This is an update on my previous post.

I’ve finally decided not to go ahead with this property because I was told different things and given different offers, and eventually I got a call yesterday, the agent told me there will be NO DISCOUNT at all? WTF

This is the story.

I was searching on Google and found this flat last week. It is a one bed flat located in city centre and the price is within my affordable range. So I rang to arrange a viewing on the show flat, which I did on last Saturday, and I like the quality of the kitchen worktop and bathroom pieces, all the flats will be using exactly the same thing! The sales agent said there properly won’t be any discount on the property because it is cheap (£260 per square ft, and they call it cheap. *sweat*. ), however, they might be able to give me an allocated secure car park space, which I am quite happy with because finding a parking space is a headache in city centre, and it is costly.

After discussion with my father and I took a day off on Wednesday to talk in details with the agent, and that was when I got pissed off.

I was in the meeting with the sales agent I met on Saturday and his managing director. I was told by the managing director that I won’t get the car park, it will be £15,000 to get one (whoa!), however, he offered me a discount of 6%, but he had to obtain confirmation from the developer, fair enough. Then I proceed to ask how much in total that I have to pay to secure the flat, and you know what, apart from the £1000 deposit and solicitor fees, I have to pay the agency an extra non-refundable “Finder’s Fee (Introducer Fee)”, that is 1% + VAT of the flat value!

Ridiculous!

What have they done to “find” or “introduce” me? The funny thing is, they are selling the properties on behalf of the developer, isn’t it their job to sell the property?!! I thought it was normal to pay the fees, but I doubt whether it is true and necessary.

Next day, I spoke to my colleagues who have experience dealing with this and I also rang up my estate agent for advice. According to them, the sellers are suppose to pay the fees, not the buyer and if an agency is selling properties on behalf on developers, they suppose to get commission from the developer! This got me boiling!

Later in the afternoon, the agent called again to confirm that the 6% discount was not available because the flat is already so cheap.

First, I was convinced that I will get a car park which I know is worth a lot of money, then I had hope for a 6% discount and now I’ve got nothing!

That’s it, I am not paying £84k for mere 310 square ft.

(Opening up Firefox and start searching on Google…”Flats/Apartments in Bradford”, hit “Enter”)