Are you unhappy with your chosen estate agent? What to do next......
No one likes to get stuck in a situation they do not like and we certainly hate the feeling that something isn’t right with a decision we have made. Sometimes, it is not the fact that they are inefficient, it may be because you would rather use another method of sale.
The process of selling your property is in itself a daunting task and you want to make sure you have efficient and experienced hands that would make the process a lot easier for you. You want results and you deserve to get results. Here are things to do when you are unhappy with your agent…
· Talk to them- Half of the time, we have issues with others due to lack of communication. This can easily happen when you instruct a large multi branch estate agent who are dealing with 100s of properties, through no fault of their own, you can quickly be forgotten, whilst they move onto the next batch of properties. You would need to explain what is making you unhappy and what aspect of their services you would like them to improve on. Hopefully, your agent is having weekly marketing conversations with you, but if not, why not?
· Make suggestions- Having identified the aspects of your agent's services you are not happy with, you can go ahead to pitch your suggestions to them and how best they can incorporate it into their policies to help create the right results you need. Most estate agents are professionals who may have practiced for years, you do not want to come off as imposing with your ideas, pitch them with the need to make headway in mind. If you feel like they are brushing you off or refusing to listen to your suggestions, then maybe you need to start exploring other avenues.
· Escalate your complaints- Property agents in the UK are mandated to be members of these compulsory schemes: the property ombudsman and property redress scheme. Should you have a hard time dealing with your agent, explore the option of filing a formal complaint with an appropriate scheme to which they belong.
· Check your contract- if you have tried all means to get your agent to see things your way and it’s not working, it may be time to check the details of your contract on how you can terminate without incurring costs or legal liabilities. Most contracts have mutual obligations for parties where termination is concerned though it has to be done within the stated timeframe unless there is an express breach of a provision to perform an act. If you have 30 days termination notice in your contract, you will need to remember that you cannot make an on the spot decision terminating such a contract as you may be subjected to legal action.
· Get another agent- If you are satisfied that you have fulfilled the conditions for the termination of your prior contract then it is time to get another agent. This time, you would want to be specific with your instructions and make sure that their profile fits the bill of the person you are looking for. Always look for an experienced agent, who knows the area and has a track record of not only selling property in your location, but also achieving the best price in a timeframe to suit you. We are confident that our award winning service at Gibson Honey fits this bill.
As stated above, we certainly do not fancy getting stuck with professionals whose methods or performance do not align with our expectations. We hope these tips help with getting you the agent you want and deserve.