Bad management, miscommunication and delays led to loss of sale.
Found a house I loved through Carman Friend. Some complex issues were raised in the survey, including a missing party wall. The seller was covering this, then Carman Friend pushed this back onto me a week later with no explanation. It changed multiple times across a few weeks: seller arranging again, then me arranging but seller paying, then instead a price drop for me to arrange post-sale, only if we agree to complete within 6 weeks.
I was chased every single day to confirm, even when advising I was waiting to hear from my buyer, solicitor, etc. There has been huge pressure and stress for me to blindly agree to complete with unknown costs and an outstanding, complex, legal issue, with no time to review. Multiple deadlines were given to confirm by, some less than 24hrs when no completion date or deadline had been mentioned before. When I said I was waiting to hear back on quotes, I was told the price reduction was to go ahead without this—I needed to confirm that day.
I went from loving the house to resenting the whole process in the space of a few weeks and in the end pulled away due to the pressure and uncertainty. Why chase so aggressively to close before quotes or advice, is there something hugely wrong with the house after all?
Absolutely terrible customer service and communication. I've lost money through the sale collapsing, but would prefer that than being pressurised to complete on a house with potentially complicated legal and structural issues.
I really hope they review their tactics and process before a new buyer is in place for the seller, it will likely fall through again if the seller takes on no responsibility and they instead hound and pressure the buyer.
Sellers - beware this agency may cost you your buyers. Buyers - be wary not to be pressured into something you aren't comfortable with! At least the agency is now legally obligated to communicate these structural and legal issues to any new buyer, so I wish anyone who takes on Charles Street good luck!








