Estate agent offering house for let before I've sold it

_doogie_

I sold my house to an investor and exchanged on the 29th of May. However as the buyer is out of the country, he's unable to complete until 14th June.

I've just visited the property today to make sure it's all ready for sale and I found that the estate agent has put a For Let sign outside and it's on RightMove and has been since 29th May.

I'm outraged that they've been in my property, taken photos of it and put a sign outside without me being aware of it. Am I right to feel this way?

Is it legal to put a property for let without the owners permission before the sale has completed?

Thanks in advance for any views/advice.

monty-doggy

Have you spoken to your conveyancing solicitor? That would be my first port of call.

hazyjo

I'd be angry too... no, he has no right to do this. I would be demanding all are taken down/withdrawn, keep a printed copy of the listing for your records, and I would be reporting them to whatever body they're part of. A stroppy letter to the branch manager/partner/whoever too.

Keep it all in writing (letter). Don't email/phone.

Might at least get a fee reduction!

Jx

paddedjohn

If you are confident the sale is proceeding satisfactorily then what harm is being done? Are you getting offended for the sake of it?Buying and selling a house is very stressful and you are only adding to your own levels, calm down and change the lock if you don't want anyone viewing it before completion.

Guest101

I would be upset too, is it the same agent u used to sell it though?

kingstreet

I can't say I blame them, wanting to get it let as soon as completion takes place. However, it would have been courteous on the part of the agent to let you know that is what they were planning.

Completion is in a couple of days, so I'd let them get on with it if I were you. Bigger fish to fry...

_doogie_

I'm only offended that someone has been in my property without my permission and is now offering something for sale that isn't theirs to sell.

This buyer has been delaying since the sale was agreed on the 17th of January so it's consistant with the nature of this whole deal. From what I understand, he wants it to be let on Friday and so anything he can do to enable that has been done.

I have spoken to my solicitor and she said that they really shouldn't have offered it for let. They've trespassed and she's asked them to remove the sign immediately and remove the listing from the internet.

I had a very embarresed call from their lettings department who said that there's been a breakdown in communication between sales and letting and they thought it was sold already.

Not sure whether to pursue the issue further as there's unlikely to be any gain for me financial or otherwise in the short-term.

Better_Days

Like you OP, I would have been cross.

I had a very embarresed call from their lettings department who said that there's been a breakdown in communication between sales and letting and they thought it was sold already.

More likely they were trying to pull a fast one.

However, if the property has been taken off RM and the sign has been removed from outside the house, probably not a lot of point trying to take it any further. I would check that all at the property is OK though, make sure that no damage has been done with the LA tramping prospective tenants through.

_doogie_

Better_Days wrote: »

I would check that all at the property is OK though, make sure that no damage has been done with the LA tramping prospective tenants through.

They say there's not been any prospective tenants but if there had been, would they have admitted it?

It looks okay. So no harm done.