Another Estate Agents claim for fees knocked back!

chickmug

vet8 wrote: »

Reading this thread, the bit I find amazing is the idea of EAs accompanying buyers on a house viewing.

Eh?? What's that??

Every time I have sold a house and I have sold 4 now and every single time I have viewed houses for sale which must mount up to dozens, I have never been accompanied by an EA. In fact as the vendor the EAs I have used (several different firms) have never even offered to accompany buyers.

It amazes me they have the cheek to charge what they do.

Interesting as an EA I feel that accompanied viewings should only be where there are vulnerable sellers in the house. Even then the seller can ask a member of their family or a friend to be present. Bear in mind the EA's often employ the retired or the housewife both of who can turn out any times at the drop of a hat

Most buyers would rather NOT have the pressure of the EA and talk direct to the sellers about the area, neighbours, etc.

On your other point -- sorry we charge for services as we are not a charity and do have considerable bills to pay.

chickmug

jimc wrote: »

I totally agree with this and think the ruling has gone a step too far if the Agent didn't have the normal 'severance payment' clause in their agreements to cover these costs and the work done so far. I would have thought this to be perfectly reasonable but I have no idea whether this was the case or not here.

If the Agent did get a payment for services carried out up to the date of the ending of the instruction then I have no problems with it.

EA's need to be more approachable & write their terms in Plain English. My terms have a number of interesting aspects to them which you would be surprised about but sellers are left a copy to read, sign and alter if they wish. Very rare to get a request to alter except for smart bums who once may have been an EA. Nowt so annoying for an EA to deal with an EA.

vet8

chickmug wrote: »

Interesting as an EA I feel that accompanied viewings should only be where there are vulnerable sellers in the house. Even then the seller can ask a member of their family or a friend to be present. Bear in mind the EA's often employ the retired or the housewife both of who can turn out any times at the drop of a hat

Most buyers would rather NOT have the pressure of the EA and talk direct to the sellers about the area, neighbours, etc.

On your other point -- sorry we charge for services as we are not a charity and do have considerable bills to pay.

As a seller I absolutely hate showing people around, I would far rather the EA did it and I feel they should do so as they charge a fortune.

I have no objection to paying the EA as they clearly do a job and need payment for that, but I find the prices charged far too high. I have been asking around local firms here as we are thinking of selling and all the EAs say they charge between 1% and 2.5% "depending". I am not sure what it is dependant upon, but that is a huge price descrepancy. If the house is worth £300,000 say that means anywhere bewteen £3,000 and £7,500. Even at the lower end I do not see how the work most EAs does can justify that charge.

chickmug

vet8 wrote: »

As a seller I absolutely hate showing people around, I would far rather the EA did it and I feel they should do so as they charge a fortune.

I have no objection to paying the EA as they clearly do a job and need payment for that, but I find the prices charged far too high. I have been asking around local firms here as we are thinking of selling and all the EAs say they charge between 1% and 2.5% "depending". I am not sure what it is dependant upon, but that is a huge price descrepancy. If the house is worth £300,000 say that means anywhere bewteen £3,000 and £7,500. Even at the lower end I do not see how the work most EAs does can justify that charge.

Yes I know some sellers hate viewings but I also know that some 'would be' buyers hate being shown around the EA. Hence when I say get a friend or relative to be with you or even show people around.

My fees on which I operate a 'no haggle' policy are 1.5% + Vat and when I look at the bills each month, and year, I have no intention of reducing otherwise what would be the point of me running a business.

I wish we could be paid on the basis of 'time spent' but I doubt any seller would be happy about it. When I look back over the extremes of time/money spent to sell a property the variation is vast and I mean vast. If sellers paid on a 'time/costs spent' basis and if sellers/buyers did not try and shaft us for fees I guess the rates could come down a significant amountt.

I am here to make a living and don't expect everyone to use me recognising some will try privately or some sell online.

Do you get paid for your work?

Troubled_Joe

chickmug wrote: »

Yes I know some sellers hate viewings but I also know that some 'would be' buyers hate being shown around the EA. Hence when I say get a friend or relative to be with you or even show people around.

My fees on which I operate a 'no haggle' policy are 1.5% + Vat and when I look at the bills each month, and year, I have no intention of reducing otherwise what would be the point of me running a business.

I wish we could be paid on the basis of 'time spent' but I doubt any seller would be happy about it. When I look back over the extremes of time/money spent to sell a property the variation is vast and I mean vast. If sellers paid on a 'time/costs spent' basis and if sellers/buyers did not try and shaft us for fees I guess the rates could come down a significant amountt.

I am here to make a living and don't expect everyone to use me recognising some will try privately or some sell online.

Do you get paid for your work?

Purely out of interest what would you estimate as an average hourly charge based on your revenues if you did charge on the basis of time spent as solicitors/accounts etc would do?

vet8

Chickmug, your prices seem very fair. I wish you operated around here!

I have said that I don't mind paying EAs, they clearly do a job and need paying, but it is the lack of clarity about charging that I object to.

Just as an example, when we bought our last house we went into the EA and said what sort of house we were after. He said he had just come back from a valuation and had just the right house. He had not even had a chance to transcribe his handwritten notes, but as they had sold the same house 3 years previously, he gave us the info. from then. We viewed the house that afternoon and put in an offer.

The EA had done nothing apart from go around and see the house, he had not printed any leaflets, advertised the house, shown people around etc etc. but he still charged the same fee.

Now I know this is pretty unusual, we were lucky that we arrived at just the right time, but I still think that a different fee structure would be better understood by buyers.

And yes, I am paid, but paid for the hours I work.:D

chickmug

Troubled_Joe wrote: »

Purely out of interest what would you estimate as an average hourly charge based on your revenues if you did charge on the basis of time spent as solicitors/accounts etc would do?

Excellent point but I don't have an answer that comes to mind as I have never thought it through. The down side is those that are paid regardless whether by the hour or quote per job don't have the same incentive to go that extra mile. If I were in their shoes I ask would I still get stresed on behalf on sellers. I would like to think so because I do share each and every sellers stress now.

chickmug

vet8 wrote: »

And yes, I am paid, but paid for the hours I work.:D

Same as me