cancelling estate agents

muddyfox

We have had our property on the market for approximately a year now and had only a handful of viewers.We had no feedback from the estate agents as to why they did not wish to proceed any further, with constant assurance that the property was in good order and at the current market value.

We finally told the estate agents not to send any further viewers, and have now been invoiced for a registration fee and advertising costs amounting to approx. £400.00 + vat.

We want to contest this charge. What is the best way of going about it?
Is the ombudsman for estate agents the best place to go?

Bossyboots

On what basis do you wish to contest the charge?

You need to have a look at your contract and see if you agreed to pay fees in these circumstances.

If you find that you are not contracted to pay anything in this situation then you can remind the estate agents of that.

However, if you are contracted and wish to have the amount reduced or waived, then your first port of call is to take it up with the estate agent. To take a case to an Ombudsman (is there even such a thing for estate agents?) you have to have exhausted all other ways of resolving this with the company concerned first.

maninthestreet

Please don't tell us you signed a contract with the EA that allows them to make such a charge?

alanobrien

The usual contract is no sale no fee over X period of time for sole agency.

It should not include a clause that makes you pay for advertising, you need to look very carefully at what you signed.

prutter

Agreed - check the contract you signed.
Both the EA contracts I signed recently were 'no sale - no fee'....