Estate Agent refusing to put forward offer

jamie2497

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of an issue with a very annoying estate agent and was wondering if anyone had any advice.

Basically i've had an agreement in principle a couple of weeks ago with the Post office and today tried to put forward an offer for a house i like.

However they are refusing to put forward our offer unless we go through their MMR process with their mortgage adviser and state that the agreement in principle is not enough.

Any help would be great as i don't want to lose out on this house!

Many thanks

Voyager2002

Personally, I would politely ask for their mortgage adviser's 'phone number; let her/him know the situation; and make it clear that no matter what recommendations were made I was going to stick with the Post Office. The adviser is likely to choose not to waste an hour or more of his own time (as well as yours) and tell the agent to stop being silly.

Of course the EA is breaking the law and there are various more confrontational things that you could do, but then the EA might steer the vendor towards other offers and you cannot control this...

ACG

Knock on to the vendors and just tell them THEIR agent is refusing to pass on an offer.

The EA can not insist you have a credit check, they can ask to see evidence you can afford the mortgage - but you have provided that in the form of an AIP and proof of deposit totaling the purchase price i assume?

On a side note, read up on the estate agents act 19?? - put it to the agents and see what they say.

jamie2497

Thank you both for your replies.

They haven't even given me the chance to provide evidence, stating that agreements in principle are no longer valid after the MMR.

Would it be ok for me to put in writing my offer and deliver it to both the EA and the current owner? I just don't want to lose out without even getting the chance to offer!

Tigsteroonie

Was your AIP obtained before the introduction of MMR? If so, I'm not sure how valid they are after the changeover date ...

It could be that the EA is worried about this, about your AIP not being honoured because you haven't been through the MMR process.

*Paging a mortgage advisor to the thread

spacey2012

Straight round, knock on the door and ask them why they do not want you to buy the house.
When they say, er sorry, what, tell them the agent they are paying a lot of money to is refusing to even put your offer in unless you agree to buy mortgage products and services from them.

mrcow

I'd write a polite note to the vendor saying that your offer is £xxxx and that the estate agent had refuse to pass it on, so sorry, but you're having to do it directly.

Don't slate the agent etc. Just stick to the facts and be calm.

Yorkie1

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Was your AIP obtained before the introduction of MMR? If so, I'm not sure how valid they are after the changeover date ...

It could be that the EA is worried about this, about your AIP not being honoured because you haven't been through the MMR process.

*Paging a mortgage advisor to the thread

This is a good question - OP, when exactly did you get your AIP?

jamie2497

I got the AIP on 14th April, says its valid until 14th May.

ACG

Call up the post office and ask them when they made their mmr changes. Some made them in advance of the deadline.

natureboss

this just happened to me. The agent said that before the vendor was able to accept my offer I needed to talk to the in-house mortgage advisor and get assessed.
Just to add, the advisor said that if I used his in-house service I would be put in pole position.