Did estate agent scupper our house purchase

rootless45

I'm posting because a house purchase fell through just before exchange, after a four month process. While I know that can happen, I found the agent's behaviour odd. They gave us misinformation throughout, never bothered to try to resolve any hitches, and did nothing to try and talk the sellers around (we just had a disagreement about dates, because we were in a tricky spot with our rental place). Supposedly the sellers are going to re-market their house, but that hasn't happened yet unless there's a new sale going on under cover, as its still marked as Sold STC??

There was nothing wrong with our purchase. We were cash buyers, adapted to the sellers market currently, did everything we needed to do promptly and were very flexible and transparent.

I've made a formal complaint to the agents and will progress to the property ombudsman if not properly resolved. But I still can't work our what an earth went on. It almost felt like the agents didn't want to sell it to us. Any thoughts or experiences?

[Deleted User]

Just a touch of paranoia.

The EA may not have been very good, but their job is to shift houses as quickly as possible. Once your offer has been accepted, their input is largely done. Actively stopping sales does little for their bottom line.

It sounds as if the vendors have become frustrated enough to remarket.

Irishpearce26

Sounds like your sellers were the issue not the agent, the EAs job is to sell and get paid asap so i doubt they would have derailed the sale. Sounds like they want a certain date and you wont accommodate because of your rental was the issue. After 4 months people want to know they are moving in soon, what was the difference in dates?

rootless45

The communication throughout was so weird that I don't think it's paranoia, and I'm really used to estate agents. It was the vendors holding everything up, not us. We'd given way to demands and resistances throughout. And the final issue was so petty.

rootless45

We'd actually agreed a completion date. However, we just wanted to exchange early because we had to be put of our holiday let by the end of July, and the rental market is terrible. Having said that, I didn't see it as a dealbreaker.

Irishpearce26

So how long do you have left on your rental and when did they want to complete?

rootless45

Irishpearce26 said:

So how long do you have left on your rental and when did they want to complete?

We all agreed to complete mid July. Our holiday let ended end of July. We just disagreed about when to exchange.

user1977

If the vendors wanted to sell to you, they would have. The agents won't have somehow overruled them.

Irishpearce26

Who wants to exchange when? If you have an agreed date to complete then why not exchange? 

rootless45

user1977 said:

If the vendors wanted to sell to you, they would have. The agents won't have somehow overruled them.

Yep but I've known agents being very proactive about talking people round, when they want to. Maybe that is the skill of the agent though?

rootless45

Irishpearce26 said:

Who wants to exchange when? If you have an agreed date to complete then why not exchange? 

Exactly our point. We were ready to go. Contracts signed and deposit lodged.