>> Basically, the estate agents get paid commission
>
> I assume you are talking of the seller's estate agent

I was talking about my agent. They got paid all sorts of money for 
signing me up to things; I think the actual house sale is more or less 
moot from their point of view.

> Even if you were
> selling a house and had employed an estate agent they shouldn't really
> be involved at this stage, their job is solely to find a buyer not
> complete the sale

Well, they keep promising me that they're chasing the sale... And yet, 
there's little to no evidence of them actually doing anything.

>> As far as my end goes, I've paid a small up-front fee.
>
> To your solicitor? Yes that's normal - but what happens if the sale
> doesn't complete, do you get that back?

Apparently the small fee I've paid is non-refundable. I only have to pay 
the rest if I actually get the house.

> Your solicitor is the only one working for you, all your contact should
> be with them at this stage, they will in turn contact whoever is needed
> to complete the sale (the seller's solicitor, government agencies,
> banks, surveyors etc).

Every time I call them, I just get "We're waiting for the other side. We 
have no idea what's taking them so long." Only after I hassled my estate 
agent did it come to light that forms have gone missing in the mail. 
(Again, assuming you actually believe this story is true...)

> They should be able to tell you exactly what is
> going on and chase things up for you - it's quite normal to be calling
> them even every day at this stage.

I haven't got *time* to babysit them every tiny step of the way. I'm 
paying *them* to sort this stuff out! I'm supposed to be at work, working.

> Have you discussed a target date yet for completion?

Why bother? Clearly whatever date I come up with will be summarily 
ignored. Nobody has any interest in pushing this forwards; I am *the 
only* person who actually wants this transaction completed. The lawyers 
don't care; they get more money the longer it takes. The estate agents 
don't care; they already got their money. And the seller doesn't even 
have a place to go yet, so he doesn't care. I, on the other hand, am 
desperate to get away from my mother ASAP...

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