property

[shaunagh29]

i had agreed a price on a house with an estate agent i was ment to call in to pay the 2% of the price as a deposit i got a phone call 10 minutes befor the aranged time for payin the deposit sayin a cash buyer had come in and the house was sold to them, it wasent a privet sale the house was an emergancy purchas schyem from the housing excitive, the agency didnt even ask me did i want to up the offer on the house as i would have done and when i asked them could i they said the house was sold, are the aloud to do this any advice would be very greatfull.

[scotman]

Assuming English law then very probably they can.

[sandyRoe]

Shaunagh, would you answer a question? Are you a graduate from QUB?

[shaunagh29]

no why do u ask

[Eve]

Yes (again, assuming you are in England/Wales) the purchase is not legally binding until exchange of contracts (google gazumping).

[shaunagh29]

i live in ireland

[shaunagh29]

i mean n ireland

[sandyRoe]

The estate agent had a duty to get the best possible price for that house. By not doing that they have cheated the Housing Executive. You could contact the Ombudsman with the details, but if the house is sold it's gone.

[shaunagh29]

it wasent gazumping because the cash buyer got the house for the same price as the offer i had on the house plue they didnt let me put a higher offer on

[shaunagh29]

they have just said sale agreed on the house sandyroe

[sandyRoe]

I take it this was a house owned by a member of the police or the prison service who had to move because of a security threat. That's when the Housing Executive emergency purchase scheme generally comes into operation.
If you contacted the estate agent and said you were prepared to make another offer and reminded them that they were obliged to get the best price they could.
Tell them you are going to the Housing Executive and the Ombudsman and Stephen Nolan.

[shaunagh29]

i have started to email stephen nolan but how do i get in touch with the ombudsman?

[sandyRoe]

http://www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk/

Before you contact them get back to the estate agent with your increased offer, in writing. And tell the estate agent what you're going to do if they don't consider your offer.

[shaunagh29]

i have already went to them 2day and handed them a letter sayin i wanted to up my offer they wouldent take the letter of me so i left it on the table, i asked for him to come out and speak with me but he refused to speak with me