Selling house online - advice

SJC84

Hi all


Could do with a bit of advice for any legal types out there regarding selling my property with an online company.


Long story short, I signed up to an online estate agents which offer to sell your property online and charge an overall fee of £495 payable on the date of completion. Compared to the rates high street estate agents charge it's definitely much better value for money - I sold the property with no problems and would recommend this method.

However, my issue is that as part of their package they offer a "free 7 day trial".
I sold my property within 3 days of the advert going live, so i.e. within their advertised 7 day free trial period. The company are still insisting I pay them the 'pay on completion' fee and simply off the explanation that their TOCs say if they introduce a buyer to me I'm liable for the fee. My argument is that their free 7 day trial is a bit of false advertising if you aren't actually offered anything free within this 7 days. The Citizens Advice Bureau says that when you arrange a service online there is a standard 14 days cooling off period in which you can cancel without charge. So if that's a given, then what is this agent's free trial actually offering for free?? Surely this is some sort of misrepresentation or false advertising on their part?!


Can anyone shed any light??


Thanks

Davesnave

I'm unclear. If at no time anyone from the agency visited your property, how was it advertised ? Did you provide the blurb and photos, room measurements etc?

Dan-Dan

Surely they mean you can back out with no penalty within 7 days?

clockworks_2

They sold your house for a fraction of what an estate agent charges and you're moaning about paying them £495?

Unreal.

How is the overall fee broken down? The 7 day trial could mean you get a portion of any up front fees back if you cancelled after that.

Regardless, I would pay them. They did a job for you , from the sounds of it well, and at a good price.

Dan-Dan

SJC84 wrote: »

Hi all


Could do with a bit of advice for any legal types out there regarding selling my property with an online company.


Long story short, I signed up to an online estate agents which offer to sell your property online and charge an overall fee of £495 payable on the date of completion. Compared to the rates high street estate agents charge it's definitely much better value for money - I sold the property with no problems and would recommend this method.

However, my issue is that as part of their package they offer a "free 7 day trial".
I sold my property within 3 days of the advert going live, so i.e. within their advertised 7 day free trial period. The company are still insisting I pay them the 'pay on completion' fee and simply off the explanation that their TOCs say if they introduce a buyer to me I'm liable for the fee. My argument is that their free 7 day trial is a bit of false advertising if you aren't actually offered anything free within this 7 days. The Citizens Advice Bureau says that when you arrange a service online there is a standard 14 days cooling off period in which you can cancel without charge. So if that's a given, then what is this agent's free trial actually offering for free?? Surely this is some sort of misrepresentation or false advertising on their part?!


Can anyone shed any light??


Thanks

Could you have sold your house to your buyer without the exposure this company gave you?

Cough up, jesus christ

Davesnave

I was trying to ascertain if the transaction was conducted entirely online.

However, Citizen's Advice have either got it wrong, or been mis-quoted due to being given inadequate info.

From 'Which?':

• 'If you decide to cancel a service bought online you have 14 days from the point of agreeing the contract to do so
• If you agree to the service starting within the 14 day cancellation period, the retailer can charge you for any service you have had the benefit of if you decide to cancel.'

Enough said, I think.

SJC84

Wow, some pretty rude answers. Thanks all.


My issue wasn't the price as I said, it was the mis-selling of a "free trial". Just looking for some clarity.


Forget about it. Happy Friday.

marksoton

SJC84 wrote: »

Wow, some pretty rude answers. Thanks all.


My issue wasn't the price as I said, it was the mis-selling of a "free trial". Just looking for some clarity.


Forget about it. Happy Friday.

River, a cry me.....

lewishardwick

What do the T&Cs of the online advertiser say? Some high street agents will want to bill you something if you decide to withdraw the property from the market without any interest.

The advantage of an online vendor is you've done the leg work (pics, description etc) and someone in a call centre on minimum wage as listed it, along with 100 others that day. That's how they've offered a '7 day trial'.

But as said, review the T&Cs carefully, they found you a buyer they'll want their monies.

Davesnave

SJC84 wrote: »

Wow, some pretty rude answers. Thanks all.


My issue wasn't the price as I said, it was the mis-selling of a "free trial". Just looking for some clarity.


Forget about it. Happy Friday.

It's also rude not to respond to those who've asked for more info and tried to give you a clear answer from what's known.

However,I'll be the first to admit, it's sometimes hard to see through the flak of combative reponses here.

dc197

SJC84 wrote: »

However, my issue is that as part of their package they offer a "free 7 day trial".
I sold my property within 3 days of the advert going live, so i.e. within their advertised 7 day free trial period.

Did you really SELL your property on day 3? Or did you merely accept an offer? Specifically, has completion occurred within 7 days of engaging them?
If completion has not yet occurred, and you expect to proceed to completion, and completion will be more than 7 days from engaging them.... you should pay.