Incompetent estate agent

boo80

Today my estate agent has both put up a sold sign in front of my house when we haven't accepted any offers, and arranged a viewing for tomorrow, which I agreed to (both via text) then phoned the viewers and told them I need to reschedule for tonight so the poor couple have just turned up in the middle of our dinner time to a very messy house to my surprise. We're signed up with him for 4 more weeks. Is there a way to get out of our contract with him or do we need to ride it out?!

G_M

boo80 wrote: »

Today my estate agent has both put up a sold sign in front of my house when we haven't accepted any offers,
so either take it down, or tell the EA to take it down. No biggie.
and arranged a viewing for tomorrow, which I agreed to (both via text)
OK
then phoned the viewers
who pnoned? You or the EA?
and told them I need to reschedule for tonight
and did you?
so the poor couple have just turned up in the middle of our dinner time to a very messy house to my surprise.
Hope you offered them something to eat......
We're signed up with him for 4 more weeks. Is there a way to get out of our contract with him or do we need to ride it out?!

You could try a letter of complaint including a demand to end the contract early, but I doubt this is sufficient in law to justify it if they refuse.

4 weeks isn't long - but make sure you give written notice in advance. Most contracts require 2 (3 or 4) weeks written notice.

boo80

The sold sign was a mild inconvenience, but arranging a viewing and then rearranging it off his own bat without telling me seems like sabotage. I did send him an angry message yesterday as he has been bugging us for 2 weeks to lower the house price (the price he suggested, in line with other properties, it has been on the market for only 4 weeks and we have had offers but they are lower than we want to accept at this point), but surely he wouldn't do these things on purpose?!

DRP

boo80 wrote: »

The sold sign was a mild inconvenience, but arranging a viewing and then rearranging it off his own bat without telling me seems like sabotage. I did send him an angry message yesterday as he has been bugging us for 2 weeks to lower the house price (the price he suggested, in line with other properties, it has been on the market for only 4 weeks and we have had offers but they are lower than we want to accept at this point), but surely he wouldn't do these things on purpose?!

My advice would be to stop texting/messaging and give him a call.

Insist that he stops texting too.

All of these issues are likely arising due to poor communications...

theartfullodger

boo80 wrote: »

Today my estate agent has both put up a sold sign in front of my house when we haven't accepted any offers, and arranged a viewing for tomorrow, which I agreed to (both via text) then phoned the viewers and told them I need to reschedule for tonight so the poor couple have just turned up in the middle of our dinner time to a very messy house to my surprise. We're signed up with him for 4 more weeks. Is there a way to get out of our contract with him or do we need to ride it out?!

Take the sign down, now:

Tomorrow 10:30 take the sign into the office and have a very direct conversation about their "shortcomings" then leave sign somewhere painful.

I would have told couple sorry, agent has not informed us.

MortgageMamma

Oh dear how embarrassing having people turn up when you are having tea and no prepared

Get your notice in to the estate agent - silly blunders like that at the beginning of the contract speak volumes in my opinion. This should be your "honeymoon period" with the estate agent, i.e. the time when they do everything well and try to look professional. if its this poor at the beginning I hate to imagine what they will be like in a few months time!

Do you have local facebook groups where you live? i.e. chat groups (there are some where I live) and they are often used to get recommendations from people - just as useful as review sites

Good luck finding another, and remember there are some very good online only estate agents that could save you a tidy sum