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Buyer estate agent fees?

wacko2k
wacko2k Posts: 32 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Is it likely that the buyer will be charged a fee by the estate agent?
«1

Comments

  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    No, never. Not unless you're buying an auction property in which case you sometimes need to watch out.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Eric1
    Eric1 Posts: 490 Forumite
    Hard to imagine.
    For what exactly?
  • timmyt
    timmyt Posts: 1,628 Forumite
    edited 26 February 2010 at 12:48AM
    the only angle i have seen is when a buyer needs to get under the SDLT threshold and some agents will suggest the seller's fee is paid by the Buyer.

    e.g Seller wants £255k for the property, so he says to the buyer 'pay £250k plus my £5k fees'. Buyer thinks £250k is under threshold, but in fact the extra £5k is a fraud and the Revenue will treat it as an overall price of £255k....and will come after the fraudsters. That is the only time I have come across the Buyer paying (or being asked to pay) a sellers estate agent fee....

    Dont be tempted, the Revenue will view this as a fraud.
    My posts are just my opinions and are not offered as legal advice - though I consider them darn fine opinions none the less.:cool2:

    My bad spelling...well I rush type these opinions on my own time, so sorry, but they are free.:o
  • wacko2k
    wacko2k Posts: 32 Forumite
    Didn't think so but just wanted to check! Thanks for all the fast responses.
  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timmyt wrote: »
    the only angle i have seen is when a buyer needs to get under the SDLT threshold and some agents will suggest the seller's fee is paid by the Buyer.

    Dont be tempted, the Revenue will view this as a fraud.

    The SDLT is paid on the purchase price, the 'consideration' - how do fees have any effect on this?

    Surely if the buyer wants to pay less they SHOULDN'T pay the seller's fee...?
  • timmyt
    timmyt Posts: 1,628 Forumite
    googler - just help the OP if you have anything to say new, that is why were are here
    My posts are just my opinions and are not offered as legal advice - though I consider them darn fine opinions none the less.:cool2:

    My bad spelling...well I rush type these opinions on my own time, so sorry, but they are free.:o
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timmyt wrote: »
    googler - just help the OP if you have anything to say new, that is why were are here

    ??????!!!!!!!!!???

    He did.
  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timmyt wrote: »
    googler - just help the OP if you have anything to say new, that is why were are here

    Just EXPLAIN what you mean by your post. In case you missed it, that's what I was asking YOU, not the OP.

    We're not here to blindly accept your pontifications on various actual, assumed or mythical 'angles' that you think EAs or National EAs indulge in. Kindly explain your post.
  • timmyt
    timmyt Posts: 1,628 Forumite
    no probs, more details for you above. keep viewing my posts.
    My posts are just my opinions and are not offered as legal advice - though I consider them darn fine opinions none the less.:cool2:

    My bad spelling...well I rush type these opinions on my own time, so sorry, but they are free.:o
  • Wanton
    Wanton Posts: 173 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    There were cases a few years ago where buyers agreed to purchase the property for £160,000 (for example) but were paying £149,000 for the property, then £11,000 for the other things such as curtains, light fittings, sellers fee's etc to try and avoid stamp duty. This was stopped and anyone now doing it would face prosecution. I think thats what timmyt is getting at.
This discussion has been closed.
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