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Original poster

Estate agent broke Covid agreement..wwyd?

105 replies

Idontwantarow · 04/06/2021 19:30

I won’t name the estate agents yet...
The agreement we have is that anytime anyone is in the property the agent will be there. Also, that if anything needs to be touched, only the agent will do and will be wearing gloves.
Today I came home and the place was a complete tip. The buyers had been over, the agent had let them in and then left them at the property.
The front door was unlocked, there were leaves and grass all over the floor, lots of furniture had been moved, the floor in one room was wet, there was a towel on the floor in the bathroom, clothes had been moved around and most distressingly my bed was not how I left it.
The estate agent admitted they were left alone immediately and apologised. I have sent an email with photos attached. I’m really uneasy they were left here alone. I’m in the process of checking everything is here (if it’s not I am uninsured as they didn’t break in to the property... so fingers crossed, I’m sure they didn’t take anything) but also because of Covid, I don’t know how long they were here, who was here or what they touched......
cleaning everything!!

OP posts:
Crowtooyo · 05/06/2021 08:00

I'd be worried that either someone was sleeping together in there. Either the estate agent, the buyers or your partner.

MzHz · 05/06/2021 08:07

I’d email solicitors and instruct them to put the current sale on hold until the buyers explain wtf they were doing in your Home to leave it as it was left. With photos

I’m guessing it wasn’t buyers at all.

Blow the lid on this.

Pissoi · 05/06/2021 08:21

This is awful! Shock

The covid bit wouldn't bother me, but someone having been on my bed definitely would! Appalling!

As PP said, are you definitely sure its not someone you live with had come home? If not then raise merry hell with the agents!

RaeRaeMama · 05/06/2021 08:29

Omg OP

I'm an Estate Agent and we would NEVER do this

What did they have to say for themselves?

That's absolutely shocking

lljkk · 05/06/2021 08:45

I dislike the MN quote option because it fills too much of the screen.

Other people are better at figuring out things posters never said.

If that's true (If, coz OP never said it) At least OP knows she'll soon sell the property & this all can't happen again.

copperpotsalot · 05/06/2021 08:50

I was dating an estate agent once who proudly told me of all the keys he had and said we could go and have sex in any property we liked Hmm

SeasonFinale · 05/06/2021 08:56

TBF I find the OP's expectations about glove wearing and other Covid restrictions just as weird as what happened which will probably turn out to be her DP getting home early after all.

TailFeatherz · 05/06/2021 09:24

I'd change agents and flame this one online with photos, do it on here as well

VodselForDinner · 05/06/2021 09:37

@lljkk

I dislike the MN quote option because it fills too much of the screen.

Other people are better at figuring out things posters never said.

If that's true (If, coz OP never said it) At least OP knows she'll soon sell the property & this all can't happen again.

OP did say it.

Her third post explains that these people are in the process of buying her house, and that the sale is quite far along in the process. This wasn’t a first viewing.

icelollycraving · 05/06/2021 11:32

The Covid aspect seems not the issue, your expectation of the EA wearing gloves seems a bit OTT to me.
I would however be pissed off at the state they left it in. Furniture moved suggests it was the buyer. Maybe they checked the water pressure etc, maybe they christened the bed. Whatever happened I would be going mad at the EA.
If you don’t want to lose the sale, I’d be pushing for a professional clean at least. I’d also worry that they aren’t as committed to doing this properly and respectfully.

strangeshapedpotato · 05/06/2021 11:43

So the estate agent needed a venue for the affair they're having.

Either invented the visit by prospective buyers to cover, or used the property after they'd gone.

lljkk · 05/06/2021 12:27

Better to point out that OP called them "buyers" in middle of first post. My bad for assuming estate agent was handling a "viewing". Hopefully they have exchanged so whole situation will be past tense very soon.

Original poster
Idontwantarow · 05/06/2021 18:25

I did speak to an agent today (not the one who I have been dealing with) he did agree that it was outrageous and he would look further in to the matter.
I did suggest a renegotiation of fee. But he said (very firmly) that wouldn’t be possible under any circumstances.....

OP posts:
Original poster
Idontwantarow · 05/06/2021 18:32

Family are advising that I say it’s renegotiated or I pull out, go to their regulators and the local newspaper.
Is this good advice?
Or could it just blow up in my face ....
To be honest I think I know the answer 😂😂😂

OP posts:
SkyeIsPink · 05/06/2021 18:33

I think you should contact the buyers directly as I don’t think they did this, it doesn’t make any sense.

Di11y · 05/06/2021 18:35

If it's far down the line sounds like they may be been looking behind furniture for damp, checking shower pressure etc? All reasonable but obviously the mess isn't. Agent should have been there of course.

icelollycraving · 05/06/2021 18:37

At what stage are you? Exchanged?

MadeForThis · 05/06/2021 18:40

Contact the buyers and get their story.

Moonshine11 · 05/06/2021 18:41

Yeah I would get in touch with buyers

FeatheredHope · 05/06/2021 18:41

Personally I wouldn’t believe anything an estate agent says...

MRex · 05/06/2021 18:44

I don't think it was the buyers, it was someone at the agency having a shag. And no way would that estate agent get away without compensating at least the cost of the mattress and a cleaning fee for the rest of the house.

Original poster
Idontwantarow · 05/06/2021 18:45

Unfortunately, I am not in the position to contact the buyers.
They were messaging me several times each day.
So I asked that all communication was to go through the estate agent.
So I cannot now contact them when I asked them not to contact me directly.
Argh!

OP posts:
Original poster
Idontwantarow · 05/06/2021 18:45

And sorry, no we haven’t exchanged.
Haven’t even got a date for it..

OP posts:
MRex · 05/06/2021 18:48

Yes you can, you can contact them directly via your solicitor. Who can also advise you on steps to take with the estate agent.

omgthepain · 05/06/2021 18:50

I'd report it to

www.arla.co.uk/join/letting-agents.aspx

And I'd also call 111 and say the agents let viewers in in-authorised and in-supervised and get an incident number at the very least

That should shake them up a bit

But I'd be fuming I would use that agent not a chance x