Is the estate agent being unreasonable?

whoschuffed

Hi all, in process of buying a house, offer accepted, survey completed, just waiting for searches to come back.

I want to go back and see the house a) to double check measurements of rooms as some on their floorplans aren't correct, b) to refresh my memory a bit on the space in the house and take a lot more pictures so can plan things for when we move in, c) to see what furniture is currently there to see if the vendor will leave anything.

Ive asked for a Saturday as that is pretty much the only time me and my gf can do as we both work till 5:30pm Mon-Fri and can't afford to take holidays for the sake of an 30 minute viewing.
I'm not fussed which Saturday it is but i've been told that they won't let me see the house outside of core office hours Monday-Friday as we are now not "Looking to buy" and the diaries are "busy".
Fair enough we probably aren't a priority as we've seen the house twice and have put offers in and are on a path with buying the house but asking us to work around lunches and during office hours is nigh on impossible.

Is the estate agent being unreasonable or is this common practice and something i'm going to have to like or lump? I'm not sure if this is the done thing once you go past that stage of being an "interested party", if it is, so be it, but if its not I want to see the house at a time other than 9-5 Monday to Friday.

fairy_lights

I don't see why the estate agent needs to be their for your viewing, surely they can just arrange a time for the vendor to show you round again?

whoschuffed

Sorry I should have mentioned. The house is vacant possession. Think the Father has either passed away or been moved into a home and the Son is selling (to the best of my knowledge).

The vendor hasn't ever shown us round - only the EA. Not sure if the now vendor is local to the area.

fishpond

Have you tried contacting the present owner?
With regards to your question, the EA's are not employed by you and they have done their job---even though a little bit of after sale care wouldn't go amiss.

Seems the posts have crossed.

whoschuffed

fishpond wrote: »

Have you tried contacting the present owner?
With regards to your question, the EA's are not employed by you and they have done their job---even though a little bit of after sale care wouldn't go amiss.

I haven't actually. I wasn't sure what the etiquette was on this, whether it was frowned upon by EA's? or if its perfectly acceptable to approach the vendor directly?

The feeling I got from the email was "You're not worth a Saturday slot anymore" Haha.

ReadingTim

whoschuffed wrote: »

The feeling I got from the email was "You're not worth a Saturday slot anymore" Haha.

To be frank, you're not: the sale's in the bag, and they'd rather be using that time to chase a new sale. It's harsh, but that's the world of salesmen.

So your choices are threaten to pull out if you don't get a viewing at the time you want, or suck it up and fit in around the EA. Given this 2nd viewing is solely for your own benefit (ie measure up, refresh your memory etc), I suspect you're going to have to do the latter.

Better_Days

I think it's wise to view again before exchange, especially if it is a while since you last saw the property.

Your request is reasonable, and I can't see that this is an especially busy time for the EA. I'd contact the vendor directly. You are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds, and sometimes EA's behave as if you are buying a coat rather than a house.

I suppose it depends if you want to hold up the sale because the EA won't offer you a Saturday viewing. But pressure from the vendor may encourage the EA to 'find' a Saturday slot for you, especially as you are flexible as to which Saturday it is. Alternatively you could suggest to both the EA and the vendor that an evening viewing would be acceptable and see what they say. If I was selling a property and my EA refused to undertake a Saturday or an evening viewing I would not be impressed. As both the vendor and the EA are well aware it is not in the bag until exchange has taken place (and very occasionally not even then!)

DRP

You are not being unreasonable at all.

If you 've tried all reasonable measures, then obviously to get your way, you need to use your leverage.

Tell them you need to look at the place again on a saturday, any saturday, or you won't be buying it. Perhaps tell them it is starting to become down right suspicious if you cannot book a viewing in any time frame with them.

Marktheshark

I would say we wont be completing until we get a final viewing so take all the time you need.

eddddy

fishpond wrote: »

...
With regards to your question, the EA's are not employed by you and they have done their job...
...

I'd disagree about the EA having done their job. They've done their job when contracts are exchanged. I would never instruct an EA that suggested their job was finished once an offer was accepted.


Having said that, whoschuffed needs to work out a strategy for resolving this issue with the EA. Options include:

- Politely asking the vendor (possibly via solicitors) how a Saturday viewing could be arranged.

- Giving the EA the impression that you might 'walk away' because the EA is being difficult (ideally without making 'threats')

penguingirl

Just playing devil's advocate here, but do you have any flexibility? You and your girlfriend don't both need to be at the viewing, is there any way one of you could do it at 9am or 4.30pm or something? Most employers have some flexibility for one-off appointments, you shouldn't need to take a whole day's annual leave for it.

I do get your point though, I'd be annoyed at having to rearrange my work because the EA can't fit you in during their advertising times.