KFH - Avoid! Post Reply

[hjm]

I'm so annoyed with KFH. On Saturday we viewed a property with them. The house needs to be renovated and the current vendor has put in planning permission for a basement extension. On Saturday we were told by the agent that the plans had been out for consultation for 2 weeks and there had been no objections and there would be no problem at all getting the permissions. We were also given a copy of the plans, which showed a basement coversions with a lightwell in to the garden and a roof terrace from the first floor bedrrom. It looked pretty amazing so we decided to investigate further.

We looked on the Wandsworth Council website and found the the consultation has actually been out for consultation since last Thursday (2 days, not 2 weeks) and that in fact the plans submitted are completely different to the ones we were given at the viewing. Not nearly as exciting and not a roof terrace in sight! I asked the agent this morning why we were given incorrect plans and false information and he couldn't give me an answer.

I wouldn't be quite as annoyed except that the last time we tried to buy a house with them they told us a bare faced lie. I won't go in to details, but why can't these people just tell the truth?!

I've now asked them to take me off their list, which may be cutting my nose off to spite my face given that there are so few properties on the market, but I just can't deal with people who will deliberately lie to me. I wanted to highlight this to others as if we all avoid them they might need to act with a bit more integrity.

Rant over!

[Ecofun]

I put in a slightly "below asking price" offer on a house with KFH, which was immediately accepted. It was agreed that the house would be taken off the market immediately. We proceeded to arrange a survey etc.

However, a few days later the agent I was dealing with mistakenly left a voicemail on my husband's mobile phone, thinking it was the Seller, saying that despite agreeing to take the house off the market, the agent had arranged a number of second viewings a few days later in an attempt to get an asking price offer.

I called KFH, asking them to confirm the house was off the market, as a sale was proceeding. They confirmed it was, which was clearly a lie. I then confronted them with the voicemail message and the scheduled second viewings.

Very embarrassing for them. A clear breach of the Estate Agent's Code of Ethics.... After that, we got a very good service from them as we proceeded to buy the house. But, a clear lesson in never believing anything an Estate Agent tells you.

[kiwimummy]

I can't comment on KFH but I'd add Lauristons to your list of estate agents to avoid.

I bonded with my next door neighbour over our shared dislike of them actually!

[Almaceti]

we bought our flat with them 3 years ago and we almost withdraw from the sale as they were so terrible!!! lying and never giving us proper answers to our questions, only putting pressure on us to exchange contracts.
next time when we are seller, will definitely not use them as the risk of missing a buyer because of their behaviour is too high .

[NYE31]

We have had a similar experience with KFH - the Earlsfield branch, it was so bad that it was one of the reasons that we withdrew our offer.

I would do everything I could to avoid buying a house through them & I would never sell through them.

They put huge pressure on you, hourly calls, emails etc, never answer your questions, misrepresented us & then I had a junior negotiator shouting down the phone at me that they were the leading estate agent in the area for a reason! I was thrilled when Foxtons opened up in Earlsfield.

We too put in offer in which was accepted & KFH said they would stop doing viewings & we were then told by Cound that KFH were still doing viewings.

[clapset]

I'm surprised that you are surprised by the types of behaviour you have come across - these people are after all estate agents and act for the seller not the buyer. Don't trust anything any of them say and you will retain your sanity. Saying that jimmy at Battersea KFh is a good guy and went to a decent school that was a rival to my school in Rutland area

[moomoosma]

I agree, we had a horrendous experience with the Northcote Road branch last year where they were "conservative with the truth" on a number of occasions - we had a sale fall through on exchange date which meant we lost our onward house and all the money invested in solictiors fees, searches etc and then numerous other problems with supossed buyers - although they did finally get us a buyer but at a seriously lower price than the one we marketed at which they said we could easily get!when we complained afterwards and tried to negotiate our fee (which you obviously sign the form for before they will do any promotion on your house and you are unaware how useless they are) they said not a chance it was all signed. Grrr it was nearly a year ago and it still riles me. STAY CLEAR !

[hjm]

Clapset, it's ridiculous to say that this type of behaviour is acceptable. I understand that estate agents act for the seller, but it is not ok to lie to my face. What happens to the people who buy the house that I viewed on Saturday if they don't check the plans that have been submitted to the Council? They will end up paying over the odds for something that's very different to what they thought they were buying.

As for 'nice guy' Jimmy, he's the one I caught out lying to me last time!

I've only ever caught two estate agents lying to me and they both work at KFH. Perhaps other estate agents are better at lying, but I firmly believe that KFH uses dodgy selling practice that not all other agents engage in.

[edam]

I can more than echo the comments made about KFH, they're absolutely useless..

We fell in love with a house they had on the market last year but their service was totally shocking ie we had to call 4 times to get the initial viewing! We begrudgingly put ours on the market with KFH as a double incentive eg. sell our house, sell the other too. They had a few viewings but feedback from buyers never seemed to stack up and I always felt they were lying to us.

In the end, when the KFH contract expired we went with Featherstone Leigh, they sold our property before it even went on the market and we even had two buyers outbidding each other gaining us an extra £20k on the initial offer!! It since transpired both the buyers (both cash buyers for investment) had previously viewed through KFH but just found them too frustrating to deal with. I still feel a bit smug when I walk past their office that they didnt sell ours, never wanted to pay them the fee!

On a positive, IMO Featherstone Leigh are the best estate agent out there - cannot recommend them higher, impeccable service, well worth every penny.

[Rabbit_and_Co]

We've had a good experience with KFH (well, as far as house-buying / selling can be good, generally it's no fun at all!), but that was the Kennington branch. They seemed to be a nice bunch.

[sw11ite]

We also had a very bad experience with KFH whilst selling our flat and would never use them again. I believe they only ever act in their own best interests in order to earn the most comission! Essentially you're just stock for their books.

We bought our house from Marsh & Parsons who seemed reasonable although I had to fight with them to keep the property off their website when the house was meant to be off market once our offer was accepted.

When we sell our house I would attempt to do it without use of an estate agent.

[ladyofacertainage]

To be honest I think there are similar stories about all Estate Agents, we had a similar problem with Hamptons in Clapham ( higher offer put in and accepted then unwilling to take a higher offer again from us as they would be letting down the people who had just gazumped us!) but sold ours through KFH in Abbeville road with great service and no problems (though it was 10 years ago). Treat all Estate Agents and vendors alike as they are all out to make as much money as they can.

[clapset]

Eer where did I say it was acceptable? I said don't be surprised. They are commission driven sales people. Some have good experiences some have bad experience and some good. Another buyers lawyer would sort it. I'm sorry you had a bad experience and that I like jimmy. I can live with myself

[windmill26]

I'd add Maalems and Jacksons (Earlsfield) to your list of estate agents to avoid.

[Ms_Tina]

Hi!
We also had a bad experience with KFH (Northcote Rd). One of the agents actually made me cry couple of times I spoke to him... We bought the house at the end but will never use KFH again...
Xx