FTB - unhelpful estate agent

bobbadog

I'd definitely try different agents! My London flat is on the market at the moment (2 beds if you're interested!) and i'd be mortified if the agents handling it were so rude! BEst of luck! x

ruthtc

if that were me selling my place through them, I'd be extremely annoyed at that kind of attitude towards potential buyers...especially as it's me (not you!) paying their fees

however - don't forget you're not buying an estate agent:), you're buying a house - so whilst it's a lot about 'heart' keep focussed on the business part of it as well...if they are the ones with the best selection i'd not bin them, just appreciate it's not necessarily going to be a warm and fluffy experience!

i'd keep watching via their website/RM, and follow up (either go back in or ring up and speak to someone else) to keep showing you're serious, interested and still looking.

FTBFun

The agent wouldn't be the one that begins with "F", would it?

honey9

no, it's one that begins with 'H'

We won't be going near the F-word unless we get desperate, there are plenty of estate agents in London thank goodness!

FTBFun

Good! I had a right palaver with one of their agents constantly showing me properties with less than 80 years left on the lease (which was "fine", apparently). Luckily I'm buying something not advertised by them!

Good luck, and I agree with the other advice here.

betmunch

Sounds to me like hes just a douche whos not happy with his job!

I'd write to the manager and explain that you will no longer be considering their properties due to the disinterest of the staff

googler

Wow. So many folks saying 'write to the manager and complain' on the basis of one visit, which lasted..... how long?

Here's a thought or two.

Maybe the EA was having an off-day. Maybe they were feeling sick. Maybe they'd just had some bad news. Maybe a loved one was ill, or in hospital.

Maybe their manager, who everyone wants you to now complain to, wouldn't let them take time off to see to their family affairs, or go home to recuperate.

Now if the same pattern is repeated over 2 or 3 visits, that's a different matter...... but on the basis of one short visit?

Jowo_2

I understand your reservations because personally I wouldn't have recommended making a complaint.

But a professional approach by any person in their career is that you put the customer first and put your own personal problems aside. A good aspect of customer care is to be polite and keen.

This EA acts as a gatekeeper between buyer and seller and is essentially a salesman.

These buyers sounded like a gift and he alienated them. He's in the wrong job and isn't necessarily having a bad 5 mins...

blackshirtuk

I understand your husbands concerns about leashold, consider this:-

2 bed house £250k freehold
2 bed flat £250k leasehold 99 year lease

after 30 years assuming no house price rise !?!

2 bed house 250k
2bed house 250k but you need to pay freeholder to renew lease as mortgage companies don't like leases under 80 years an wont lend. this could cost 10's of thousands, more if property prices have risen!?!

I know which i would prefer.

DVardysShadow

googler wrote: »

Would you be posting on a forum like this if you'd walked into Tesco or M&S and the assistant there was 'disinterested' ...?

If you encountered one disinterested assistant in a supermarket, would you be asking "Are all supermarkets going to be like this?"

googler wrote: »

Wow. So many folks saying 'write to the manager and complain' on the basis of one visit, which lasted..... how long?

Here's a thought or two.

Maybe the EA was having an off-day. Maybe they were feeling sick. Maybe they'd just had some bad news. Maybe a loved one was ill, or in hospital.

Maybe their manager, who everyone wants you to now complain to, wouldn't let them take time off to see to their family affairs, or go home to recuperate.

Now if the same pattern is repeated over 2 or 3 visits, that's a different matter...... but on the basis of one short visit?

It is still an odd way to treat someone walking through your door bearing £250,000 which could go to your client. Obviously the agent does not understand that, but what do you think, googler?