I believe I have evidence of an estate agent creating fake bids

teachfast

greatcrested said:

This is 9 pages stemming from your autism.

Accept that it is part of the condition, and as advised earlier by deanagone, learn from it and move on.

That's characteristically dismissive.  I take it you're now an SEND and disability expert?

teachfast

NameUnavailable said:

Lonely_willow said:

Surely the fair thing is someone from the Ombudsman physically walks into the estate agent unannounced and asks there and then to sit down beside the estate agent at the computer monitor and only then do they reveal they want to see the bidding book of the specific property to prevent the agent manipulating data. If the name matches the vendor then the Ombudsman asks to see the ID held on file and then contacts the conveyancing solicitor to match the ID. Then I guess they hand over the file to the police if they both match.

You need to ask a policeman to get a search warrant and raid the premises for you.

You've engaged in constant trolling throughout this thread, and offered nothing helpful or constructive.  I'd politely ask that if you feel something is ridiculous, just ignore it and move on, rather than ridiculing.

greatcrested

Lonely_willow said:

NameUnavailable said:

Lonely_willow said:

Surely the fair thing is someone from the Ombudsman physically walks into the estate agent unannounced and asks there and then to sit down beside the estate agent at the computer monitor and only then do they reveal they want to see the bidding book of the specific property to prevent the agent manipulating data. If the name matches the vendor then the Ombudsman asks to see the ID held on file and then contacts the conveyancing solicitor to match the ID. Then I guess they hand over the file to the police if they both match.

You need to ask a policeman to get a search warrant and raid the premises for you.

A policeman or trading standards. I assume a judge will not grant a warrant.

Well they might.

But if so there's a risk the EA would make a formal complaint to the legal ombudsman and the judge in question might be struck off.

NameUnavailable

teachfast said:

NameUnavailable said:

Lonely_willow said:

Surely the fair thing is someone from the Ombudsman physically walks into the estate agent unannounced and asks there and then to sit down beside the estate agent at the computer monitor and only then do they reveal they want to see the bidding book of the specific property to prevent the agent manipulating data. If the name matches the vendor then the Ombudsman asks to see the ID held on file and then contacts the conveyancing solicitor to match the ID. Then I guess they hand over the file to the police if they both match.

You need to ask a policeman to get a search warrant and raid the premises for you.

You've engaged in constant trolling throughout this thread, and offered nothing helpful or constructive.  I'd politely ask that if you feel something is ridiculous, just ignore it and move on, rather than ridiculing.

I have done no such thing!

The only way the OP would get the outcome they described above would be with a search warrant. They need to understand. I don't think explaining reality is trolling as you call it.

What do you suggest (to answer their post above)?

Sunsaru

LW, please read what I have to say in the most sincerest voice you can.
Right now, the only evidence you have of any wrongdoing is a what can only legally be described as a hunch. That sadly is not enough to get offices raided and a business shut down. 
I've spent the afternoon looking for information about fake bids etc and found very little to be of any use to you. Unless you have any hard evidence of wrong doing or can find other people who have used this EA and had the same result, you are already fighting a losing battle.
The only step forward is to speak to the Ombudsman and put you case to them. I wish you all the best. x

Side Note: To anyone else reading, trying to tell someone with autism to 'leave it and get over it' is pretty much like holding a red rag in front of a bull and saying stop. There are better ways to say things x

Thrugelmir

Sunsaru said:

The only step forward is to speak to the Ombudsman and put you case to them. I wish you all the best. x

Adding fuel to the fire and wasting peoples valuable time helps no one. 

Sunsaru

Thrugelmir said:

Sunsaru said:

The only step forward is to speak to the Ombudsman and put you case to them. I wish you all the best. x

Adding fuel to the fire and wasting peoples valuable time helps no one. 

You and I might walk away but that doesn't mean the OP should, they might be onto something. The ombudsman will put the OP straighter than we can.

Jeepers_Creepers

Sunsaru, 90+% is, indeed, hunch, circumstantial, and down right stretching credibility.

But IF the other bidder WAS the vendor, that's a whole different kettle of worms. Only one person can make that call - whether they are certain enough to warrant pursuing it.

As mentioned above, quite possibly Trading Standards is the place to contact, but L_W should make clear they are not at all certain it's the same name they saw on the offer list.

And, L_W, please don't cite your other suspicions as - honestly - they should not be acted on. Just tell the story - these repeated bids felt a bit strange at the time, and the next time you went in to the EA's office you asked if you could see who it was you were up against. They obliged, and the name seemed familiar. You checked this against the previous owner's name, and you felt strongly they could be the same - but you are not certain.

If you do pursue this, understand that - whatever happens - your relationship with that EA is almost certainly over. If it turns out there was nothing at all behind your suspicions, if the EA can shrug it off in an understanding manner, that would be a bonus.

It's a toughie. I really do not know what to recommend. I, personally, wouldn't act unless I knew pretty much for certain that the names were the same.

Crashy_Time

Sunsaru said:

Thrugelmir said:

Sunsaru said:

The only step forward is to speak to the Ombudsman and put you case to them. I wish you all the best. x

Adding fuel to the fire and wasting peoples valuable time helps no one. 

You and I might walk away but that doesn't mean the OP should, they might be onto something. The ombudsman will put the OP straighter than we can.

Very true, too many people on the internet think they are "expert" in this or that. Good advice.

SameOldRoundabout

Aside from the spurious and hunch based claims about this bidding book, I find it quite inappropriate that you thought it was okay to hound an agent until they were visibly uncomfortable by standing there and repeatedly insisting that you did not believe them about something from two years ago. No condition excuses that behaviour. 

We all know/suspect that sometimes EAs are less than open, but you paid what you were willing to pay. No one made you up your offer. No one made you go through with the sale even when a surveyor valued it at 7k less than you were paying (even thought that is still 25k over the asking!). This seems like a real fools errand.