WATCH OUT FOR THE SMALL PRINT!

Wed 07 Jan 2015

It was brought home to us yet again today that our standard contract terms are very different from many other agents.

We were contacted by a property owner who was not at all happy with her current agent, wanting us to take over as her agents.  She understood that she had signed up for a period of several weeks, 16 in this case, but has that had now elapsed, believed the contract period was over.  What had clearly not been pointed out sufficiently clearly was that those agents still required 21 days notice after the initial 16 week period.

It is not uncommon for property owners not to be fully aware of the contract terms signed up for, and we can see why when sometimes the relevant clause is in very small print and not where you would expect it to be.  Are we being cynical in thinking that is designed to mislead?

We do not see the necessity to tie our owners up on long contract periods, as we are confident we can establish a good and successful working relationship, where the property owner will not wish to cancel our instructions.  If they do, however, all that is required is two weeks notice, and there is NO SMALL PRINT.

NOT ALL ESTATE AGENTS ARE THE SAME!