What would happen....

[Bagpuss]

It's all part of the racket known as the 'UK property market'.

You don't actually require a solicitor, or an estate agent to buy or sell property in this country. We are just mugged into it.

Don't get me started on the sellers pack

You really don't need an estate agent! plenty of sites where you can sell your house from £50.
As for the solicitor, sometimes you don't need them, depends if it's something complicated, I imagine a few people would get badly shafted by dodgy contracts. Oh course also if you have a Mortgage they will insist on a solicitor.

So if you have half a brain and no mortgage, you should DIY.

PS Can we add banks to the funeral pyre?

[bogeyman]

How does this cosy tie up come to be between the solicitor and the estate agent?

It's all part of the racket known as the 'UK property market'.

You don't actually require a solicitor, or an estate agent to buy or sell property in this country. We are just mugged into it.

Don't get me started on the sellers pack

[Bagpuss]

Bingo! and does his best to slow down the process.

[DimPrawn]

It's all coming back to me now.

The agent asks you for the name of the solicitor and acts as a go between and also prevents you from knowing the identity of the buyer to some extent to protect their interests.

[Bagpuss]

If you have an estate agent he deals with the solicitor, he's your agent in the sale. If you don't have one you deal with the solicitor (I didn't use an agent last time).

[DimPrawn]

How does this cosy tie up come to be between the solicitor and the estate agent?

Why does the solicitor pay the estate agent and not you?

What if you advertised your property through an estate agent but sold it privately? How does the solicitor know who to pay?

[Ruprect]

Guessing by the scruples (or lack of) that most agents display, I would assume that it would involve a couple of very ugly men, probably wearing leather jackets and with tattoos on their necks, and a very unfortunate 'accident' involving your knees and some blunt objects.

Anyway, I think BB is right - the solicitor will make sure this is in place first.

[ratewhore]

....if you sold a house through an estate agent and then ignored the bill they sent at the end?

What would they do to recover the debt and how would they enforce non payers who buggered off?

Try it, find out and let us know - ta...

[Bitbucket]

Dosent your solicitor pay the estate agent from the proceeds of the sale?

If there is not enough to pay everyone then I think they ask you for the extra before they complete , but Im not certain about this.

[DimPrawn]

....if you sold a house through an estate agent and then ignored the bill they sent at the end?

What would they do to recover the debt and how would they enforce non payers who buggered off?