Re: Hobson's choice
Happened to me, and cost me a lot of money. I went to view a house I was interested in buying, and it met most of my criteria. I then paid for several searches and a site survey, contacted the local council re planning permission, and generally spent many days and pounds deciding to buy. I phoned the agents on Friday afternoon to make an offer at the asking price. On Monday, the agents phoned me to say my offer had not been accepted. When I asked why, I was told that someone had gone into the estate agents' office on Saturday and offered £5000 more than the asking price, and was accepted. When I asked why the agents had not phoned me to tell me of this gazumping bid, they replied that they were "not in the business of conducting an auction". I then had to find another property and repeat the whole exercise, costing me a lot more money, before the collapse of Northern Rock put the kybosh on the whole deal.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
