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Express Estate Agency

Butterflymlou
Posts: 5 Forumite
Hi all.
After some assistance. We sold our house last year with Express Estate Agency. Their service was appalling and had myself and the buyer not liaised directly the sale would not have gone ahead. I have been advised that we should not have had to do this as it is the estate agents job to communicate between parties for a smooth sale.
Anyway, we did and we got sorted and so on completion we were advised by our solicitor not to pay funds to them (almost £3000) as they hadn't fulfilled their contract and done the job they are meant to. We sought advice from the Ombudsman about this who unfortunately has not come back too favourably.
We are to pay £2700 but cannot pull this money out straight away. Other personal matters have happened in the meantime which meant we have had to use some of the money we set aside.
The Ombudsman has given us 21 days to accept or decline their decision giving us until the end of March. However Express have written to us (letter only received today) stating we are to pay the full amount by tomorrow or they will start court proceedings.
I contacted them to try to arrange a repayment plan which I know I am legally allowed to do but they are giving me an unrealistic timescale of 6 months meaning we have to pay almost £400 per month. As I don't work and we don't have this it is just not doable. I want to avoid court proceedings as hey state that any court fees, solicitors fees and interest will be added to the amount we owe.
Anyone been in this position and got any advice on this?
After some assistance. We sold our house last year with Express Estate Agency. Their service was appalling and had myself and the buyer not liaised directly the sale would not have gone ahead. I have been advised that we should not have had to do this as it is the estate agents job to communicate between parties for a smooth sale.
Anyway, we did and we got sorted and so on completion we were advised by our solicitor not to pay funds to them (almost £3000) as they hadn't fulfilled their contract and done the job they are meant to. We sought advice from the Ombudsman about this who unfortunately has not come back too favourably.
We are to pay £2700 but cannot pull this money out straight away. Other personal matters have happened in the meantime which meant we have had to use some of the money we set aside.
The Ombudsman has given us 21 days to accept or decline their decision giving us until the end of March. However Express have written to us (letter only received today) stating we are to pay the full amount by tomorrow or they will start court proceedings.
I contacted them to try to arrange a repayment plan which I know I am legally allowed to do but they are giving me an unrealistic timescale of 6 months meaning we have to pay almost £400 per month. As I don't work and we don't have this it is just not doable. I want to avoid court proceedings as hey state that any court fees, solicitors fees and interest will be added to the amount we owe.
Anyone been in this position and got any advice on this?
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Comments
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I'm not sure this is the right board for this question - it's more of a debt management issue.
Essentially, you owe somebody £2,700 and you don't have the money.
People seem to discuss that kind of issue on the Debt Free Wannabe board: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76
(And they're likely to be more supportive and sympathetic than the people who post on the House Buying Renting and Selling board!)0 -
Butterflymlou wrote: »Hi all.
After some assistance. We sold our house last year with Express Estate Agency. Their service was appalling and had myself and the buyer not liaised directly the sale would not have gone ahead. I have been advised that we should not have had to do this as it is the estate agents job to communicate between parties for a smooth sale.
Anyway, we did and we got sorted and so on completion we were advised by our solicitor not to pay funds to them (almost £3000) as they hadn't fulfilled their contract and done the job they are meant to. We sought advice from the Ombudsman about this who unfortunately has not come back too favourably.
We are to pay £2700 but cannot pull this money out straight away. Other personal matters have happened in the meantime which meant we have had to use some of the money we set aside. - Well you may need to get a loan.
The Ombudsman has given us 21 days to accept or decline their decision giving us until the end of March. However Express have written to us (letter only received today) stating we are to pay the full amount by tomorrow or they will start court proceedings. - That will still take time.
I contacted them to try to arrange a repayment plan which I know I am legally allowed to do but they are giving me an unrealistic timescale of 6 months meaning we have to pay almost £400 per month. - you're legally entitled to ASK for a payment plan, they can refuse it As I don't work and we don't have this it is just not doable. I want to avoid court proceedings as hey state that any court fees, solicitors fees and interest will be added to the amount we owe. - Court fees yes, interest yes; solicitors no
Anyone been in this position and got any advice on this?0 -
Ok thanks will give them a go.0
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I suspect that if you read the contract you signed with Express Estate Agency you'll find that their fee is due if/when they "introduce a willing and able buyer" or on Completion of a sale to a buyer they have introduced (or some such wordimg).
I also suspect, that, ignoring the overall service levels, they did the above?
Or are you contesting that?
As for not having the money, well, that should have been in your budget at the time you instructed them. If you failed to pay at the time, and now can't, then it is simply a matter of an unpaid debt just like any other.0 -
Can't believe your solicitor said don't pay the estate agentAn answer isn't spam just because you don't like it......0
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