Connells withdrawal fee - advice needed

clutton_2

happy new year !!! get on with having a better 2010... when i am sure you will read everything put before you !!!!

pinkshoes

I thought the exit fees were payable if you cut short their contract, so if you ended it after the agreed fix term, why do you have to pay when the contract is already over???

roger196

1 ring trading standards for advice as to whether this is a fair term.
2 write to EA head office saying that you intend to give widespread publicity to this charge. In my experience( others may disagree), this charge is unusual and the local press might be interested in protecting consumers etc...They might like to consider their position before you call in the press, tv watchdog etc.

tinyteeny

Thank you Cluttons Happy New Year to you too and don't worry I will be once bitten twice shy and all that..

Pinkshoes unfortunately that's not the case.

adg1

The only case I can see you have is that they told you to read the contract after you had signed it, in a fleeting manor as they ran out of the door.

On the flip side, you signed something without reading it.

You can argue that they didn't explain fees properly to you, but equally they were in the terms and conditions so had you read that prior to signing then you'd have been able to question the agent and argue the fees.

I think you'll be batting up against a brick wall with the agent. Keep arguing with them but as soon as it starts to cost you money to do so I'd stop and cut your losses.

maryanne209

Tinyteeny, Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We are also with Connells and coming to the end of our 12 weeks agreement.We also never read that small print and the EA never once mentioned it to us , only a no sale no fee after 12 weeks. At least we will be able to argue the point now. It is most unusual for an estate agent to do this. We are not happy with Connells either and will go with a different EA next time.

Gwhiz

New Years Resolution No. 6 - READ WHAT YOU SIGN!!!!

HellsGranny

If it says No Sale, No Fee after 12 weeks, amd you have exceeded the 12 weeks, surely there's some misleading startement there, (Miss selling, maybe?) But you still should have read the small print first!

Another scam to beware of is Sole Selling Rights, never, ever agree to these terms, or you will be paying two Estate agents' fees.

Cheers, HG

tinyteeny

I just thought I would update you.

I sent in a second complaint letter a little while back. Thank you Unclepetey for helping me to make my point more succinct. I did say I would take my complaint to the Ombudsman to see what their code actually intended with regards to withdrawal fees.

I have received Connells response and they are refunding the fee. They sate that this is because

"there was sufficient doubt as to whether the withdrawal fee had been fully explained to you prior to you signing an agency agreement with the *** branch of Connells"


I hope that helps someone else

Fire_Fox

Thanks for updating and well done for taking it further and winning. Please learn a lesson as next time you may not be so lucky.