© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
I put my flat on the market through a local agent whom I instructed as a sole agent. It appears they told a sub agent about my flat and one of their clients approached me and we agreed a selling price. Now the agents I instructed first want me to pay them a commission but I don't think they did anything to help the sale. Am I liable?
Shelly Knight, W5
Regrettably it looks as if you are liable because the information the sub agent received originated from your instructed agent without which a sale would not have happened and that seems enough for them to justify a claim to have introduced your buyer.
Desmond Taylor
A friend let me read your magazine and I found it very useful! We have a problem in our block. The Managing Agent is allowing commercial vehicles into our residential car park with disastrous noise, security, environmental, human relations and health effects. The barriers are put to extra use as is the automated equipment. The leaseholders are not insured for liabilities caused by commercial vehicles. Could you let us know if other leaseholders have the same problem and how they solved it, please?
Carla S., by e-mail
We can't tell you about other leaseholders but you should first consult your lease and see what the car parking area may be used for by the Landlord and if it does not permit use by commercial vehicles then the Landlord can be contacted and told to stop their Agents permitting such use. You don't say why the commercial vehicles are there. If it is to do work on the building you need to be sure the lease does not allow the Landlord to use the car parking area for such a purpose. If there is disregard of an insurance risk a letter should put the Landlord on notice and if the Managing Agents do not respond to a written complaint and show disregard for your concerns an immediate application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to replace them should have quite an impact. Soon it will be even easier to get rid of Managing Agents who disregard the interests of leaseholders.
Erika Laffan
I am really fed up. A couple of months ago I bought a flat in a modern block and now I find a gypsy encampment nearby is likely to be permanent and I am sure it will affect the value of my flat. I believe the gypsies are applying for some sort of planning permission to stay long term. I had a Building Society survey and a private survey which never mentioned the problem and nor did my solicitor find out about it. Do I have redress against anyone?
Mike Woods, by e-mail
Possibly. We don't think you can blame your solicitor because he would not have made a search on adjoining land and you don't make it clear how much you knew before you bought. Assuming you were ignorant of the possibility of long term gypsy use the issue is whether either of the surveyors is a fault in not picking this up. We think it would be difficult in practice to make a claim on the Building Society survey but if you own private surveyor gave a valuation it may be that he should have noticed the gypsy encampment and made proper enquiries as to how this would affect the value of your flat. You may have a remedy in damages but you would need to consult a solicitor.