Estate Agent won't accept our offer?

Lt7840

We viewed a property and liked it, we were told yesterday that although marketed as the same estate agents there were 2 branches working independently under the same name and another first time buyer had offered through the other branch of the company. Our agent says they offered £650,000 which was rejected so had given their final offer at £667,000, yesterday our estate agent said the sellers would accept this offer unless we offered today. We offered £670,000 and have been told this was rejected because the seller is buying his new house through the other branch of the company and thinks it'll be easier to accept the other buyers offer as ours isn't significantly higher, and then his buying and selling is all through the same branch? We thought well we'll just offer through the branch the seller wants to sell through as we weren't to know which branch they wanted us to offer under. The other branch wont accept our offer as they said there are laws against it, and we must stick with the original branch, and now our agent is trying to get us to increase our price by another 5K. I don't really know why we should pay 8k more just because we are using a different branch obviously if we'd have know we wouldn't have made the original offer under them, and why if they are independent the other branch wont accept our offer? is it true there are laws about offering through a different company?

D_M_E

Think you are being played - Go back to the agents and tell them your offer of £650k must be put to the sellers - maybe try contacting sellers yourself and making the offer direct.

Chris_W_2

It does all sound very odd however its not unusual for a seller to keep everything under one roof for a "perceived" easier life especially over a few thousand pounds

The reason the agent who has "sold" the house referred you back to the agent whom you offered through will be because of the contract with the seller. The agent that introduces the buyer to the sale claims the commission so the 2nd agent knowing you have offered through the 1st agent will not get paid so wont want to deal with you plus he will be pushing his client to the seller.

You should get written confirmation from the agent within 48 hours of your offer - the agent is obligated to send you this.

If you have any doubt that the agent has not represented your offer or situation to the seller correctly then a well written letter through the sellers door would be the way I would go stating your exact situation ie any chain you might have, any conditions or inclusions you expect and stressing your financial situation. You need to come across as more appealing that the other party

parkrunner

Tell the vendor you have offered more than the other buyer but the agency turned you down, that might wake someone up.

lookstraightahead

Just walk away

Mutton_Geoff

It's not an estate agent who has to accept your offer, it's the vendor. Estate agents are legally obliged to pass all offers to the vendors except those that they have been specifically instructed to reject (too low, buyer not proceedable etc). Ask the agent if your offer meet the vendor's criteria then ask them to confirm it's been passed on.


Why people get so tied up with the shiny suited jobsworths beats me.

supa34

Agent is playing you. Makes no difference where they Vendor is buying from as your money will go to solicitors bank account and from there to seller. Estate agent doesn't see it. Arrange another viewing with intention of making bigger offer and if seller is there talk to them in person. If not a quick note through letter box.

SandraX

Tell the vendor that he is being duped.

ACG

Lt7840 wrote: »

We viewed a property and liked it, we were told yesterday that although marketed as the same estate agents there were 2 branches working independently under the same name and another first time buyer had offered through the other branch of the company. Our agent says they offered £650,000 which was rejected so had given their final offer at £667,000, yesterday our estate agent said the sellers would accept this offer unless we offered today. We offered £670,000 and have been told this was rejected because the seller is buying his new house through the other branch of the company and thinks it'll be easier to accept the other buyers offer as ours isn't significantly higher, and then his buying and selling is all through the same branch? We thought well we'll just offer through the branch the seller wants to sell through as we weren't to know which branch they wanted us to offer under. The other branch wont accept our offer as they said there are laws against it, and we must stick with the original branch, and now our agent is trying to get us to increase our price by another 5K. I don't really know why we should pay 8k more just because we are using a different branch obviously if we'd have know we wouldn't have made the original offer under them, and why if they are independent the other branch wont accept our offer? is it true there are laws about offering through a different company?

Surely it would be the agents job to advise their customer it will not cause any issues dealing with a separate branch. As it stands it seems like it will be a problem but at an extra £5k the vendors will be happy to deal with some problems and delays?

That does not make much sense.

PasturesNew

There's obviously some confusion over this - and I wonder if the reality is:

There are not two "branches" of estate agents, but two independent franchises operating under a common name. Both separate businesses.

You dealt with Agent A and offered through Agent A.
You then tried to go to Agent B, but they knew you were already registered with Agent A and it might cause the vendor to have to pay BOTH offices the sales commission, or, their franchise does not allow them to "poach".

The vendor's reasons for keeping all their business with one agent is quite common - and understandable.

Agent A now want to win the business from under the nose of Agent B by getting you to increase your offer through them.

I suspect you're caught up with two agents, one commission, one house .... and the poor vendor is probably a bit confused/in the middle, so would further dig in to keep all their business with one agent.

If you imagine the two branches as different businesses entirely - imagine them as two siblings who hate each other - then you can see how black/white the money trail appears.

Only ONE man can walk away with that sales commission in his pocket ... they can't split it, they can't both be paid .... but one agent currently holds the Ace card as they make the vendor's life easier.... but your offering through both agents has possibly breached their branch/franchise terms and conditions.

G_M

Put your offer in writing. Use whichever agent you initially used and were introduced to the seller by.


They have to pass on the offer to the seller, unless they have had specific written instructions from the seller not to do so (eg "I don't want to see any offers below £XK").


See the relevant code of practice.


* The Property Ombudsman
* Property Redress Scheme