Lodging complaint about estate agent for emotional blackmail

lincroft1710

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81956397#Comment_81956397

You don't have to be experienced in house buying to realise that "as a single mother she is denying her children the opportunity to own a property in the future by not buying that house" is totally illogical.

dutchcloggie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81956472#Comment_81956472

I know. But we are not all able to gather our thoughts in the heat of the moment. Just because I am Dutch and thus opinionated from birth doesn't mean everybody else is 🤣🤣

Anyway, I think it is enough to know that this is not normal behaviour. I was just wondering if it was enough for a complaint. As we know, EA do their most unethical things on the phone, thus leaving no actual evidence that can be used.

TroubledTarts

I would step in as a friend and even if the phone call to the estate agents was ignored by the manager I would express my disgust at this behaviour.

It might do nothing but nice to get things off your chest.

Estate agents would run over their own granny for a sale (sorry grannies out there)

If you give us a rough postcode area we might be able to find some gems on budget?

sheramber

Tell your friend to press the call ended button and block the number.

That is totally unprofessional behaviour.

It makes me think there have already been problems selling and the agent thinks your friend is an easy target to get a sale.

dutchcloggie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81956515#Comment_81956515

The agent is a 2 person business so the agent IS the boss.

Anyway, I have calmed down a bit now. I'll talk to my friend. I think she might wait until she has bought a house and then complain. To prevent the agent calling around and dirt talking her.

gwynlas

If your friend really likes thehouse and could afford to do the work if she only paid £120k then she could ask that you act as her agent. Either the seller agrees to lower price based on survey or she walks.

She can block EA number

dutchcloggie

She did suggest this. She is short of cash, not of mortgage. So the best thing would be for the vendor to pay for the work, and then my friend would buy the house for the initially agreed price. Because a slightly lower mortgage does not free up the cash. It would not make any difference to the vendor.

Anyway, that conversation was had. She was very clear about it and said she would walk, with respect, because she doesn't have the budget. Simple. Clear. The result was 3 phone calls in an hour, with the above content and personal insults. My friend said repeatedly: I don't have the money so it can't go ahead. Agent kept saying how crazy this was.

Only THEN did the agent say: ok, I'll speak to the vendor. My friend then got an email saying that the vendor said no and would my friend reconsider...

She obviously pulled out.

It was over all a generally horrible experience. It almost felt like that EA's entire life depended on this one sale. That's how desperate she sounded for someone to buy a house she clearly said she couldn't afford.

TroubledTarts

I guess from the sellers point of view they would not have any guarantee she would buy after getting the roof done plus how long does getting the roof done take, maybe a few months, maybe more.

Sounds like the seller and buyer no longer match so shame about the verbal abuse from the estate agent.

dutchcloggie

YeH, I get that. And an entirely reasonable thought. Which could simply be the end of the business relationship. House purchases fall through all the time after issues raised by surveys.

peterhjohnson

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81956659#Comment_81956659

It's rarely the best idea to have a vendor do repairs. They have little incentive to get a proper job done. Better to offer a price that reflects the value of the property as it is today and take control of repairs when you have completed the sale (at a lower price)