Estate Agent - communication problems.

Charliezoo

Had our house valued on Monday and agreed to go with the agent. He advised us of a couple of things we should do before it goes on the market (give some areas a lick of paint and plaster over some holes where fittings have been removed). We agreed that the photos could be done on Friday evening and the house go on the market the following Monday which would give us enough time to get the work done (this was his recommendation as a good timescale). He said the board would go up at the weekend and he would make sure it was done when we were at home so we were happy with it. A number would be put on the board so there would be no confusion as to which property it was.

Well returning home from work today the board has gone up without us knowing, in the location we said we didn't want and without a number. The agent has also started pushing us to have viewings tonight. We certainly don't want to turn potential buyers down but we are feeling very rushed and there are decorating materials/wet paint etc so the house isn't really in the nicest state to view.

We are pleased that there is already interest in the property but we did instruct the agent not to put it on the market until Monday. Just a bit worried that they're already not listening to us and doing what we agreed during the valuation.

Is this just a normal estate agent's way of working or should we be concerned about this?

Colincbayley

A buyer is a buyer, paint and plaster into the night if you have to and get them round ASAP. By Monday they could have looked at another dozen properties.

Charliezoo

Colincbayley wrote: »

A buyer is a buyer, paint and plaster into the night if you have to and get them round ASAP. By Monday they could have looked at another dozen properties.

Yeah you're right but why has the agent put it on the market when we specifically asked him not to?

sausageandmash_2

Go in and ask them.

MissMoo

Well, it certainly wouldn't be our way of doing things but unfortunately every agent is different. Touting is illegal for example but some agents blatently do this regardless.

If they've told people about it and there is interest, that's great but in that situation we have have explained that we have a property coming onto the market next week and that viewings would be possible from such and such a date.

Charliezoo

Thanks MissMoo, we're not entirely happy with the was things have gone, afterall we assumed the agent would be working on our behalf. I've tried calling the agency partner who first valued the house to ask him what's going on but he left the office early today so I'll call him tomorrow.

If this continues and we're not happy, is there a time period when we can we get out of the contract and go to another agent or are we stuck with them now?

googler

Depends on what your contract says.

Regardless of what instructions you gave your agent, you should move heaven and earth to accommodate your viewers. As someone said, they may have looked at umpteen other properties before Monday and picked somewhere else. If you get them in and they like it, you might even have your sale sewn up by Monday!

Charliezoo

googler wrote: »

Depends on what your contract says.

Regardless of what instructions you gave your agent, you should move heaven and earth to accommodate your viewers. As someone said, they may have looked at umpteen other properties before Monday and picked somewhere else. If you get them in and they like it, you might even have your sale sewn up by Monday!

I totally understand that we should do everything we can to accomodate viewings but if we were told there wouldn't be any til next week then what are we supposed to do? I suppose really we shouldn't have had the valuation done so early but the agent didn't say this was a problem and it was one of the few occasions were my partner and I were both together at home and able to meet the agent personally.

Rather stupidly as well, the agent organised the EPC and their mortgage advisor to both come round tonight and tried to get us to allow the viewings at the same time as these appointments. I'm a little worried about how competent they actually are.

Hellyboro

Charliezoo wrote: »

I totally understand that we should do everything we can to accomodate viewings but if we were told there wouldn't be any til next week then what are we supposed to do? I suppose really we shouldn't have had the valuation done so early but the agent didn't say this was a problem and it was one of the few occasions were my partner and I were both together at home and able to meet the agent personally.

Rather stupidly as well, the agent organised the EPC and their mortgage advisor to both come round tonight and tried to get us to allow the viewings at the same time as these appointments. I'm a little worried about how competent they actually are.

Im not an expert on estate agency in houses but as a person who has recently helped my OH in his house move I dont think he would have liked to view along with a mortgage adviser and EPC inspector! I think that is a little unproffesional of the agent, a viewer wants 100% attention when they view. Grab any viewer you can though, my friend is desperate for even one viewing of her house and its been marketed since March!

sonastin

Allow the viewings and also give the EA a piece of your mind about how much trouble they have caused and how unprofessional they have been. Its not the viewers fault and they might be the ones to buy your house, but if you let the EA get away with it now they'll carry on offering up cr*p service and expecting to get paid a kings ransom for the privilege.

And check your contract to see how soon you can get rid of them and move on to someone who will listen...

9wizard9

The rules may have changed since I sold, but in the days of HIPS you weren't even allowed to market the property until some bits were complete, one of which was the EPC. I don't think I'd be best pleased...