Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Corrupt estate agents
Browsing the BBC News Magazine RSS newsfeed today at work, whilst munching my cheese and piccallilli sarnies, I came across a disturbing, though not entirely surprising, report by an undercover journalist on sharp, not to plain corrupt, practices by a few estate agents she blagged her way into. The article summary reads:
Personally, in the two small house deals I've been involved in so far, I've found the agency staff to be overworked, underpaid and more dedicated than I deserved them to be given their piddling share of the commission their agency would get for the sale. When I flogged my Hull house for 63k (I think), the commission was 1.5% which worked out as just under a grand for the Halifax, of which the very helpful and very down-to-earth and honest young woman who worked on my behalf probably only got a few quid on top of her salary. So I've no complaints as yet myself, and I'm sure most workers in agencies are plain old wage-slaves like the rest of us who do the best for their clients, but it's worth bearing in mind that there are some sharper and less scrupulous agencies around the place and maybe only dealing with those that have been recommended by word of mouth.
Full article on BBC News Magazine
Lying to customers, faked signatures, false passports and dodgy deals with developers. An undercover investigation reveals the secret world of estate agents' dirty tricks.The comments after the piece from readers who've worked in the business, or have been ripped off by it, are instructive also, if depressing. Not that I'm likely to come across any agents like this given the piddling 95k or so my house is probably currently worth, but maybe folk in places where houses go for big money should be wary in their dealings with agents.
Personally, in the two small house deals I've been involved in so far, I've found the agency staff to be overworked, underpaid and more dedicated than I deserved them to be given their piddling share of the commission their agency would get for the sale. When I flogged my Hull house for 63k (I think), the commission was 1.5% which worked out as just under a grand for the Halifax, of which the very helpful and very down-to-earth and honest young woman who worked on my behalf probably only got a few quid on top of her salary. So I've no complaints as yet myself, and I'm sure most workers in agencies are plain old wage-slaves like the rest of us who do the best for their clients, but it's worth bearing in mind that there are some sharper and less scrupulous agencies around the place and maybe only dealing with those that have been recommended by word of mouth.
Full article on BBC News Magazine
