HELP PLEASE!! - Estate agent problems ! (First time buyers)

googler

"a few weeks later we rang the estate agent for access to the property so that an electrical check could be carried out, he said no, the vendors will not allow you access to the property again. We asked and asked and was repeatedly told no, and was even laughed at as if we were asking for something completely unreasonable. We were told that once contracts had been exchanged we can do all the checks we like but until then your not looking at it again (which is the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard)"

FWIW, if you were buying in Scotland, once your written offer has been accepted, it's standard practice that you don't have further access to the property until missives are concluded (equivalent of contract exchange).

DPJames

I think you already know what you should do and are just waiting to be told to do it. You've been entirely reasonable in your requests and you solicitor is doing an excellent job in protecting your interests. I'd get the solicitor to give them the ultimatum of access now or find another mug to con and pressurise. And maybe another letter to the actual vendors stating your displeasure with the way you've been bullied by the estate agent and that if things arn't rectified soon this'll be the last communication you'll have with them. And in the meantime look for other potential houses/flats.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes wont you?

Ignite

What details have you been given for the vendors by the agent? Do they live near you? If so, do what we did in the end and hand deliver a letter (quicker than the post) stating that you need to have a) a survey done, b) an electrical survey, and c) check the property inc the loft space. Let them know that the agents have been saying that access for this is being denied by the vendors and that this is holding up the deal. Also state that should you not be given access for all of this that you will pull out of the purchase.

When we purchased, we found that the agents weren't telling the vendors the whole story and that the solicitors for the vendors (countrywide) were a bunch of incompetents and that the agents were probably covering for their solicitors. In the end, a letter from ourselves to the vendors helped to grease the wheels of the deal.

DVardysShadow

DPJames wrote: »

I think you already know what you should do and are just waiting to be told to do it. You've been entirely reasonable in your requests and you solicitor is doing an excellent job in protecting your interests. I'd get the solicitor to give them the ultimatum of access now or find another mug to con and pressurise. And maybe another letter to the actual vendors stating your displeasure with the way you've been bullied by the estate agent and that if things arn't rectified soon this'll be the last communication you'll have with them. And in the meantime look for other potential houses/flats.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes wont you?

I absolutely agree with this. The instruction should be given to the solicitor in writing.

Dear <solicitor>

With reference to our purchase of <property>, as you are aware, the Agent has been denying access to the property firstly for an electrical inspection and more recently for a final check before signing contracts. However, the Agent is also pressing for contracts to be exchanged.

As a result of this, we are no longer prepared to purchase the property and we would ask you advise the vendors solicitor accordingly. When writing to the vendor's solicitor, we would ask you to state "My clients have been denied access to the property by the Agent for an electrical inspection and for a final review before exchanging contracts. They consider that under these circumstances they would be unwise to continue with the purchase. Of course, if the Agent is acting outwith your clients instructions, our clients would wish to be advised".

Yours sincerely

matmatmat


By writing in this way, the message will go direct to the vendor without the Agent being able to filter. If the Agent is playing a game against the vendor's wishes, you can bet that they will be back to put things on track. But if it is instigated by the vendors, then that will be the end of it.

Don't hold your breath, carry on looking.

pippa80

I agree - we're in the process of buying our first flat and the vendors have agreed to every check etc. Your situation sounds dodgy in the extreme.

Chinkle

There's definitely something dodgy going on here and sounds like the EA is either directly involved or colluding with the vendor to try to pull the wool over your eyes.

By all means give them all ultimatum to provide access or you'll be pulling out - but quite frankly I'd just pull out. There's something they're trying to hide from you about the property.

Kimmy2309

I would run a mile if I were you. It sounds like there is something very fishy going on. When we purchased our flat earlier this year we viewed the property twice before putting in our offer and came back one other time to measure up for stuff/check the condition of the flat hadn't changed. The EA had no problem with this.

olly300

Pull out as suggested by DVardyShadow and switch your mobile off while at work for the next three weeks.

If your partner wants to contact you in an emergency then they are just going to have contact you via official work channels.

<sebb>

It's still not clear to me that the vendors are aware of the EA's behaviour. Before pulling out of a sale, I suggest direct contact with them. I had a friend where the EA caused all sorts of trouble telling the vendor that they were demanding all sorts of things they never had even mentioned thinking he was being helpful. The vendor pulled out stating that my friends were being unreasonable, and when they finally got in touch with the vendor to sort things out they found out all the lies the EA had told.

DVardysShadow

<sebb> wrote: »

It's still not clear to me that the vendors are aware of the EA's behaviour. Before pulling out of a sale, I suggest direct contact with them.

It is not clear to me that the vendors are aware. However, the difficulty with the electrical inspection does not look like typical Agent games - whereas pressure to exchange does.

If it is just the Agent playing games, it is still up to the vendor to control the agent. This is why I suggest pulling out via the solicitor's letter - it applies a hefty kick to the vendor's perceptions if they are unaware, while leaving the OP immediately free to look elsewhere. To my mind, a !!!!!foot word in the agent's ear does not cut it for this situation.