EA Tricks - even in hard times

apuleius

EAs are well known for their unscrupulous behaviour in securing a deal, but I am surprised at some of the sharp practice still being carried out in these tough times.

We made a low offer on a flat 6 weeks ago which was turned down. On Monday the EA came back and showed interest in the original offer. A reply from the vendor was promised the next day. Three days on and the property is under offer - but not with us. The EA hasn't even bothered to get back to us. (see my thread 'Waiting Game'). It would seem likely that he was getting another buyer to raise their offer by trading off our offer.

However, the offer listed as originally placed by us was 5K less than we had made.So false information was given to the vendor. How can one ensure that the correct offer is being transmitted?

Do we have any recourse? Should I make a formal complaint to the manager of the branch or is this a waste of time? What other EA tricks are currently being experienced to make a sale? I might add I am a serious buyer, mortgage offer in place and hefty deposit. I am not a time waster but the EA is wasting my time.

comments please!

chickmug

As an EA I am fed up with the increasingly unscrulous behaviour of many of those that we deal with day to day. Buyers and sellers!!! The problem is they never get the blame for their decisions and their instructions to their agents to carry out their decisions. The EA can hardly blame their client so hence they are taking more and more flack.

I agree some EA's are crap but I beleive some EA's on this forum who try and help, including me, are some of the good guys?

Doozergirl

Why would they purposely put in an offer £5000 below the actual one? That sounds think rather than sharp.

Why they even bothered playing you off I don't know. It's possible that the vendor asked if you were still interested but then the people offering upped their offer meaning you get totally ignored because it's convenient not to phone people.

There are so many idiot EAs out there. Some good ones too, but plenty of idiots. A small minority that are bent, but really a lot of idiots.

Next time the market takes off, I'll have a shop in a high street near you, LOL! Whether because I'd be better at it or simply because I'm an idiot, I don't know.

PasturesNew

Doozergirl wrote: »

There are so many idiot EAs out there. Some good ones too, but plenty of idiots. A small minority that are bent, but really a lot of idiots.

Next time the market takes off, I'll have a shop in a high street near you, LOL! Whether because I'd be better at it or simply because I'm an idiot, I don't know.

So... there's a few that might be idiots then!

apuleius

But none of your are answering my post: is it a waste of time effort to complain about mismanagemnt - I'm still at the end of the day looking for a property and would like better service next time!

chickmug

PasturesNew wrote: »

So... there's a few that might be idiots then!

Yep and I may be one for reading this forum! It is addictive though:rolleyes: !!!!!!

chickmug

apuleius wrote: »

But none of your are answering my post: is it a waste of time effort to complain about mismanagemnt - I'm still at the end of the day looking for a property and would like better service next time!

As an EA I am defending my corner! However my inclination would be to try and let the seller know to see what they have to say but as I alluded to in my earlier post it may be the seller causing the mischief and not the agent.

Why not complain to the manger or HO if they are a large firm to try and get someone to take up your case and explain their actions.

Doozergirl

apuleius wrote: »

But none of your are answering my post: is it a waste of time effort to complain about mismanagemnt - I'm still at the end of the day looking for a property and would like better service next time!

Do you think it is? The only ones I ever felt he need to complain about were conveniently not affiliated to the NAEA or the OEA. I think if they are, they are trying but have some idiots working for them. If they aren't (I know it's changing that you have to be) then they are blatantly cowboys.

I think if you play the game of putting in offers and waiting, you have to be prepared to be ignored and to lose. Occassionally you win but in my own experience, they seem to be happier selling it to someone at a lower price than you offered when it felt like an insult. I live it and complaining would only make them remember me in a bad way the next time I have to deal with them. As a vendor I've never considered going back to someone that had offered previously, but I guess I've never had to.

PRINCESSKERRY

Today I have received a call from a EA after their vendor has now decided to accept a offer I put to them about 2 weeks ago, which they originally declined and they now accepted despite knowing I have since bought somewhere else and am about (if not have already had) the survey done.
The vendors were dithering over offers for a couple of weeks before too despite having no interest in there property for over 7 months.

tbs624

The Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No 2) Order 1991 (Schedule 3,para 2) requires an estate agent to forward to his client promptly and in writing accurate details (other than those of a description which the client has indicated in writing he does not wish to receive) of any offer the estate agent has received from a prospective purchaser.

Depends how much of a stink you want to kick up, and how dependent you might be on getting another property via this EA (are they the only/biggest firm in your area?) The Office of Fair Trading will take action on EAs who fail to comply, & you can go via your Trading Standards Office.

I would always make put all offers in writing to an EA, with a copy direct to the vendor. Some EAs are merely incompetent, some are downright dodgy in their methodology. However, as another poster has said, some of them may just be representing a difficult vendor.

RHemmings

apuleius wrote: »

But none of your are answering my post: is it a waste of time effort to complain about mismanagemnt - I'm still at the end of the day looking for a property and would like better service next time!

Does the EA belong to any professional bodies. If they do, this will probably be on their publicity material. If so, you could complain to this professional body.

Passing on a lower offer than you made seems a bit suspicious to me. Some EAs will play games with not passing on offers, e.g. if a "mate" of theirs is interested in buying the property at a knock down price. But I think EAs are required by law to pass on offers. Passing on an "oops! we made a mistake" offer may be an attempt to get around this.