management company charging for enquires is this usual?

apuleius

My mother is selling her flat. The purchaser's solicitors have made enquires to the management company via her solicitor who says that the management company is charging £100 to have these questions answered. Is this usual? who is responsible for paying this fee, vendor or purchaser. Thank you. Incidentally the management company is part of theEA handling my mother's sale.

Richard_Webster

It is pretty normal for a managing agent to charge something like £100 to answer questions. I have seen cases in London where it is nearer £300!

The seller is normally expected to pay this fee. I always try to indicate that there could be this kind of extra charge when I send out estimates for conveyancing on the sale of a flat. The difficulty is that until further into a transaction we won't generally know how much it is - but I would say £100 is pretty typical and it is the kid of amount I would include in my estimates as a guesstimate.

apuleius

Thanks Richard, for your speedy response. Do you think it might be waived as the EA acting for mother is the same company as the management company (albeita different branch of their services?). Also do you have a view on my other question posted re validity of existing mortgage offer on a different property?
You are an amazing resource as I see your name pops up on a number of these fora. Thank you.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

would be surprised if they'll waive the fee...

my missus had to pay £170 for a "conveyancing Pack" to be sent to the buyers solicitors... included details of 3 years Mgmt Co accounts, Insurance Certificates, confirmation that she was not in any arrears and had no outstanding issues that would transfer to the purchaser etc..

felt ripped off tbh, but not a great deal we could do..

martinman3

Richard_Webster wrote: »

It is pretty normal for a managing agent to charge something like £100 to answer questions. I have seen cases in London where it is nearer £300!

The seller is normally expected to pay this fee. I always try to indicate that there could be this kind of extra charge when I send out estimates for conveyancing on the sale of a flat. The difficulty is that until further into a transaction we won't generally know how much it is - but I would say £100 is pretty typical and it is the kid of amount I would include in my estimates as a guesstimate.

The leaseholders of our building own a share of the freehold and when these questions are asked I normally charge £20, do you think that we should be charging £100 too ?

Richard_Webster

The leaseholders of our building own a share of the freehold and when these questions are asked I normally charge £20, do you think that we should be charging £100 too ?

Not really, your charge is more typical of a charge by the flatowners themselves sorting it out.

As far as OP's view about the estate agents being the same as the managing agents I suppose it is worth a go at getting the charge waived - they do want the sale to go through don't they? I expect the seller used them because he/she thought it would be smoother using the agents who knew about the proeprty and that's why they got the business.

apuleius

Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried this, but as the two branches of the company are separate a charge still had to be made. At least they have all the answers, so they are efficient and the money is well spent!