Selling your Home in Brighton & Hove - A Ruthless Game of Chance?

Copyright Janet Cameron

Placing my property on the market last summer for about four stressful months taught me a lot about how "some" Estate Agents operate. And one or two of them I find pretty ruthless.

These are the worst aspects of using the wrong agent. I won't name the guilty agents, but I'm sure they will be recognised.

The Numbers Game

One, in particular, doesn't discriminate in any respect about whom s/he brings to your door.  You might be selling a tiny, poky, studio flat - and whatever the customer wants, they will, somehow, manage to get them through the door on their whistle-stop tour. The reason - the firm offers a commission for the number of viewings the lads and lasses manage to achieve.  It's a numbers game. Ultimately, it probably works, because a percentage will obviously "bite the bullet."  (Excuse the cliché but it's so appropriate!) 

This means major upheavals for the poor buyer. I gave the agents my key.  Fatal!  I did make it clear I wanted to know when they were bringing someone, whether I was in or out. No way.  I'd be in the flat in my underwear and they would be struggling with the key in the door, which was fortunately locked from inside.  Sometimes, they sent people round without informing me they were coming. "Oh, so sorry, excuse the mess. The agents didn't tell me."

Or I was out, or at a meeting, and there would be a phone call. "Our client is waiting at your flat to view."

Customer Satisfaction?  Don't Be Silly!

This particular agent took over two weeks to get the flat details right (omitting to let me check them first) and kept forgetting to show clients the communal garden. So they were pretty speedily sacked. But they continued to advertise my property until three months after I had officially asked them to remove it from their books.  I notified them again via the website.  I then received a letter instructing me that if anyone had viewed my property through them - even after two years - I would have to pay their fee. The fact the letter was dated three months after my cancellation was not acknowledged.

So that's a neat trick, isn't it.  Refuse to admit you've received the cancellation/s and just leave the property on Rightmove or Prime Location and maybe in the folder in the office. Maybe, it's possible to ring the unwary buyer and explain "someone who originally viewed / took the details / whatever," would really like to view, because they "absolutely love it." 

Commission Tussle

Even if the property isn't getting viewings, if anyone who registers approaches through any other agent at a future date, there'll be a commission tussle. Besides which, the property looks as though it's on the market for months and months and people will wonder what's wrong with it.

Best Agents

Fox's were actually pretty good. Respected my privacy, let me check out the details before they were published, made sure I was kept informed, .

The worst agents, I think I'd better not say as I am sure they would be litigious and I can do without more hassle. But most locals know who they are.  Just ask.