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.

It's 3 years

It’s not bad form, it’s normal practice. Until the vendor accepts an offer the property is still for sale. Negotiations can take time and may not even result in a sale, if viewings don’t continue simultaneously then the vendor could miss out on another potential buyer. If you want to ensure no one else views the property then you make a serious offer (asking price or above, or be a cash buyer, have no chain or something else that makes you more desirable as a buyer) and make it a condition of the offer that the property is taken off the market. You can’t just offer under asking price with a view to negotiating and expect the buyer to then stop viewings.

I did not put a note through the door when the EA did not pass on my offer to the vendor. The house sold for less than my offer and I regret that I held back and now cannot think why I did - that was a dream house for me, lost through some notion of trying to behave well when the EA clearly was not bothered by ethics.

I think you can pop a note through the door.. why not.

I would pop a note through the door, also explain the family connection to the area.

I would also email the estate agent and ask if they have shares your interest to view with the vendor l, cash buyers etc

Estate agents are terrible these days! I would absolutely put a note through the door.

Definitely put note through door. It is possible an offer has been accepted but they are awaiting proof of funds but seems a long time and agent should have told you if this was the case. Your note can be friendly and explain situation. You have nothing to lose by doing this.

There's a lot of potential reasons for this.
Illness or bereavement and the vendor has asked the agent to stop viewings. A neighbour or family member has offered and vendors are happy with price just waiting on a mortgage offer. It's a divorcing couple who got an offer and aren't accept just wanted to know what the open market worth is. If you really like it drop a note in it might help or it might be ignored or it might annoy the vendors

Except that there's no formal regulations of EAs and it's all "guidance" and voluntary "codes of conduct"
Even the EA Ombudsman is funded by subs from agencies themselves, so can hardly claim neutrality

Add to that the general mentality shared by so many of them and it quickly becomes a matter of hoping for the best

Put a note through the door, if I was selling I’d want to know.

I would definitely call in to the house and let the sellers know that you are very interested in the house and would like to view it but the EA won’t allow it.
The EA sounds dodgy.

I’ve told this story before but when DD and husband were house hunting (first time buyers) they viewed a house they loved. Put an offer in and estate agent said sorry already sold. A higher offer wouldn’t be considered. They were surprised as they were an early viewer and had got on well with the vendors. So they put a note through the door. Long story short the EA hadn’t passed their interest on and the offer they had accepted was quite low. We think the EA hadn’t passed their a friend interested or someone using their mortgage provider so more commission.

The owners were furious and accepted DD offer immediately.

I would put a note through door, just saying that you are cash buyers wanting to view but can’t get hold of the Agent.

Put a note through the door stating that you're cash buyers, chain free and ready to proceed at the full asking price, with your contact details.

Estate agents are not known for their squeaky clean practices.

Sounds like the most likely explanation is just incompetence rather than anything else. The vendors have chosen their EA badly.

I would put a note through the door asking for a viewing as you have been unable to organise one via the EA.

Note through the door definitely. We viewed a house and made an offer to the EA, who said they would not pass on as they didn’t believe it would be accepted. They ended up selling for less than we’d offered a couple of months later! Wish we had been more proactive and put the note in!

Wouldn’t be offering full asking price before even viewing the property!

If it is still for sale - e.g. board up, or online - then a note is the best way forward. I wouldn't just call around to the property en spec because you want to endear yourself to the owners and lots of estate agent advertisements now ask people NOT to just call around for a viewing. It's not just about being viable to proceed, it's about being decent people.

Put a note through outlining how you have tried to get an appointment to view via their agent but they haven't been very helpful (no need to go into the ins and outs of things in a note) and you wondered if you might be able to book a time that is convenient to them - leave a phone number and an email address.

Personally I would then give the estate agent the courtesy of letting them know that you had done this because (a) shows proof that you are operating above board and not being sneaky and (b) if someone there is acting in bad faith it will put the willies up them... maybe they would then come back to you for once!

You could add in something about being in a strong position to proceed, but frankly until you have seen inside the place who knows if you even want to make an offer? I've lost count of the amount of places I have seen that look nothing like the photographs... all these people giving you advice telling you to say that you 'will offer the asking price' are giving you bad advice, because you might hate the place and then you've already gone and given them notice of your intention in writing!

Also someone mentioned including the family connection - by which I think they mean your daughter living nearby - don't do that as it smacks of one of those contestants on the X-Factor who gives their whole life story as if it makes up for the fact that they've just played a version of Clair de Lune on the flute which sounded like a baby elephant farting.

Good luck!

Go and knock the door today! If this is your forever home, there's no room for being wishy washy.

Estate agents can be dodgy as hell. When I was looking, I put in offers, via email, so in writing, which legally, they are supposed to respond to. Nope. Emails were ignored.

I complained about this (to the EA) and THAT was ignored too. There are a couple in my local area that are particularly bad. When I next sell, there is no way in hell I'll use them. Ironically, one of the 'lower-end', more basic agents are very very compliant with rules/regs.

It wouldn't be hugely wrong to accept another offer if no fees had been incurred by the people who made the first offer, imo. They would themselves probably have no hesitation in pulling out at a later date if another property comes on the market that they prefer.

The Estate Agent can't do more viewings but the OP can make an offer direct and should.

The last time I sold a house it was off the market twice when we accepted offers and both fell through. The current system is working as a scam to hold the house while people make up their minds whether they can really afford it or whether they really want it.

It also really helps the bad apple Estate Agents, and although they are a tiny minority, they do exist.

If you put a note through the door I’d be surprised if you didn’t get a response as your offer would be over the asking price seeing as they wouldn’t have to pay agent’s commission as the agent refused to get you in.

I was an estate agent for 20 years. I can categorically say that this is as dodgy as fuck.

1. The contract is with the seller and the EA. Written in that contract is an obligation to market the property and pass on ALL offers. Failure to do so becomes a criminal offence.
2. Go to the property. Offer the asking price as cash buyers. Tell the vendor that you have attempted to view and buy the house but have been thwarted. If you can show evidence of the EA obstructive behaviour, they will forfeit their fees and be in very hot water with police and governing body. The asking price and no fees may make your bid too much to ignore. It also sounds like current buyer is a ‘special friend’ of the agent.

You'll never know the real reason why.

It might be the EAs acting dodgy or it may be some other reason.

But I would definitely post a note or knock on the door.

At the end of the day all they will do if they don't want to know is say "no thanks" or stick your note in the bin. So what is the harm in doing it ?

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but unless you have sold your property you aren't proceedable. This why be why they won't let you view the property.