Help To Find Scheme??

ollie88

Hi All,

Has anyone heard of "Help To Find Scheme" my partner had an email from an estate agents (i wont name names as im not sure if im allowed to) which from what i can tell is promoting the use of their in house everything in return for being part of their "Help To Find Scheme"

This email also went on to claim that we would get to see properties before they go on the market and some personalised service that they would canvas streets we were interested in to find sellers.

The email also went on to claim that based on our current requirements 4 houses where listed but not sold and withdrawn and that they would be able to go around and knock on the doors to see if people where still interested.

Now im a cynical person my partner is more gullible who thinks we should at least have the meeting with them, i on the other hand think this is dodgy, shark practise, immoral and i question the legality of this as well.

I just wondered if anyone has heard of this perhaps under a different scheme name if they used it what they thought and can someone answer is this illegal or just morally wrong on the estate agents end?

Thanks in advance

hazyjo

Good EAs will be ringing suitable candidates before something goes on the market anyway - saves them a job!


Good EAs will also canvas streets if you're specifically looking there - although, personally, I would do that myself if that's the case and forego the EA completely.


I have always had leaflets from EAs saying there are people looking in my street, and one of their more common lines when you're looking for one to sell through is 'we have several people looking for exactly this house...'. Sounds like the same spiel in reverse.


No, I've not heard of it, but it just sounds like another money making scheme. They're not doing anything that a good EA wouldn't be doing anyway.


I really can't see any possible reason for it to be illegal!! Not even particularly morally wrong. Just an estate agent's spin.


Jx

ollie88

Thanks for your reply the main reason i asked is that this EA is selling a service that if we agree to use their in house services then we will get "first dibs" but according to the code of practise for AE's it says that AE must not discriminate: discrimination includes:

Giving details of properties for sale first to those who have indicated they are prepared to let you provide services to them.

As you said its a money making spin and i wont be buying into it, but the email made it sound like if we are not part of this "scheme" we get the left overs.... as a potential first time buyer i am not happy with this, is my interpretation on the code of practise correct or have i made a mistake somewhere?

At the end of the day i don't want to be forced to pay for services i might not need or might want to get else where but i also don't want to then be not treated the same as other buyers

hazyjo

ollie88 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply the main reason i asked is that this EA is selling a service that if we agree to use their in house services then we will get "first dibs" but according to the code of practise for AE's it says that AE must not discriminate...

Ah, yes, that's different - that's very sneaky. I suppose they've found a way round it, maybe the fact you've taken another service means you have to use the accompanying one. Really really sneaky. But prob not against the code of conduct as you're agreeing it as part of another...


Well, you're not, but you know what I mean. Just buy 'normally'. You shouldn't need all of this faff they're offering with it.


Jx