9th Jul 2024 (18 days ago)
Back in 2023 I tried to buy a house David James was marketing. After three frustrating months waiting for the vendor to find an onward purchase, with no sign it'd ever actually happen, I gave up and abandoned the purchase.
Months later DJ approached me again. It said the property was back on the market and promised a quick, chain-free sale this time. Despite misgivings I agreed to buy it. Over the following month DJ reiterated its awareness of the conditions and in the light of my previous experience, how important they were.
A month into the process an email suddenly arrived. DJ told me our "chain-free" transaction was now a part of a chain!
I pointed out at once that this broke their promises. DJ's response (which felt like gaslighting) was to try and convince me what a great thing this new chain was. If I wanted to learn more I'd have to wait, it said, until another agent returned from holiday.
This created the impression of a bait-and-switch. It felt like I'd been promised a chain-free transaction so I'd commit my time and money, then get railroaded into accepting one.
I demanded the branch manager get involved. When no answers emerged by the next morning, I said if the vendor wasn't going to honour the original terms I needn't honour the price. I set a deadline for DJ to explain why its statements about the sale hadn't matched reality or I'd be gone.
The branch manager seemed to take little interest in the unfolding disaster. She forwarded my email to the vendor, whose response appeared to confirm the situation. The identity of the culprit - vendor or agent - was unclear.
I was beyond appalled. I'd foolishly dared to hope things would go right this time, and instead of a lovely new home it appeared my trust had been badly betrayed. All the time, money and emotion I'd put into the process was wasted.
***
45 hours after DJ announced the chain, the original agent called.
She had an embarrassing admission to make. There had never been a chain. The vendor was buying a new house but my transaction didn't depend on it. An employee new to the branch had misinterpreted what she was told and dreamed it up out of thin air.
The error could've been quickly corrected had DJ's staff taken my concerns - and deadline - more seriously. Although DJ knew how delicate the transaction was, it assumed I'd just sit quietly for days when it appeared I was getting screwed. Uh no.
Taking the explanation at face value, it meant I'd been put through two days of hell - hurried consultations with my solicitor, immense stress, no sleep, couldn't eat, missed work - for no good reason. A gruelling, traumatic experience - disappointed a second time over a house I'd loved. I fear the poor vendor fared little better.
A review I'd posted on Trustpilot had attracted the attention of the management. I was asked if I'd delete it. I don't know if that's commonplace but it makes me take DJ's rating with a pinch of salt!
***
DJ tried asked me to return to the sale. Words are cheap, so to show it was genuinely sorry for what it'd put me through I asked that it forego half its fee.
DJ's director pressured me to restart my purchase in return for something much less. It felt derisory - like DJ assumed I was so desperate to buy the house I'd have no choice but to forgive it. He claimed not to understand why I wouldn't budge (A: principles). I even suggested the money be given to charity, but no dice.
So that was that. A nightmare experience ending in no sale.... Read more