Caught in a countrywide web!!

Rachaelandste

We were recommended by an EA to use a Countrywide MA to help find and buy a property. The MA told us the AIP we already had from TSB wasn't worth the paper it was written on and that he would find s better deal. In the meantime he had a new development coming to the market (with aid EA) that we should look at. We were shown the show home and pressured into putting an offer in. The MA then said he would negotiate on our behalf, we were told the best deal he could get was the asking price but this was still good as one had just sold for £15k more. We agreed and the next day were pulled into the office for a 5 hour hard sell where our MA, and his area supervisor told us which mortgage we were having, they told us we had credit probs (TSB didn't find any) and the best mortgage included fees and a higher rate. they then applied for insurance on our behalf totaling £135pm. The total monthly amount was approx double what we expected. The MA just stated that according to our bank statements we could afford it. We asked for a viewing on our actual property and was refused as it had no carpet. We insisted as carpet was not a big issue and felt like something was fishy. Our house actually had 4 less windows that the one we viewed and we were told it would be 12 weeks before the carpet was laid as the developer was waiting to sell houses to complete the build. We pulled our offer.

The MA was furious and has since not contacted us. This is fine as we realised we were paying him far too much to do very little and returned to the house we originally wanted and the mortgage offer with TSB. Our offer was accepted and we instructed solicitors, who have estimated 6 weeks to complete.

Since then we have received correspondence from Countrywide insurance continuing with the insurance we told them we didn't want. The details are all wrong (my name with my partners medical details and builders address instead of plot address) and yesterday Countrywide developments called to say they have received an offer on a second plot in the same development from ourselves! Two problems here- if they own the development how can their mortgage advisor 'negotiate' an offer for us? They would know our budget and what we could afford to pay. Also wouldn't he have to disclose that he also worked for the vendor before we instructed him to work on our behalf?

Also, how has a second offer been placed in our name on an entirely different plot? how have Countrywide developers obtained our details if not from our MA? They are insisting that we have put an offer in and have Our mortgage and conveyancing details and want to proceed. Surely an MA can't put an offer on a house without our approval!!

Not surprisingly after Our MA ringing us daily to push through the previous sale he is now extremely hard to get hold of.

Anyone else been in this position and do Countrywide have any legal rights to our details?

libf

Cut your losses and run. Run far, far away.

Rachaelandste

We have done, we are about to exchange on another house with a local solicitor and our own bank. We thought we had heard the last of countrywide and we're thankful to escape countrywide with only losing £500 but now they have reappeard saying we are now buying another property using their services AND from them!!

neneromanova

Ask them to show you paperwork where you've signed to buy this new house? or any correspondence that you say you want to buy it?

betmunch

You need to complain, to everyone and anyone connected to either the Estate Agents or the Financial Services. Don't miss out the Information Commissioner either.

I would expect your £500 to be refunded and possibly some money to go away.

If you don't say anything they will not stop this practice, the next guy might not have the ability to say no to the hard sell

Rachaelandste

Thanks. I doubt we will get the £500 as this was a mortgage application fee and the MA did find and apply for a mortgage. He ripped up the AIP in front of us when we backed out of the sale and so we have not actually seen what Barkelys were prepared to lend to us, and would not be able to use it for future purchases even if we wanted to.

We attempted to complain to Countrywide today when we discovered what had happened but they said they had no way of tracing where the mix up had happened, and as each department was separate they had no connection to either the estate agent, MA or insurance and we would have to contact each individually, yet our details have been passed freely from one person to the next.

We Don't want our current lender to pull out mortgage as there is another mortgage application on another house in our name or any more offers to be placed without our knowledge.

Landofwood

Try not to worry too much, I'm sure this won't affect your legitimate purchase and the fake one isn't going to progress without your involvement.

Take pleasure that you're winning at life. You're a good person buying a home for your family. This guy is nothing and karma will get him.

csgohan4

Moral of the story, don't use estate agent's services


I would contact the other lender and mention fraud has been done and get yourself registered on CIFAS.

Landofwood

csgohan4 wrote: »

Moral of the story, don't use estate agent's services


I would contact the other lender and mention fraud has been done and get yourself registered on CIFAS.

It's a tough one, being on CIFAS may cause some complications if there are any pre-completion checks from the legit lender.

csgohan4

Landofwood wrote: »

It's a tough one, being on CIFAS may cause some complications if there are any pre-completion checks from the legit lender.

Perhaps,


but I am CIFAS from prev identity fraud and got through to Mortgage offer no problems. Although I didn't set a password for my credit reports.

Landofwood

csgohan4 wrote: »

Perhaps,


but I am CIFAS from prev identity fraud and got through to Mortgage offer no problems. Although I didn't set a password for my credit reports.

Right, but the OP suddenly appearing on CIFAS just before hundreds of thousands of pounds are about to released would be a major flag.