To think this is very bad of the estate agents

[LancashireButterPie]

DH and I are looking to downsize.
We have seen the perfect cottage, not far from our DDs family (handy for childcare as it's currently taking us 40 mins each way).
We rang up to view it and the estate agent refused to let us as she said "An offer has been made and I'm sure it will be accepted".
DH and I wouldn't be making an offer, we would happily pay full asking price. Also we are lucky to have enough in savings to purchase, without selling our own home first although we obviously would at some point.
I feel for the vendors as much as ourselves, would it be unreasonable to push a note through their letterbox informing them what's going on?
It's been two weeks since the estate agent last rebuffed us and the house is still on the market.

No harm in a note through the door, although I wouldn't necessarily say anything other than the EA didn't offer you a viewing.

if the offer hasn’t been accepted then the property isn’t off the market and it’s the ea duty to allow any other viewings and offers

as in - that might be illegal

Really? Two weeks to come to a decision?

I thought that EA legally had to pass on all offers/interest until off the market.

But why not set up a viewing as op may offer more.

Yes this

I've rang several times, got the answerphone, left messages but no one's got back to us.
I've also emailed. No response.

I would definitely put a note through the door. Most Estate Agent agents are really crap!!

I am honestly quite shocked.
When we do move house, we'll be putting our current house on the market, I'd like to think the EA will be acting in our interest. Not blocking serious buyers who are in a position to proceed.

The contract is with the vendor they work for them not a buyer so i presume they are doing what the vendor wants in this case thry wont get paid till its sold sp why on eaeth would they delay it for no reason?

The EA very likely has a relative or mate lined up for it, with brown envelopes included, so is not passing on offers.

I have personal experience of this happening - a good old nose on NetHousePrices showed that the property eventually sold for a lot less than what I’d been prepared to offer. I’m talking £180k instead of £220k.

I’m not saying most EAs are dodgy, but….

Put a note through the door, saying you are willing to offer whatever it is, but the EA has refused to pass on your offer.
I gather this sort of thing happens more often when the vendors are very elderly and not clued up about local property values.

If an offer has been accepted then it would be wrong for the ea or the vendor to contemplate a higher offer (offering the asking price is still an offer). It’s called gazumping and used to be a huge problem until it was cracked down on.

The EA doesn't have a physical shop, it's one of those online ones, probably run from someone's spare bedroom.

Is this not in America?

Our EA had been told not to accept offers below £x so when we tried to they said they wouldn’t accept it.

Sounds dodgy AF. I sold back in March and would be furious if I found out a cash chain free buyer wanted to view. Go and put a note through the door OP, nothing to lose.

Legally they have to pass on any offers

I get you have not been able to view but would you be confident enough to make an offer anyway?

I would 100% be knocking on the door or putting a note through

I'm aware of gazumping, I'm not suggesting that at all. At this point I have no evidence to say that the offer was even accepted.
It's a beautiful cottage with a lovely garden, which seems to be a bargain for where it is.
Half of me wonders whether the EA is selling it to a mate. Why would they block us and not get back in contact with us either way?

As an aside, if you hadn't offeracceoted on this, or any other, house before you sell your current house, wouldnt you be liable for more stamp duty?

Unless the owner said no more. They might be keeping it on for a reason but have accepted the offer or are waiting to hear from their upward purchase to see if they can accept this one.

Also, OP "DH and I wouldn't be making an offer, we would happily pay full asking price"
You would be making an offer. Of asking price. "offer" doesn't mean it's below.

I would contact the estate agents again, and depending on what they say, put a note through the door too. (You don’t have to explain lots of history and imply estate agent wrong doing in the note - keep it friendly and professional and say that you’re really keen to have a viewing, and are cash buyers with no chain, and that you thought perhaps the estate agents hadn’t passed your request on).