Buyer first viewed with our old EA - what is the rule?

[Everywhichway2018]

We changed EAs yesterday. Today we got an email from new EA saying someone who had previously viewed with old EA wants a second viewing. I have no official contract with first EA but do with new EA - though this was originally a multi-agent contract with first EA.
What should I do?

Depends on your contract, although most EA expect to be paid commission if someone they introuced goes on to buy your property.

What you do is refer your new Estate Agent to your old ones, and ask them to sort it out between them. Make it clear to the new one you will only pay one set of fees.

The EAs sort this out between themselves.

There are no hard and fast rules here. You need to read your contract with both EAs. You might end up having to pay commission to both EAs depending on how the contract with the second EA is written. Usually you'd give the new EA a list of people introduced by your first EA and specifically exclude them from triggering the commission payment but again, it depends on what your contract says.

Almost certainly you'll have to pay the first EA even though you are out of contract with them. Most EAs include a term in their contract to ensure that if any person they introduce goes on to buy the property they get the commission.

We recently had this. Our highest offer needed up being a couple who had viewed our house when it was on with another agent. We didn't accept as we'd have had to have paid the original agent (who were useless) rather than the agents who sold our house (who were great!) It was written in to the contract that if they introduced the purchaser they were entitled to fees. Luckily we had 5 offers so we didn't miss out on the sale!