Are estate agents allowed to lie about offers?

Debt_Free_Chick

GDB2222 wrote: »

If they are fixtures then by definition they form part of the property. Generally, carpets and curtains are included in the sale price.

Interesting ..... the EAs I've spoken to about marketing my property all state that the items included are those specifically stated as "included" in the sale particulars. Everything else - including carpets & curtains (and in my case, the AGA) - is "for separate negotation".

I thought light fittings, for example, could be excluded and if removed by the Seller, must be replaced by a cheap plastic thingie that enables a lamp to be connected. So you could remove all light fittings and simply leave lamps hanging from the basic white plastic fitting

toocan

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Firstly, check what's included.

Then think about what you actually want - is it just "tat"?

Then wait for the Sellers Information Form. You get this from your solicitor before you exchange. See what's included; see what you actually want.

In the current market? Demand - nicely - what you want, at no extra cost.

F&Fs are just that - generally "fixed" so it's actually a pain for the Seller to remove them and make good any damage. The Seller will only want to do this if they are of huge sentimental value - although, Sellers (me included) tend to attach emotion and/or an inflated value to such things.

Wait until you are close to exchange and then suggest they "throw in x, y & z" as well.

It's a game of bluff & double-bluff though. Will they refuse and stick it out? Will you be prepared to go ahead without the F&Fs you want? Personal decision really.

cracking advise. would i check whats included on monday when the EA gets back to me? the house is a stunning period house and the F&F are really nice things like wood fooring blinds and fitted wardrobes. so the more thats included the better really. I know there desperate to sell if that makes a difference

GDB2222

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Interesting ..... the EAs I've spoken to about marketing my property all state that the items included are those specifically stated as "included" in the sale particulars. Everything else - including carpets & curtains (and in my case, the AGA) - is "for separate negotation".

I thought light fittings, for example, could be excluded and if removed by the Seller, must be replaced by a cheap plastic thingie that enables a lamp to be connected. So you could remove all light fittings and simply leave lamps hanging from the basic white plastic fitting

What you have said is quite correct, but theory and practice are not the same. In theory, you could offer the carpets by negotiation, but what can you do if the buyer says no? Take them to your new place and cut and stitch them to fit? Hardly! Curtains tend to be similar. Similarly, unless the light fittings are something pretty special, the cost of an electrician to remove them will be more than they are worth.

I've no idea about Agas. It may even be a fixture, I don't know. Does the central heating run off it?

Tiger_greeneyes

It may not be the agent lying about an offer but the vendor - I recently offered £130k on a property (through the EA) and the vendor said she had an offer of £138k from a private sale. Obviously the EA didn't have any proof of that but had to pass on that information. I banked on it being a tactic to get me to offer over £138k - I counter-offered £133k and got the house immediately.

It's all part and parcel of the house-buying negotiations. A property is only worth what a buyer is prepared to pay for it. Whether you believe them or not is really up to you and how much you want the property - sometimes they're being honest, others they're just tactics. Give it a few days and if their other buyer doesn't work out then they'll come back to you. If not, then it's up to you whether you want to increase your offer.

Pssst

Estate agents can lie as much as they like.

Their priority is to generate business and profit,not to give you service or sell a house for you. Thats purely secondary. Buyers and sellers on the books of estate agents are simply vehicles by which EAs make money. Of course they will lie and cheat if they have to. Prove it..

Mrs_pbradley936

With fixtures and fittings it is common and perfectly legal to negotiate a price a fraction lower for the stamp duty band and make up the difference in the fixtures and fittings. You can only do it for about £5K although that is not written down anywhere. A fixture and fitting is anything that could be unscrewed/pulled up and taken away i.e. carpets, light fittings, fitted wardrobes, cooker, hob, curtains, blinds, garden ornaments, shrubs etc. Most people do leave them because they do not fit where they are going but there is no obligation to do so and in any case the parties have to fill in a form saying what is included in the sale.

fatpig_2

toocan wrote: »

i did get the impression in the way she paused after saying someone had bid higher that she wanted me too. so my question is could this be a fib?

How to know if an EA is telling lies? Easy, his lips move. Hope this helps

fatpig_2

theGrinch wrote: »

invite the EA to put it in writing.

That may prove troublesome as most Estate Agents lack basic reading and writing skills.

wishiwasarichgirl

Speak to the sellers. When I initially viewed my house I asked what was being left and what they were taking. Not that they had much I would have wanted anyway, I was just checking what I needed to buy.
Good idea to check though, cos they told me they were taking the curtain poles from the living room (ugly things anyway) cos they had them specially made, so I knew I needed to get new poles.
They also told me they were taking all the white goods, and the oven was going to the skip cos it was tatty (but still worked). I asked them to leave it so I wouldn't have to buy a new one, and it did me for 2 years!

You do get a form later in the purchase process where the sellers are supposed to list everything they are taking/leaving so I suppose some negotiating could be done at that point.

theGrinch

i dealt with an EA last year and they would never write but phone and tell me things. Even when I would write they would phone. I came to the conclusion, that they didnt want to put anything in writing.

it was a probate sale for distant relatives, which dragged on. offers were not put forward, no questions were asked about financing and there were many question marks over their whole handling. in the end the property was sold and then resold within a month for a 70k profit. they made up their minds who they wanted to buy.

its practices like this that give all EAs a bad name.

if an EA refuses to put it in writing and it is nothing more than a reasonable request, then you can make you mind up.

personally, its no good having an offer on the table unless you can exchange and complete. there are many more offers in this world than successful transactions.