Viewing advice please?

[WatchOutLurkerAbout]

We sold our house in December due to covid it got delayed. Our buyers are ill so again it's still on pause. This has given us chance to find our dream house. Which we have.

The current owner of the house we love is over 65. However over the past three weeks, through email with the agent asking questions, getting further photos etc the vendor has said that she will move into rented to facilitate a fast sale and was eager to help. The vendor and this agent have both been really lovely, talkative and helpful.

That estate agent has now been furloughed and the house is being managed by another branch of the same company. Since then the new agent has been unwilling to engage and has today refused to allow viewings without asking the vendors opinion. It is simply their company policy.

We understand over 65 is shielding. We have unworn new gloves and masks and a vat of hand gel. We do not have symptoms and would touch nothing in and out ASAP and would be making an offer very quickly after doing so. We have outlined this in several emails so they are aware.

Would I be out of line to send a response to the latest email along these lines?

^"Hi XXX

Thank you for getting back to me.
Appreciate under the circumstances it’s inadvisable to view a house occupied by someone over 65. However please can you confirm the vendor has made this decision and it has not been made on their behalf.
We got the impression from the vendor that they were very keen to sell. We are very serious about making an offer on this property, but we are reluctant to continue without making a viewing first.

Thanks"
^

We also have the vendors full address as this new agent actually put it in an email subject heading if they refuse to ask the vendor would we be out of line to write a polite letter to the vendor?

refused to allow viewings without asking the vendors opinion. It is simply their company policy.

Which is fair enough - why don’t you just wait for them to ask the vendor, rather than hassling them accusing them of making a decision on behalf of the vendor, which they haven’t done?

They're not going to ask the vendor though and that's the sticking point for us. They're making the decision without asking the vendors opinion. If that was us and our agents were blocking a potential sale I'd be really mad.

This is the latest Government advice on house moves. Note that it was updated only last Thursday.

Sorry your post is quite confusing, which to be honest makes me think you might be confused. I suggest you clarify your understanding with the agent before barrelling in with accusations.

Fingers crossed you can view soon!

So... has the estate agent asked the vendor? Might be that there's no issue here. I can't imagine any estate agent not taking the opportunity to bank some commission cash.

When can you actually move, as you say you've not sold? If asap then perhaps you could use that as an opening gambit to the agent.