‘We’ve been left in limbo for months’
A COUPLE trying to sell their farmhouse because of ill health say they have been ‘left in limbo’ after being targeted by a ‘quick-sale’ estate agent.
Sharon, 58, and Mark Batchelor, 60, had spent more than £250,000 renovating their home in Ystalyfera, South Wales. They needed a quick sale after Mark’s multiple sclerosis began to worsen and the property became unmanageable.
Last August, they listed it with Purplebricks at £539,000. But after a few weeks they received a letter from Sell Quick, which Sharon says claimed the firm could buy the property at market value.
But she says when she called Sell Quick, they told her they could only buy it for £480,000, but she could get a better price from Express Estate Agency (EEA), which is run by the same family, who would market the property. Sharon says an EEA sales representative told them he could sell it for £525,000 within 30 days.
But the retired safety officer says the firm uploaded poorquality photographs and failed to mention the property was a smallholding with facilities for livestock.
The couple asked for the advert to be removed on December 10 but it remained live until February 27. They couldn’t use another agent during that time because of a 24week exclusivity clause in their contract, and have been unable to sell since due to Covid-19. Sharon says: ‘It’s a case of them making all these promises and then you’re left in limbo.’
Mark Brogan, of Manchesterbased EEA, says it was clear the Batchelors were entering into a 24-week agreement and that EEA’s ‘sole selling’ agreement has been approved by The Property Ombudsman.
He says EEA aims to sell in 30 days but is ‘very confident’ it never guaranteed this to the Batchelors. He says he is ‘satisfied’ the firm ‘reacted swiftly’ to Sharon’s complaints about the advert and all fees have been refunded.
There is no suggestion either firm acted illegally.