A MAN faces court action after refusing to pay an estate agent a £300 withdrawal fee to remove his property from the market.
Jackson Holt was selling his apartment on Sansome Walk with estate agent Andrew Grant before the sale fell through earlier this year.
After the deal fell through, he then asked the estate agent to withdraw his property from the market, but he was told he would need to pay a £250 withdrawal fee plus VAT, which he has refused to pay.
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Mr Holt has claimed it is unfair that the buyer received their full deposit back, but he has to pay £300 to take the property off the market.
“It is baffling, if I am honest, how they are handling the business,” he said.
“I asked to withdraw the property, and they asked me to pay £300 as a withdrawal fee.
“I am the victim here.
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“It is just their faceless and humanless way of looking at this.
“It is bonkers that they are treating someone like this.”
Andrew Grant said the Terms of Business signed by Mr Holt clearly state the fee to withdraw any property from the market.
They added that the fee is only there to recoup a small portion of the costs involved in listing a home on the market.
Andrew Grant said the fee was clearly outlined in the terms of business signed by Mr Holt when he instructed the company to market the property.
Withdrawal fees, sometimes referred to as cancellation fees, are used by some estate agents to cover costs already incurred when marketing a home. These can include professional photography, advertising, accompanied viewings and sales progression work. However, not all estate agents charge withdrawal fees, and the terms vary between firms.
The property was originally under offer, and Andrew Grant had taken a £1,500 deposit from the prospective buyer, who later pulled out of the purchase.
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The deposit was paid back in full.
A spokesperson for Andrew Grant said: “The buyer withdrew due to a title issue but also following direct contact from Mr Holt, which is against our recommended procedures.
“The £250 plus VAT withdrawal fee under dispute was clearly set out in the Terms of Business agreed and signed by Mr Holt.
“Withdrawal fees are widely used in the industry and reflect a small part of the cost of professional photography, marketing, viewings and sales progression.”
Mr Holt has gone through the estate agent’s full complaints process and has referred the matter to The Property Ombudsman for review.
Andrew Grant has said it will abide by the Ombudsman’s final decision.