with everyone you know -inc local papers.
I would also use a different agent to sell my house.

Whilst I agree that I don’t like to see TVs mounted on a wall, I can’t imagine not viewing a house because of that! It’s as bonkers as saying that you wouldn’t view a house bwcause one of the rooms is painted in a shade of blue that you don’t like 🤣