Estate Agent Agreement

petunia100

I signed up for an estate agent for 12 weeks and now after 5 weeks they do not seem to be doing what they said they would do. Can I start using others or do I have to wait until the 12 weeks is up? I know that they will charge double if I do but I'd rather sell the property and pay more.
Also does being with them stop us from advertising privately as well?

Natty082

Hi,

I assume your on a 'sole' agency not 'multiple' agency contract with them?

Also can you explain what they aren't doing right?

Jorgan_2

Whether or not you can advertise privately depends on on the type of agreement you have signed, with a sole agency it isn't usually a problem, but a no no with sole selling rights.

Normally you are tied to the agent for the 12 week period and can't go with anyone else, again check what you have signed.

jimc_2

Sorry to disagree, but if all the OP intends to do is to ADVERTISE alongside the (non)efforts of the agent, there is absolutely nothing to stop him/her doing so as long as the enquiries are passed back to the agent.

Problems only arise if a seller is trying to SELL the property directly (or via a different agent) during the Agency contract period. If any advert respondents are referred back to the agent then no rules are broken.

It's no different than the home-made leaflets I've started to get pushed through my letterbox by local sellers with details of their house and asking if I'm interested to contact XXXAgents. (I know they're home-made because I found out one of their stories at the local! They were just fed up with the agent who they though had gone into protective hibernation to live out the crisis instead of working harder.

It never hurts to advertise privately and might just 'help' the agent to get a viewing for you!