Millhouse

So - I'm not overly proud of what I've done here but there is more of a backstory here that me just screwing someone over.

* I viewed a place via an agent.
* He cooked the deal with the landlord
* He is asking for 5% fees that we never agreed...
* Landlord has done the deal direct with me... no fees paid.

Lots of threats and invites to the police station from an grumpy agent who I have no contractual relationship with.

Any ideas on the next steps?

DXBtoDOH

You said there's more of a backstory.

Fess up.

UKCityGent

Send him a business card of a lawyer and tell him this is the lawyer who you have instructed - if he has any queries or wants to raise a case to call the lawyer direct - otherwise you will take him to the police station for harrassment.

Else tell him you will break his spine into 5 pieces and post him thru a letterbox Anger management classes are working

Millhouse

backstory and update:
I had proposed 3%, he refused and wanted 5% -- this was done when we were very close to signing
I found another agent willing to do it at 2.5% - I then offered the original guy the right to proceed on the same terms. He refused.
I then got lucky and stumbled across the landlord directly - magically the fees dropped to zero.
Had to laugh that they called their legal department to threaten me. I asked them how they had a claim against me given the lack of contract between us. I told them that I advice them to have their CEO call me.
He called - lots of threats and bullshit - I said it would be a shame for me to report this behavior to RERA and that while I appreciate his ego I don't believe it.
As I'm nice, I've just agreed a 2.5% settlement - like I said, I wasn't in this to screw the small guy. 2.5% is a number they will always accept as that's what they get when they share a deal with each other which is very common.
Legal department then call me - I told them the deal I just cooked with the CEO and that for the record I knew they had no ****ing chance of getting anything out of me. They laughed in recognition of the same.

So the moral of the story is... 2.5% is the agency fee in this market but you need to fight for it and use the agents against each other and stand firm in the negotiations... or you can screw them over at do the deal with no fees but not sleep at night.

Millhouse

The CEO was a typical indian shouter and talker. He cut me off a couple of times - and so I had gave my speech about how we talk to each other... it goes along the lines of:
1. <stay silent for ages until they think the phone has cut off>
2. talk - if they cut you off then repeat 1.
3. when they cut you off again tell them that you always give them the full time to speak and you expect the same or you'll not bother with the conversation.
Works every time.

Might file a RERA complaint just for giggles.

DXBtoDOH

You did fine. Just stick to the 2.5 and tell him it's take it or leave it.

Where did you end up? Mudon?

weasel decentral

It's only dirty if you paid zero, you've paid the market rate.
On principle if the CEO had shouted at me I would have not paid anything, I refuse to reward that behaviour regardless of how it was provoked. Otherwise I'm sure the whole experience was good for some soul lightening meanness

Gavtek

I would have been happy paying zero, they're providing a service to the landlord, they can get their money from him.

UKCityGent

Aaahh the Napolean effect.
Every time he cut you off you should have cut 10bps !

Arnold S

Did they agent actually do any work for you?

I recently had a guy that provided a full "western" service and took us around 15+ properties, all accompanied at the allotted times. Towards the end we saw a place that was a real contender but they only dealt with one agency and didn't do commission shares. It fell through in the end but if we were to take it, we were still going to give the original guy 5% for the work he put in.

reddiva

Ignore him, nothing paid or signed...

Millhouse

To be fair - he did. This is why I agreed to pay something.

He showed me 4 places - and did cut the price for me. But that's not the point here

Millhouse

I loved every minute of it. Well worth the 2.5%

Millhouse

update:

Today they came to collect the 2.5%
* I showed them the money... they were all grabby then I asked for the recript.
* They didn't have it... so whatsapped it to me
* I refused to accept that. I need a paper one
* They come back with a paper one. I refused it as the wording was wrong.
* They corrected the wording. I refused it as the wording was still wrong.
* I also said I will never accept these print outs. I want a company stamp, that is wet - an original document
* Their parking then expired and are now on DIFC open rates. They left as it's expensive.
* Coming back later today as I had a meeting. Let's see if they can give the right wording, or one with a wet stamp. I told them that I will be checking to see if the stamp smudges.

My receptionist said to them .. wow, you have really upset him, he's the nicest guy in this office and is never like this. I made it clear that I would not make this easy given their bullshit threat of legal action - the receipt must state that they waive any future claims against me or I will not accept it.

Thursday fun.

DXBtoDOH

You're enjoying this.