Well, some of you think being charged over 4% for estate agency fees is high. I have recently received a completion statement from the HALIFAX, and guess what, they have included a charge for estate agency fees of over 7 per cent.

All the solicitors that act for these organisations are in bed with each other. Addleshaw and Booth currently have a partner that was trained by Guess who -- EVERSHEDS.

-- ************************ (hidehi@hodeho.co.uk), October 01, 2001

Answers

Its very common for solicitors to article at one firm then move to another and another etc etc. They're just employees like everybody else, so I wouldn't read anything suspicious into that.

Viz the 7% estate agency fee, I would query it now whilst the iron is still hot. Go around other agencies in the area and find out what they charge. If the Halifax used a normal agency, walk in as a punter (say you live next-door for example) and ask them about their fees. Get something in writing and hey presto... what they've done is against the law.

For anyone else reading this: this is how you beat them. Take their documentation and verify it yourself. Let them make mistakes, send you crap, whatever,... point being to turn it back on them.

-- (bluemoon_andy@hotmail.com), October 01, 2001.