Estate Agent ID Check Charge

eddddy

fiish said:

The homebuyer's insurance that comes with the membership sounds handy though, it's something I probably would have bought anyway.

Who was the insurer for the homebuyers insurance? Did you ever claim on the policy? Was the claim paid?

So far, I haven't come across anyone who says they've had a claim paid on this type of policy. I've come across some angry people who've had their claims rejected.

The marketing messages (or sales pitch) used by companies that offer this type of insurance often seems to be grossly misleading.

TripleH

I'd say 'no thank you, my solicitor will verify my ID and the sellers solicitor can deal with them'.

You shouldn't need to verify ID to offer unless you're doing your own conveyancing.

There's a thing called budgeting and saving for the lean times. Why pay for Estate Agents poor fiscal planning.

MeteredOut

Name and shame the EAs doing this so others can be aware to say no/avoid if possible. You can guarantee they're getting "commission" on this.

fiish

What is that going to achieve for buyers? As buyers we are not the EAs' clients, and the EA is there between a buyer and the property they'd like to buy. And if a £60 charge for an ID check is enough to put me off making an offer, it probably means I am quite on the fence about that property anyway. I did not like paying it, and I know to refuse to pay in the future, but I'm not really going to let it stop me from offering on a property that I like.

Putting a seller hat on, if the buyer has to pay, then I don't. As long as it isn't so high that it kills interest in the property for sale, it's fine.

Surrey_EA

TripleH said:

I'd say 'no thank you, my solicitor will verify my ID and the sellers solicitor can deal with them'.

You shouldn't need to verify ID to offer unless you're doing your own conveyancing.

There's a thing called budgeting and saving for the lean times. Why pay for Estate Agents poor fiscal planning.

The estate agent has to verify the ID of both buyers, and sellers, it's a legal requirement.

However, there should be no reason to make a separate charge for doing so.

chanz4

LLM000 said:

Is it common practice/ legal for estate agents to charge you for ID checks when putting an offer in on a property? They said they were not able to check ID's themselves anymore and it had to be done through a separate company who validate IDs at a cost of £60 I think for the 2 people purchasing the property. Has anyone else been made to pay this fee/ is it legal/ is there a way around it?

purple bricks by any chance?

LLM000

chanz4 said:

LLM000 said:

Is it common practice/ legal for estate agents to charge you for ID checks when putting an offer in on a property? They said they were not able to check ID's themselves anymore and it had to be done through a separate company who validate IDs at a cost of £60 I think for the 2 people purchasing the property. Has anyone else been made to pay this fee/ is it legal/ is there a way around it?

purple bricks by any chance?

No not purple bricks, it is a small estate agent who have a few offices in my area.

GDB2222

Were you being charged this before the seller had said whether your offer was acceptable?

LLM000

GDB2222 said:

Were you being charged this before the seller had said whether your offer was acceptable?

No, I think it was after the offer was accepted. If I could go back and change things I would. I did question it at the time with a phone call and email to the EA but they insisted that their hands were tied and that all ID checks had to be done externally?!

user1977

LLM000 said:

GDB2222 said:

Were you being charged this before the seller had said whether your offer was acceptable?

No, I think it was after the offer was accepted. If I could go back and change things I would. I did question it at the time with a phone call and email to the EA but they insisted that their hands were tied and that all ID checks had to be done externally?!

Even if they do, that doesn't mean you have to pay them anything...