Estate Agents have withdrawn our property from the market without consulting us

MISHMASHMOOSH

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can offer some advice on this...
We received a letter from Connells estate agent today, stating, Further to previous correspondence (None received) we have now terminated our contract with you and therefore withdrawn your property from the market.
They go on to demand payment within 14 working days for the HIP report which was carried out in April 2009, for £458.58 inc VAT.

Firstly, this is the first letter received from them. There has been no 'recent correspondence' regarding this matter.
Secondly, they have given no reason as to why they have decided to terminate the contract.

Our property has been on the market for over 2 years with Connells and in this time, we have had 1 viewing and a couple of cancelled viewings.
From day 1, the service has been very poor to say the least.
In my opinion, they have made to effort to market our property properly and other than the guy that came to sign us up, no one else there has even been to look at our property, despite me making this request on a number of ocassions. In my opinion, how can you sell something you haven't even seen?

Anyway, just wondered where we stand with this. If anyone can offer advice, it would be very much appreciated.

Gwhiz

Is this for real because I cannot understand why anyone would keep an agent on for 2 years if they are not performng?

Anyway - call them, that's the only way you are going to find out what's going on.

Blackpool_Saver

this has to be a wind up, you haven't paid a bill from 2009 and YOU wonder why they have terminated you ?????

MISHMASHMOOSH

The reason we have stayed with them is so we are not liable to pay for the HIP!
I have tried calling them to discuss so once they get back to me I will be giving them a piece of my mind.

Thanks for your response

Gwhiz

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

this has to be a wind up, you haven't paid a bill from 2009 and YOU wonder why they have terminated you ?????

For many EA's you only pay the HIP bill on sale or at termination of agreement.

I'm sure there is much much more to this than meets the eye, assuming it's for real.

Blackpool_Saver

Gwhiz wrote: »

For many EA's you only pay the HIP bill on sale or at termination of agreement.

I'm sure there is much much more to this than meets the eye, assuming it's for real.

Oh right thanks for that, yes more to it, there usually is.

MISHMASHMOOSH

Blackpool_saver. The HIP was produced free of charge by Connells in return for us putting our property on the market with them. It would only become a bill if we or Connells terminate the contract. They have terminated the contract, without prior consent and are now asking for payment. Pretty underhand if you ask me!
They have made no effort to sell our property and have been very poor agents from day 1. I have been in regular contact with them and have been getting nothing back from them atall.

Caroline73_2

So what have you done with regard to their poor marketing of your property?

MISHMASHMOOSH

GWhiz, yes they have terminated the contract, without discussion and without reason. Not very professional I feel.
We have been very patient with them, giving them chance after chance and reacting to their suggestions regarding the sale price.
I just need to know can they just terminate a contract, just because they haven't earnt a dime out of us or do they need to have good reason?

Gwhiz

MISHMASHMOOSH wrote: »

GWhiz, yes they have terminated the contract, without discussion and without reason. Not very professional I feel.
We have been very patient with them, giving them chance after chance and reacting to their suggestions regarding the sale price.
I just need to know can they just terminate a contract, just because they haven't earnt a dime out of us or do they need to have good reason?

You need to look at the contract you signed. I would expect you both have to give a certain notice.

I am more shocked that you've let all this go on for 2 years for the sake of the price of a HIP. This is, afterall, probably the largest "deal" any of us do in our lives.

myhouse_2

Are you sure you're telling us the whole truth? It certainly sounds pretty bad to me if they are dropping you without any discussion. Have they asked you to drop the price? That would seem a more normal step to take in the first instance.
If you had refused to drop the price, then I wouldn't blame them - having a house on their books which is unsellable is not much help to an EAs bottom line.
Sounds like they're making a concerted effort to clean up the unsellable properties from their books. Wonder if any others have had a similar experience.