Estate agent exit fee

54druids

Estate agent was great for first 5 months getting me 5 offer all about 50k under asking price. After that i had about 1 phonecall in about 5 months so changed to another estate agent. After i moved to other estate agent and signed the contract, the first estate agent said i owed money for leaving them by which time it was too late. They never mentioned this when signing up. My husband and i distinctly remember asking if we were tied in and they said give them 3 months to see what they could do. They also never mentioned a fee when i was said i was leaving. They told me to check the contract and in the small print i am indeed due to pay no matter wether i was to stay for 6 months or 6 years. I feel completely duped as i paid a 400 + quid marketing fee up front which got me a pic in their window and a few brochures, they gave up on me after 5 months and i am not allowed to leave them unless i pay?
Anyway, i sold my house with the other agent and moved and told them i wasnt paying as i was not happy. My post is on redirection and i had a further letter asking for money so i told them again i was not going to pay them and why. Now they are sending threatening letters to my new rental address. Can anyone suggest what i should now. Should i just pay them or should i keep fighting
them? Also how could they get my new address without me giving it to them?

googler

If the contract says so, and you signed the contract ....

ACG

Ask them if you put it back with them, will they cancel the fee - get it in writing.

Put it back with them and then (a day or 2 later) up the price to £750k.

I hate estate agents, slimey horrible people (in the main) and i do not trust them as far as i can throw them.

BitterAndTwisted

How can the OP put the property back with the first agent if they have now sold it?

You signed the contract so there is no fighting to be done. All you will do is prolong the agony and start attracting additional costs.

How did they find you? Well, if someone is owed money and is determined to extract it then there are ways and means. The first one that springs to mind is the Electoral Register.

54druids

I am not on electoral register yet. Surely estate agents cant have an unlimited tie in period? Otherwise they could do absolutely nothing and net an exit fee!

G_M

You will need tobe more specific that this:

* who bought the property? A buyer introduced initially by estate agent 1, or EA 2?
* when you left EA1, what did you do? Give notice? How long? In writing or a casual phone call? Or nothing?
* What exactly does your contract with EA1 say? Please quote all relevant clauses.
* were these clauses obvious, or hidden in small print? On what page and how many pages was the whole contract?

It is possible the clause is an unfair term which could be challenged, but without more information....