OT: Buying a house

[churkus]

What happens legally if a seller has his house up for sale via an estate agent. A buyer views the house via the estate agents, decides he wants it. At this point the seller decides to bypass the estate agent, and deals direct with the buyer.

Can the seller take his house off the market at any time up to exchange of contracts. What if he doesnt bother taking it off at all and the sale is completed?.

[Sockpuppet]

Then the seller will find themselves on the wrong end of a breach of contract from the estate agents.

[glashIFA@Paramount]

What happens legally if a seller has his house up for sale via an estate agent. A buyer views the house via the estate agents, decides he wants it. At this point the seller decides to bypass the estate agent, and deals direct with the buyer.

Can the seller take his house off the market at any time up to exchange of contracts. What if he doesnt bother taking it off at all and the sale is completed?.

Sockpuppets right - it's in the small print on the contract and if you do this the estate agent WILL come after you.

[Darren@UptonAccountants]

Estate Agents

Agree with the Sock & The Glash, if an estate agent smells a rat, he'll come after you....it's in the contract!

[XLMonkey]

Usually there is a restriction in the estate agents contract that states: if you sell this house to anyone at all within [6] months of signing up with me, then I get my commission, regardless of whether I was involved.

[Sockpuppet]

Usually there is a restriction in the estate agents contract that states: if you sell this house to anyone at all within [6] months of signing up with me, then I get my commission, regardless of whether I was involved.

Aye the agent tried to pull that one on my sister. A cousin was selling thier place and my sister bought it. The agent tried to claim that they should recieve 3% of the purchase price as they had "introduced" the two parties.... wtf? We are related!

[TheFaQQer]

If you are within the period specified in the agency contract, then you'll need to pay them.

If not, then you should be OK.

Last time I sold my flat, I only had to give the agency 4 weeks notice. They were pretty bad (or rather the buyer was unreliable), so I pulled out of the sale and terminated the agency. I gave them notice as soon as the problems started, and told them that if it wasn't completed within four weeks, the deal was off. As soon as the period was up, they got the boot, and I sold the flat to my neighbour.

See what the notice period is - if the buyer can wait, then see if you can axe the agent and sell privately.