Confidentiality - or lack of it

ILW

Cannot see the problem, were you going to say the report was worse than it was as part of your negotions? If not I fail to see what difference it makes.

DVardysShadow

HappyMJ wrote: »

What did you expect the engineer to say when he dropped the keys back to the EA? It's probaby a general chat. They will know each other they probably see each other on a regular basis when picking up keys for other clients. It'll come up at some point "How'd the survey go". "Oh it's nothing too serious" and so on.... so what.

More or less along those lines, although surveyor probably did give an honest answer along the lines of a problem with the windows.

ConfusedDep wrote: »

I went to EA lunch time to arrange to borrow the keys so I can get quotes to do with the windows and before I say anything they said ooo good news about the survey glad it is not serious. I feigned ignorance and said I have not had the report yet but it is quite obvious that the engineer has reported back to them. In fact when I came out of the EA I saw the main contact I have been dealing from the EA and he reiterated the good news and it is quite clear they are less likely to negotiate as they do not feel it is an issue.

It is important to see this for exactly what it is. The Agent is spinning, which is his job. Your surveyor has probably told him that there is an issue - and may well have said that there is nothing which should be a deal breaker - which is true. The Agent is bound to try and diminish the significance of it when speaking to you. To a certain extent, you have fallen for it too.

Just stick to the facts. X needs doing and will cost £X.. Just say that if the surveyor told the agent it is not a deal breaker, thta is true, but it is a surprise outwith your original offer and if the vendor accepts that it is not a deal breaker.

At this point, although things have not gone right, no real damage has been done - except that you have been deflected from negotiating to grieving about this information being passed. If you get a grip and focus on negotiating, it will be fine. But if you remain deflected, you will not be able to deal with the agent. Bear in mind that friction between you and your surveyor may be what the agent would want.

lee636

DVardysShadow wrote: »

More or less along those lines, although surveyor probably did give an honest answer along the lines of a problem with the windows.



It is important to see this for exactly what it is. The Agent is spinning, which is his job. Your surveyor has probably told him that there is an issue - and may well have said that there is nothing which should be a deal breaker - which is true. The Agent is bound to try and diminish the significance of it when speaking to you. To a certain extent, you have fallen for it too.

Just stick to the facts. X needs doing and will cost £X.. Just say that if the surveyor told the agent it is not a deal breaker, thta is true, but it is a surprise outwith your original offer and if the vendor accepts that it is not a deal breaker.

At this point, although things have not gone right, no real damage has been done - except that you have been deflected from negotiating to grieving about this information being passed. If you get a grip and focus on negotiating, it will be fine. But if you remain deflected, you will not be able to deal with the agent. Bear in mind that friction between you and your surveyor may be what the agent would want.

Well said!

The main thing is focusing on where to go from here with regards to getting the property you obviously want. I can understand why your miffed but deal with that as a seperate issue.

globalds

HappyMJ wrote: »

What did you expect the engineer to say when he dropped the keys back to the EA? It's probaby a general chat. They will know each other they probably see each other on a regular basis when picking up keys for other clients. It'll come up at some point "How'd the survey go". "Oh it's nothing too serious" and so on.... so what.

I do tests on buildings as part of my job and I can assure you any body doing surveys or tests on buildings when there is more than one interested party is aware that any questions or requests for information should be pointed in the direction of the person paying for the tests ..if it is OK with them , then it is OK for me , if not , then I say nothing.

ILW wrote: »

Cannot see the problem, were you going to say the report was worse than it was as part of your negotions? If not I fail to see what difference it makes.

I take it you've never played poker.

ConfusedDep

Thanks for the replies

To confirm I am treating it as two issues, I have no problem with the EA they are doing exactly what I would expect them to do, which is why I paid for the report in the first place. I am having however to change my strategy which I do not like doing, as I wish to keep the matter separate I may get my solicitor to fire off a letter on the basis it will make me feel better.

I expected the engineer to say nothing if asked he should have said you will need to speak to my client. I paid therefore it was up to me what happened with that information not up to the engineer. Same as I would not expect a solicitor to blab he should have kept his mouth shut.

He is one of the partners in the firm I used but I will be putting in an official complaint (perhaps via the solicitor) having already spoken on the phone saying that I did not authorise any information to be released and that I was not happy. I know the EA should not get a hard copy and am waiting for my official in the post copy. This is not the first time i have used this company and not had problems in the past.

Have been arranging to get quotes today. One of the people quoting actually knew the engineer and wanted further information. I had someone with me and they basically said how unhappy we were with the service before he actually confessed he knew the engineer in person, and he will approach them for the information he requires to get a proper quote for the windows. He did say that he felt the report was insufficient for his purposes!

Fire_Fox

It is the principle. If the entire report had been disclosed to the vendor you'd be mightily peeved as you'd paid for it: if nothing had been disclosed you'd have no complaint. Somewhere between is a dividing line ... it's no more acceptable for your GP to discuss your infected toe with your neighbours than it is to discuss your fertility problems. Surveyors are (should be) professionals too.