Estate Agent Fees

Jugers

Agreed. Estate Agent is not at fault, plus most contracts don't set timescales for completion of floor plans and EPC. The EPC is a legal requirement when selling a property but any previous certificate less than 10 years old can be used. The EPC and floor plans are tools for th e purpose of selling your property, and you have contraced them to sell your property which they have done.

You say it was an easy sale because they already knew the buyer of your property, but this is called good will and is a large portion of the fee you have paid. If you went with another agent this good will would not exist between this agent and your current buyer so the sale may never have happened....

Jhoney_2

Not a defender of EAs in general, but they have done a good job.

You have sold in a week, saving you time, inconvenience and money as you have reduced the period in which you may have had to pay the rental mortgage.

This is begrudging and unfair.

martin1959

If they have sold both your property and your buyers, then they will be making a good sum.


Be pleasant, but suggest they knock £150 off as they have not had to pay for various bits......


If they refuse, suggest that you may take the property off the market and place it with a different EA.


I was quoted 1% plus VAT, on a property EA suggested marketing at £295k. I have agreed 1% plus VAT if they get over £290k.....if they get less than £290k it will be 1% inc VAT. Also negotiated a sole agency arrangement with NO tie in.....

Jhoney_2

martin1959 wrote: »

If they have sold both your property and your buyers, then they will be making a good sum.


Be pleasant, but suggest they knock £150 off as they have not had to pay for various bits......


If they refuse, suggest that you may take the property off the market and place it with a different EA.


I was quoted 1% plus VAT, on a property EA suggested marketing at £295k. I have agreed 1% plus VAT if they get over £290k.....if they get less than £290k it will be 1% inc VAT. Also negotiated a sole agency arrangement with NO tie in.....

Which is presumably what your contract states.

Start quibbling now OP, but don't be suprised if the only sound near your property is tumbleweed thereafter.

OTOH the £100/150 could be used to contribute some of the void period if the buyer pulls out, the property doesn't sell and remains vacant...

I don't say this to be rude, but you have hopefully just started a process that will make you a lot of money. Is it really worth alienating the EA over this? And is this the best time to be doing it, if at all?

BOBBIs_MUMMY

Thank you all for your replies.

We are not disputing that they have done well in selling in a week and think we have been extremely lucky.

They have sold both our house and the buyers house making at least £6,000 in sellers fees.

Our gripe is as stated in my original post that included in the 1.25% plus vat was an up to date EPC and floorplan together with marketing.

An appointment was made with our tenant on a Wednesday afternoon for someone to do the EPC, he waited in and they failed to turn up. Estate agents told us the appointment wasn't on the Wednesday and he (the tenant) cancelled the Thursday morning appointment. Who are we to believe? we tend to believe our tenant.

We also know someone else who is with the same agent and they have used their "old" EPC and not obtained a new one. Whilst we know they are valid for 10 years we feel it is a little underhand as they are obviously saving money (albeit only a small amount - but small amounts add up) on not having fresh EPC's conducted.

At the end of the day, the house is hopefully sold and we will be a lot wiser the next time we deal with estate agents.

DaftyDuck

They would have been hard-pressed to create a new EPA in the timeframe they have sold the house in. They have used their initiative and used the old one in the interim. They may well have commissioned a new one that would be done in a couple of days.... But isn't needed.

Sounds like your agent is on the ball. Do nothing to irritate him until contracts exchanged. Good MSE by the the agent.

Mickygg

Blimey, not that I like EAs but if it was me I would be wwahey I've sold stc, concentrate on looking for my new home and move on.

So what if they used an old epc. Same happened to me, I didn't care as it was all about selling. I sold iirc 3-4 months and lost out on houses I wanted as a result.

Assuming it goes through, no more tidying and having viewings, no one round your house for epc measurements. Look at the bright side!!

Jhoney_2

C

BOBBIs_MUMMY wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies.

We are not disputing that they have done well in selling in a week and think we have been extremely lucky.

They have sold both our house and the buyers house making at least £6,000 in sellers fees.

That is business OP.

Our gripe is as stated in my original post that included in the 1.25% plus vat was an up to date EPC and floorplan together with marketing.

Yes, however you are responsible for ensuring access to the property. If you were there you would know if EA failed to turn up and been able to rearrange, wait etc.

When the discussion to use old EPC and floorplan came up, you should have asked for a revised contract.
If they breached contract (old EPC/floorplan), so did you re access.


An appointment was made with our tenant on a Wednesday afternoon for someone to do the EPC, he waited in and they failed to turn up. Estate agents told us the appointment wasn't on the Wednesday and he (the tenant) cancelled the Thursday morning appointment. Who are we to believe? we tend to believe our tenant.

It would be 50/50 to anyone being objective though.

We also know someone else who is with the same agent and they have used their "old" EPC and not obtained a new one. Whilst we know they are valid for 10 years we feel it is a little underhand as they are obviously saving money (albeit only a small amount - but small amounts add up) on not having fresh EPC's conducted.

Did you not consent to this? How is it underhand?

At the end of the day, the house is hopefully sold and we will be a lot wiser the next time we deal with estate agents.

Chalk this one up to experience and congratulations on the sale of your home.

lee111s

People want everything for nothing...

You have sold your house in a week and you agreed a fee for the EA to do that for you.

The prospective buyer may not be bothered about the epc or floorplan but have bought it anyway.

House moves are stressful enough without additional hassle. Move on.

Hoploz

I would not bother hassling the agent with this. I would be grateful to have got an offer so quickly.

They would probably have used the old epc anyway - this is quite normal if the property has not had any material changes that would affect its rating.

It is a good idea to keep the agent happy to a certain extent, as they will be attempting to keep your sale together and overseeing the process. If you are perceived as a troublemaker so early on they might be less attentive, as sometimes people who kick up a stink over next to nothing will end up ruffling people's feathers further down the line, jeopardising the sale anyway.

Not necessarily the case but I'm sure you can see what I am getting at. This process is stressful enough without any unnecessary arguing.