Estate agent preventing viewings - what can I do?

gnybm

Hi all. I'm new to the property hunt and currently looking to buy a house in a particular suburb of Greater Manchester where one Estate Agent appears to have the monopoly over the area. They have been very friendly when I requested viewings of other properties; they initially allowed me to view one property after I provided them with my contact details and I now receive regular updates on new listings (As I am now registered).

However, whenever I try and arrange a viewing I am told that the list is full (despite just going live) and it has been over a month since I have secured a viewing. I requested a viewing 1 hour after a property went live on Thursday and was told that I will be added to the list and details confirmed. Two days later, I hear nothing so complained about difficulty in securing viewings with them - which is where they told me that the property i'm interested in is already fully booked but that there is a hot list that will give me priority access to properties if I meet with their mortgage advisor and get a Mortgage in Principle with them. If I attend their office this week, the agent has agreed to put me on the list for open day next week.

I told them that I am using a family friend who is a mortgage broker and already have solicitors and MIP in place but agreed to meet the advisor anyway to be put on this list. But it then occurred to me that they're forcing me to provide my full details/circumstance in order to give them advantage when putting in offers and also securing additional funds when I put in an offer. Surely there are rules against this - i have every right to choose my own advisors but as they have the monopoly on the area, I am actively being prevented from viewing available properties in that area.

They are registered with the ombudsmen and I was wondering whether I ought to make a formal complaint - but then I risk burning my bridges with them and unable to access the properties in that area!

Any advice would be welcome.

[Deleted User]

There are estate agent / mortgage broker combinations that give everyone else a bad name. When i was EA based i flat out refused to work like this but i know 1 agent in my town that still does it.

Just drop a note through the vendors door saying you are trying to view but being refused. Also leave a google review as most corprotate agents are all over social media at the moment as the way to win business. Leave a 1 star review will get their attention very quickly.

If you are worried about being blacklisted then simply keep going to the owners house and apologise for the intrusion but the agents wont allow me to view your house unless I use their mortgage advisor.

Otherwise, if your broker is up for a bit of fun get him/her to go to the meeting in your place. Ive done it a few times and made the EA broker go through the full appointment with me having a letter from my client saying he is happy for me to represent and disclose anything i feel relevant.

gnybm

Thank you Deleted_User - some really useful advice here.

I really can't abide unfair practices and will certainly be implementing your suggestions.

ProDave

Years ago I was house hunting for my second house. One absolute must have was off road parking, and a garage, or space I could build a garage. The agents kept sending me details of completely unsuitable houses and after I had viewed about 10 that were completely not what I wanted they said to my face I am a "time waster" and would not let me view any more houses.

Thankfully only 1 small estate agent behaved like that and I eventually found and bought the house I wanted through a different agent.

hb2

OP, I would be spitting feathers if I were in your position! I do agree that telling the vendor what is happening sounds like a good idea, I would certainly not have put up with this kind of thing when we were selling our house.

scholesfan88

Reeds Rains by any chance?

I've had similar issues with them and won't even bother looking at properties listed by them any longer.

kazwookie

Go and knock on the house your are interested in and talk direct to the sellers

[Deleted User]

I assumed sequence tbh Scholesfan88

ACG

Page 8 - http://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/ImportedDocuments/The_estate_agency_guide_jan06.pdf - What they are doing is illegal. Do you have it in writing from them? I am guessing not.

Avoiding bias
You must not discriminate against potential buyers because they don’t want, or might refuse, to take services from you or a connected person, or someone from whom you or a connected person may receive financial benefits.
For example, you must not:
- refuse to provide information about property to these buyers
- take longer to forward property particulars to these buyers than to others
- make additional requirements of these buyers as a condition of passing on an offer - for example, make them have a mortgage survey before you will pass on their offers.

Out of curiosity, who is the agent? I am in Manchester myself and have not really come across this practice much around here.

gnybm

I do have some of the exchange in writing - particularly the point about being added to the hot list if i meet with their adviser as the phone call moved to an email exchange.

The agent is Edward Mellor

[Deleted User]

Their own mortgage company. What a shock that they want to double up on the business.

Not one of the big corporate companies as registered under openwork network. I was expecting countrywide or sequence tbh.

Everything still stands, id go for Google review. Undeelr a fake name if you don't want to be blacklisted