Sold house privately 9 months after estate agents viewings

london21

Try to negotiate with the agent but likely have to pay the full fees as the buyer was through them. 

The contracts usually favours the person that sets it.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Grumpy_chap said:

Leehenry2014 said:

Thanks everyone, proper kick in the teeth as its a large unexpected amount - i didnt realise it was 2 years - thats crazy really!
i understand 6 months etc - but 2 years wow!

looks like im gonna have to pay

once this company is involved - is there no way the estate agent can cancel it and i walk into the estate agents and pay them?

The total payable will still need to include the fees for the collection agency on top of whatever the EA fees were originally.

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

caprikid1

"Have you asked the EA for a copy of the SIGNED contract? Do this just to double check the 2 year bit. They can write what they want in an email, but at the time of marketing you would have signed a contract. They will keep a copy of this just in case your house sells..."

I am not sure that a wet signature on a piece of paper is needed to accept a contract these days....

I think the OP has done enough in terms of actions to be deemed accepting the contract.

GDB2222

Read the terms of your estate agent's contract, and argue about any of the terms you don't like, but do this before accepting it. 

Jonboy_1984

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

The basic cost for passing something like this over will likely be a few quid for the first written contact and in the region of 10-15% of the total amount they recover, unless it goes to the point of legal action (for which costs are likely recoverable). This is probably comparable to the costs of dealing with it in house by the time you have paid someone’s hourly salary….

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Jonboy_1984 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

The basic cost for passing something like this over will likely be a few quid for the first written contact and in the region of 10-15% of the total amount they recover, unless it goes to the point of legal action (for which costs are likely recoverable). This is probably comparable to the costs of dealing with it in house by the time you have paid someone’s hourly salary….

Those people are working there any way, the estate agent isn't going to hire a member of staff to specifically send letters to the OP. 

propertyrental

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Jonboy_1984 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

The basic cost for passing something like this over will likely be a few quid for the first written contact and in the region of 10-15% of the total amount they recover, unless it goes to the point of legal action (for which costs are likely recoverable). This is probably comparable to the costs of dealing with it in house by the time you have paid someone’s hourly salary….

Those people are working there any way, the estate agent isn't going to hire a member of staff to specifically send letters to the OP. 

I tried the same argument with my plumber when he invoiced me for his time fixing my boiler.

He seemed convinced he could charge not just for tthe parts, but for his time too, despite the fact that he'd be doing plumbing any way.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

propertyrental said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Jonboy_1984 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

The basic cost for passing something like this over will likely be a few quid for the first written contact and in the region of 10-15% of the total amount they recover, unless it goes to the point of legal action (for which costs are likely recoverable). This is probably comparable to the costs of dealing with it in house by the time you have paid someone’s hourly salary….

Those people are working there any way, the estate agent isn't going to hire a member of staff to specifically send letters to the OP. 

I tried the same argument with my plumber when he invoiced me for his time fixing my boiler.

He seemed convinced he could charge not just for tthe parts, but for his time too, despite the fact that he'd be doing plumbing any way.

That's not an apt comparison. 

Jonboy_1984

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Jonboy_1984 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I'm not so sure of this as with all things each party needs to mitigate their losses. How does paying a third party to send some letters meet this when the estate agent could do the same for the cost of a stamp? 

Old thread but seems to contain solid advice from sourcrates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996209/debt-collector-fees

The basic cost for passing something like this over will likely be a few quid for the first written contact and in the region of 10-15% of the total amount they recover, unless it goes to the point of legal action (for which costs are likely recoverable). This is probably comparable to the costs of dealing with it in house by the time you have paid someone’s hourly salary….

Those people are working there any way, the estate agent isn't going to hire a member of staff to specifically send letters to the OP. 

Yes but your in house staff can be working on future profitable sales rather than disputes with ex-clients. Debt collection and credit control wouldn’t need to exist as jobs full stop if everyone did what they agreed too and it is astonishing how much work some people like to make paying money they owe.

eddddy

Grumpy_chap said:

The total payable will still need to include the fees for the collection agency on top of whatever the EA fees were originally.

I think it's very unlikely that the OP contractually agreed to pay any fees for a collection agency.


I've read dozens of estate agents contracts and I've never seen one that says anything like "I [the seller] agree to pay collection agency fees."

Maybe the OP should check the estate agent's contract just to make sure - but I suspect they'll find they only owe the estate agent's regular commission fee.