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Original poster

Purple Bricks - arrrrggggghhhhh

27 replies

BookwormButNoTime · 27/02/2022 21:06

Just travelled four hours to view a property tomorrow in an area we are hoping to relocate to. Viewing first thing in the morning with Purple Bricks (but I think it is the owner who is doing the legwork). Literally JUST received an email to say that the viewing has been cancelled as the property is sold subject to contract.

So travel and accommodation costs up the spout. To say I am frustrated would be an understatement.

I know Purple Bricks are a way for people to save money BUT I shall honestly never make arrangements to view a property listed with them again.

OP posts:
Bellyups · 27/02/2022 21:08

Omg, I’d be funding if I were you Shock

Bellyups · 27/02/2022 21:08

Fuming

HeyDiddleDee · 27/02/2022 21:10

I’m sorry this has happened to you but I don’t think it’s specific to Purple Bricks. I’ve had viewings cancelled at pretty short notice by high street estate agents too (including one who didn’t actually cancel at all, when I rang to ask where he was to show me round he said “that one has sold, someone should have called you” Hmm

TheRealityCheque · 27/02/2022 21:14

Absolutely nothing to do with PB. House sold, taken off market - can and does regularly happen these days with all estate agents.

Lastqueenofscotland · 27/02/2022 21:16

@TheRealityCheque

Absolutely nothing to do with PB. House sold, taken off market - can and does regularly happen these days with all estate agents.
Yep this is very much it. The market is insane at the moment
Walesrecommendations · 27/02/2022 21:17

Happened to us with a high street agent when we were relocating 200 miles away, fortunately had other viewings booked. Its really hard though when you're not local and you can't just pop to a viewing.

Original poster
BookwormButNoTime · 27/02/2022 22:44

I just ask for a little common decency. We have viewed several houses recently - they have all allowed a ridiculous amount of viewings over a period of a week and then they have gone to best and final offers. I'm fine with that - the market is bonkers and it's a sellers market.

BUT we are cash buyers with a healthy budget, no chain etc. Blimey, if we can't even get a viewing then what hope do we have?????

OP posts:
redfairy · 28/02/2022 00:00

It is manic at the moment. I booked annual leave and arranged three viewings in one morning. Every single one was cancelled either the day before and in one case an hour before as they had sold. It's bonkers but not just a Purple Bricks thing.

Nandocushion · 28/02/2022 00:21

Anything else in the area you could view instead so your time isn't wasted?

Twiglets1 · 28/02/2022 11:52

I’ve had the same thing with Dexters. Travelled into London just for a viewing with my daughter... we were actually waiting outside the property but the agent didn’t turn up. She phoned them and at that point were informed that the property was now sold!

TheSecretaryBird · 28/02/2022 16:37

We had the same issue with Purple Bricks, and also made worse by the fact we are relocating about 600 miles. We also had the same thing with Yopa, but they were a lot more polite in how they told us so it didn’t seem so bad!

hotelhelp · 28/02/2022 16:39

Happened to me last week. Not their fault you travelled a while. Just the way of things atm.

Original poster
BookwormButNoTime · 28/02/2022 17:44

I think my issue with Purple Bricks is that as they are paid up front (I think, someone please correct me if I am wrong), they just want the properties sold. They have no incentive to offer professional advice to the owner.

The owner, bless him, has been very apologetic and didn’t realise that if he accepted an offer through PB that all other viewings would be cancelled. They were going to still go ahead with my viewing and if I also offered then weigh up the two. He offered me an “off the record” viewing but I declined as I really don’t want to get into a bidding war on a property already towards the top of our budget.

BUT I did pop into all the agents again to see them face to face and as luck would have it the property next door is coming on the market. They are identical so all is not lost!!!!!!!

OP posts:
user1471538283 · 28/02/2022 18:41

Purple Bricks and YOPA are shocking for this. The end to end experience is rubbish as well.

Guttedbuyer · 28/02/2022 18:54

You can keep saying it's PB but it's just not. This has happened to us twice now and other people are saying the same thing and they've clearly not all been PB.

If you made an offer in person with the vendor and they accepted surely you'd expect no more viewings?

It's absolutely devastating when it happens though. I honestly do feel your pain.

HaggisBurger · 28/02/2022 19:00

Drives me nuts as a house hunter people asking over a million pounds for London properties and using Purple Bricks. Tight b*stards. Use a proper estate agent like the rest of us. Peanuts / monkeys when it comes to the service they give at every part of the process.

guttedbuyer · 28/02/2022 19:05

The thing is houses are selling themselves at the minute so why bother paying for a more expensive EA when all you need is that initial post on Rightmove (if that!)

Twiglets1 · 01/03/2022 06:03

People are a bit foolish using agents like PB in my opinion - lots can go wrong between getting an offer and completion and a traditional estate agent will work hard if any problems arise (which they very often do!) on making sure the deal gets done so they get their commission.

JangolinaPitt · 01/03/2022 06:58

The owner, bless him, has been very apologetic and didn’t realise that if he accepted an offer through PB that all other viewings would be cancelled. They were going to still go ahead with my viewing and if I also offered then weigh up the two. He offered me an “off the record” viewing but I declined as I really don’t want to get into a bidding war on a property already towards the top of our budget.
And you approve of this owner’s attitude? If he accepts an offer you think he should renege on it? If an offfer is accepted the house goes off the market otherwise the offerer incurs costs. Appalling you think it okay to gazump.

SamuraiPizzaCats · 01/03/2022 06:59

I'm sure people have had good experiences with purple bricks but they nearly cost my mother her sanity and the solicitors that they use 'premier property lawyers' were even worse, not just incompetent but spiteful and sarcastic.

PurBal · 01/03/2022 07:07

I don’t think it’s a Purplebricks thing. I had arranged 4 viewings for Saturday on a Thursday and by Saturday morning 3 we’re cancelled. 1 cancelled on the Friday the other 2 on the Saturday morning. None with Purplebricks.

Glad to hear you have another property to view.

HaggisBurger · 01/03/2022 07:19

@Twiglets1

People are a bit foolish using agents like PB in my opinion - lots can go wrong between getting an offer and completion and a traditional estate agent will work hard if any problems arise (which they very often do!) on making sure the deal gets done so they get their commission.
Exactly! Getting a complex chain through to exchange is not something a PB agent will have the ability or impetus to do.
Ginandvomits · 01/03/2022 11:55

Very frustrating but as you've already incurred costs, use this time to view other properties and check out the area. It's not all wasted if you're new to the region.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/03/2022 09:11

Sickening, OP!

It wasn’t far away, only a half hour drive, but I once had a phone call from the EA, when I was literally half a dozen paces from the property, to say the owner had taken it off the market - in order to ‘make some improvements’.
Which were all super-cheaply done and bodged - we ended up eventually buying it and only had to rip them all out anyway.

Original poster
BookwormButNoTime · 02/03/2022 17:17

@JangolinaPitt If you read my message properly you will see the word “declined” because I know the way things work and didn’t want a bidding war. No, I don’t approve of the owners behaviour but I feel he was genuinely confused by the whole process and in using PB he had no professional advice from an agent. He therefore didn’t know that you don’t have to accept an offer straight away even if you’re happy with it. He also didn’t know that if he pressed the button to accept the offer that he was really obliged to not allow any further viewings. He was genuinely apologetic as he wanted to see if we offered and was surprised that PB had cancelled our viewing.

I think this is more my point. The owners are a retired couple, looking to downsize, only ever moved once before over 20 years ago. If you use PB or similar then you have nobody to guide you through the process. You just get cheap, and who knows, I could have made a higher offer.

OP posts: