D
Danny James
- Original Poster
- #1
Hi there,
My partner and I are in the process of setting up a small hospitality based business in the UK. I have over 10 years experience in the industry at a very high standard and my partner is an accountant. We are a startup but have all the necessary skills and funding in place. Our only hurdle now is getting a property.
One thing we don't have experience with is dealing with estate agents so I'm wondering if somebody can help give us a little advice with an issue we are having.
In the area we are opening one particular agent seems to have a monopoly over the available properties. We organised a viewing with them to see a unit which would have been perfect but midway through we were told the following,
"This is a sublet in which the landlord and the head landlord are still undecided on how to proceed. They are considering knocking it through in to the unit next door to create a larger space. We will know the outcome by next week."
Originally we asked once per week for any updates to which we were told there are none. A month and a half has passed and there is still no news and we have given up asking because of the blunt responses we would get in reply.
Approximately two weeks ago I received an email from the same agent in regards to another property we inquired about that was unavailable at the time but was now available at a smaller size to be reconfigured and would we like to view it and put in a proposal.
I went to view the property three days later (the agent was 35 minutes late to the viewing may I add) and after the viewing I was very positive that after the reconfiguration physically described and shown to me by the agent had taken place it could be the right property for us in terms of size, price and layout. Then I got home and looked at the floor plan of the proposed reconfiguration which completely contradicted what I was shown by the agent inside the premises. I was shown a plot size of 1200 sq ft whereas the floor plan displayed a plot size of 800 sq ft.
I immediately contacted the agent explaining the situation and asked if I had been given some old plans in which she responded with,
"You have the right plans, there has been a miscommunication with the landlord on our end and I will contact you ASAP to confirm."
I explained that I was a little confused as to what needed to be confirmed. The plot layout or plot size? The agent responded with,
"Square footage but we have since had a slightly amended plan. I need to make sure of both before I send to you."
Now two weeks have passed and I have heard nothing again. Every time I ask politely if there have been any updates I get quite a blunt response to say no.
How is best for me to deal with this agent? Should I contact them more often or less often?
I understand that we need them more than they need us so my main concern is annoying them and stopping them from wanting to get us in to a property. Without them we'd struggle to find a premises in that area.
Any advice on how to proceed would be a great help!
Kind regards
TL;DR - Monopolising commercial agent is being less than helpful and taking a long time to get back to us. Not sure how to deal with them without alienating ourselves and ruining our chances of getting a premises.
My partner and I are in the process of setting up a small hospitality based business in the UK. I have over 10 years experience in the industry at a very high standard and my partner is an accountant. We are a startup but have all the necessary skills and funding in place. Our only hurdle now is getting a property.
One thing we don't have experience with is dealing with estate agents so I'm wondering if somebody can help give us a little advice with an issue we are having.
In the area we are opening one particular agent seems to have a monopoly over the available properties. We organised a viewing with them to see a unit which would have been perfect but midway through we were told the following,
"This is a sublet in which the landlord and the head landlord are still undecided on how to proceed. They are considering knocking it through in to the unit next door to create a larger space. We will know the outcome by next week."
Originally we asked once per week for any updates to which we were told there are none. A month and a half has passed and there is still no news and we have given up asking because of the blunt responses we would get in reply.
Approximately two weeks ago I received an email from the same agent in regards to another property we inquired about that was unavailable at the time but was now available at a smaller size to be reconfigured and would we like to view it and put in a proposal.
I went to view the property three days later (the agent was 35 minutes late to the viewing may I add) and after the viewing I was very positive that after the reconfiguration physically described and shown to me by the agent had taken place it could be the right property for us in terms of size, price and layout. Then I got home and looked at the floor plan of the proposed reconfiguration which completely contradicted what I was shown by the agent inside the premises. I was shown a plot size of 1200 sq ft whereas the floor plan displayed a plot size of 800 sq ft.
I immediately contacted the agent explaining the situation and asked if I had been given some old plans in which she responded with,
"You have the right plans, there has been a miscommunication with the landlord on our end and I will contact you ASAP to confirm."
I explained that I was a little confused as to what needed to be confirmed. The plot layout or plot size? The agent responded with,
"Square footage but we have since had a slightly amended plan. I need to make sure of both before I send to you."
Now two weeks have passed and I have heard nothing again. Every time I ask politely if there have been any updates I get quite a blunt response to say no.
How is best for me to deal with this agent? Should I contact them more often or less often?
I understand that we need them more than they need us so my main concern is annoying them and stopping them from wanting to get us in to a property. Without them we'd struggle to find a premises in that area.
Any advice on how to proceed would be a great help!
Kind regards
TL;DR - Monopolising commercial agent is being less than helpful and taking a long time to get back to us. Not sure how to deal with them without alienating ourselves and ruining our chances of getting a premises.
