EA sent bills to us without asking us if we were happy to pay!

egyptiangirl

Our mortgage company wanted us to get some quotes on work mentioned in the survey.
We didn't know what to start with so popped into the EA. He said 'Don't worry, we will sort that'.
So we recieved them and sent them off. All fine.
Except today we get sent 2 invoices totalling £150 for these quotes from the trades people. At no point were we asked if we would be happy to pay and they didn't mention us paying for quotes at any point.

So, do we have to pay them? Surely they should have had the decency to a) indicate there would be mony involved when they offered and b) ask us whether we were happy with that?

Any ideas? thanks

betmunch

I think you can argue that the EA instructed the trades people so they should pay the invoice.

Problem with this is that I am using common sense rather than any legal knowledge!!!

I would write back and say thanks very much for your invoice, but the EA that asked you to come round said they would take care of this, please send your invoice to them. Then see what happens!

princeofpounds

Wow.

I'd send back the invoices, state in writing that there was no contract, or terms and conditions that you were presented with, that implied there was any kind of bill or service being provided, that you did not instruct these workmen and so you accept no liability for these invoices.

It's not clear, are you buying or selling? If a buyer, I would put on further pressure by stating that you are considering pulling out of the sale thanks to the manner in which you have been treated.

Riq

You asked the estate agent to perform a duty by arranging for this work to be sorted.

Then they invoiced you for it.


Seems fair to me.

googler

"So we recieved them and sent them off. All fine."

So, the EA got the quotes, you 'received' these quotes, and then 'sent them off'?

Sent them off where? Back to the EA?

If so, what did you say when you sent them off to them? Did you approve the quotes?

If you didn't approve the quotes, what did you send to the EA?

sonastin

Riq wrote: »

You asked the estate agent to perform a duty by arranging for this work to be sorted.

Then they invoiced you for it.


Seems fair to me.

As I understand it, they asked the EA for help in finding out how much it would cost to get work done. I would have expected it to be free, and I would certainly expect to be told if I was going to have to pay to find this out. That way, I could try to find my own trademan who would quote for free, or if the nature of the work dictated it, I would know that and would know a)why and b)how much I would have to pay for the quote.

Being presented with a bill for providing a quote without being informed that that was the arrangement is unacceptable.

poppysarah

Quotes that cost money! Shocking - people do it for free ... and if the EA wanted paying for getting them they need to have told you in advance.

Running_Horse

Please clarify. Is it £150 for arranging the quotes, or for actual work done?

Are you not willing to get quotes yourself?

If not, then those who do will expect to be paid for their time.

sonastin

googler wrote: »

"So we recieved them and sent them off. All fine."

So, the EA got the quotes, you 'received' these quotes, and then 'sent them off'?

Sent them off where? Back to the EA?

If so, what did you say when you sent them off to them? Did you approve the quotes?

If you didn't approve the quotes, what did you send to the EA?

Received quotes and sent them to the mortgage company that asked for them originally?

Imp

Both the EA and the companies which quoted for the work will have had to spend time, and therefore money, on producing the quotations.

It seems fair and reasonable to reimburse them for this time, especially as it isn't a "real job" yet which is certain to go ahead.

poppysarah

Imp wrote: »

Both the EA and the companies which quoted for the work will have had to spend time, and therefore money, on producing the quotations.

It seems fair and reasonable to reimburse them for this time, especially as it isn't a "real job" yet which is certain to go ahead.

But if the OP had been told how much it would cost then they could have done it themselves