Threat of legal action against me over Trustpilot review :(

Manxman_in_exile

Ath_Wat said:

They didn't dishonestly trap you into anything though, did they?  They said you'd have to pay a fee if you wanted to offer to purchase the house.  You didn't want to, so you didn't.

You've lost nothing here except maybe a bit of time.  As I tried to explain in your other thread, it's not you that has a problem with this company, it's the seller. These fees are designed to discourage buyers, which is what happened.

Is there another thread?  Why would an agent discourage buyers?

theoretica

Manxman_in_exile said:

Ath_Wat said:

They didn't dishonestly trap you into anything though, did they?  They said you'd have to pay a fee if you wanted to offer to purchase the house.  You didn't want to, so you didn't.

You've lost nothing here except maybe a bit of time.  As I tried to explain in your other thread, it's not you that has a problem with this company, it's the seller. These fees are designed to discourage buyers, which is what happened.

Is there another thread?  Why would an agent discourage buyers?

There is - or was - another thread.  The EA advertises as getting fast sales and the hypothesis raised on it was that they are keen for sellers to turn to their own house buying company.

BenjaminClarke

You cannot censor the internet. People will one day realise this. MSE can censor their members, that is totally different, this is their world, they are God. 

This would never in a million years stick in a court of law. It is your right to free speech, next time maybe just word it a little bit better and say, "some people may construe this as being dishonest." That is a true statement. 

F1shyFingers

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

This is why I asked if this was a "modern auction" type of sale. In these cases, and I do think they're a complete ripoff.  The "winner" of said auction needs to pay some quite considerable fees to the estate agent and the seller, as far as I'm aware, pays nothing.

They're not a scam, per se, but they're ridiculously sharp practice and I'd advise anyone to avoid them.

However the OP has been incredibly tight-lipped about what actually transpired, and so there's probably little point in speculating or even advising the OP other than to say, speak to a solicitor.

Ath_Wat

Manxman_in_exile said:

Ath_Wat said:

They didn't dishonestly trap you into anything though, did they?  They said you'd have to pay a fee if you wanted to offer to purchase the house.  You didn't want to, so you didn't.

You've lost nothing here except maybe a bit of time.  As I tried to explain in your other thread, it's not you that has a problem with this company, it's the seller. These fees are designed to discourage buyers, which is what happened.

Is there another thread?  Why would an agent discourage buyers?

It appears to have been removed!  They did say there that the company were threatening to sue them if they didn't remove the thread.

The "estate agent" in question is a front for a "webuyanyhouse" type company - they don't make a secret of this, calling it their "sister company" and marketing it strongly as a "service".  They don't want actual buyers as they want their victims vendors to sell them the houses at well under market value.

Can you think of any reason other than to discourage buyers that any estate agent would have a policy of asking buyers for non returnable "deposits" on acceptance of offer ?  It's insane, and they must know it means virtually nobody will make offers through them.

Ath_Wat

F1shyFingers said:

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

This is why I asked if this was a "modern auction" type of sale. In these cases, and I do think they're a complete ripoff.  The "winner" of said auction needs to pay some quite considerable fees to the estate agent and the seller, as far as I'm aware, pays nothing.

They're not a scam, per se, but they're ridiculously sharp practice and I'd advise anyone to avoid them.

However the OP has been incredibly tight-lipped about what actually transpired, and so there's probably little point in speculating or even advising the OP other than to say, speak to a solicitor.

There was a lot more detail in another thread, since removed.

This "estate agent" simply asks every prospective buyer to pay an unreturnable deposit on offer acceptance.  This is clearly stated on their website. I can only imagine they don't want buyers, for reasons outlined above.

CKhalvashi

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

To the first part, in some circumstances no.

When we sold, we made it perfectly clear to the agent that if the offer is below £x, it's easier to save everyone's time and decline without speaking to us (and let the bidder know this was the arrangement if asked).

To the second part, completely agree. In the UK the seller has always paid fees from my experience.

user1977

CKhalvashi said:

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

To the first part, in some circumstances no.

When we sold, we made it perfectly clear to the agent that if the offer is below £x, it's easier to save everyone's time and decline without speaking to us (and let the bidder know this was the arrangement if asked).

Yes, the relevant law includes the exception for where the EA's client has already agreed something to the contrary - which I expect will be the case for this sort of selling method (or there'll be something along the lines of "if a buyer refuses to pay our fee then you will instead").

Ath_Wat

user1977 said:

CKhalvashi said:

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

To the first part, in some circumstances no.

When we sold, we made it perfectly clear to the agent that if the offer is below £x, it's easier to save everyone's time and decline without speaking to us (and let the bidder know this was the arrangement if asked).

Yes, the relevant law includes the exception for where the EA's client has already agreed something to the contrary - which I expect will be the case for this sort of selling method (or there'll be something along the lines of "if a buyer refuses to pay our fee then you will instead").

Their website makes it clear that they present this fee to the sellers as a positive thing.  

"We request buyers reservation deposits to create more certainty"

Anyone who would sign up with such an estate agent clearly doesn't know their left hand from their right, and if told "The buyer wasn't serious, they wouldn't pay a deposit" will swallow it until the estate agent tell them "Nobody wants your house at this price, have you thought again about our really competitive offer?"

I fear that if I name the company or link the website this thread will be removed as well.

born_again

Ath_Wat said:

F1shyFingers said:

outtatune said:

Don't estate agents have an obligation to pass on all offers? If an agent demanded a fee from me as a buyer for any reason and at any point in the process I'd tell them to foxtrot oscar and expect it to make no difference whatsoever.

This is why I asked if this was a "modern auction" type of sale. In these cases, and I do think they're a complete ripoff.  The "winner" of said auction needs to pay some quite considerable fees to the estate agent and the seller, as far as I'm aware, pays nothing.

They're not a scam, per se, but they're ridiculously sharp practice and I'd advise anyone to avoid them.

However the OP has been incredibly tight-lipped about what actually transpired, and so there's probably little point in speculating or even advising the OP other than to say, speak to a solicitor.

There was a lot more detail in another thread, since removed.

This "estate agent" simply asks every prospective buyer to pay an unreturnable deposit on offer acceptance.  This is clearly stated on their website. I can only imagine they don't want buyers, for reasons outlined above.

Wayback machine may throw it up if you know when it was posted 😜