But the programme was based on one man who placed an advert on the internet and got no response, wasting £99.
get the daily news delivered to your inbox
He then got someone to advise him to tidy up the place, have proper photographs taken and buy a private for sale sign, which came to several hundreds of pounds. The board was stolen. He also reduced the asking price.
The programme ended with the man saying he had several other responses and a possibility of an offer. But, it was not sold.
Firstly, there has never been anything to stop people selling privately and many do, even when an agent has made the introduction. Hence our fees have to cover lost deals.
He may have spent nearer a £1,000 with VAT, while we have generally worked on the basis of no sale, no fee.
Will he achieve the best offer?
Not forgetting he will still need a solicitor to prepare the documentation.
The programme also forgot to mention what he was doing, as from 1 June, will be illegal.
He can not sell privately without the Home Information Pack, which will cost him hundreds of pounds, regardless of whether the property sells and has to be updated if the flat remains on the market.
download our news ticker
What I can not understand is why estate agents never stand up for themselves. Just look at the costs of running an office.
Why do we allow the public to rubbish people who usually provide a professional service and, in our case for free, unless we secure a deal? Many agents open seven days a week.
Complaints are made if agents are too pushy then complaints are made, claiming they do very little for their money. The spokesman for the Ombudsman for Estate Agents admits he receives thousands of complaints about agents, including members, so how is joining that quango going to help matters? You have good and bad in all trades – being a member of a quango will make no difference. If anything, it makes matters worse, as those agents think they can hide behind the use of its logo.
Richard F. Grant
