A nightmare that has not yet ended....

<p>First, the agent did not keep in contact, we had to phone him to find out what is happening all the time.</p> <p>Second, the agent caused delay in the transaction, we were buying a house through Harcourts, claiming he told the lawyers to wait for confermation from the buyer, of our property, that her property has been sold. We had a cash buyer, and this was stated clearly in all documentations. He appologized and said he would assure no furture delays.</p> <p>Third, we signed the purchase to buy and it was acepted, while the house was empty. We asked to move in on 10 December, and would pay occupational rent if the transfer were not complete yet (we were expecting it to be through by then, papers were already signed in October, bonds approved and everything else in place) The agent then said we could not move in as the owner has now placed tenants in the house and could not ask them to move out before end of December.</p> <p>Fourth, we were handed an addendum to sign, which the owner had already signed, on 17/11/2016 saying that occupation date will now be on 2/1/2017. Occupational intrest will be paid to conveyancers.</p> <p> </p> <p>Fifth, half way through December we were informed that our bond at the bank (Standadrd Bank) has been cancelled, as we app**** for more than one bond. After invetigating it was confirmed that the agent has cancelled the bond at the bank ( not sure why Standard bank allowed this) The only explanation we have had from the agency regarding this, so far, is that the agent did not do this on purpose, but he acknowledge that he did it</p> <p> </p> <p>The agent who sold our property that we are currently still in, then tried to safe the day and got someone to reinstate the bond for us. Furture confusion was then caused by Harcourts informing us that they had reapp**** for the bond, when we were already told that it has been reinstated. Eventually Harcourts admitted that they did not acctually do it, they were just trying to take the credit for the work that the other agent did.</p> <p>Sixth, we realized that things were not going to go through before the Christmas/New year break, we were trying to get answers. We manage to get someone to help us on Harcoursts Face Book site. They spoke to the office and the office then suddenly became helpful. We were handed over to the manager, to complete all transactions as the agent did not seem to know what he was doing, and we did not want to have any more dealing with him. The manager said to us verbally that the agent, Jonathan Jacobs, will have to, at the very least, pay our occupational rent untill the property is on our name, as he was the cause for all the delay. She promissed to get everything going and that she would change our opinion about Harcourts. I sent an email asking that we can have in writing that Harcourts would pay the rent, and I was told that only the principal could decided on that and that he would be in contact with us. He was included in all our email correspondance, he was given our number, I tried to phone him, and left a voice message, but up till today, I have had no contact with this person, no apology from his side, or any acknowledgment what so ever.</p> <p> </p> <p>Seventh, we asked the manager, if we could please go to the house to measure for curtains, we were told, that two agents would be in contact with us, they were included in the email, given our number, to contact us, to go and do mesurements. Up till date we have not heard from these agents, but Jonathan, who we did not want to deal with, was now suddenly back in the picture, trying to get hold of the owner, to contact the tenants to ask for permission to come to the house.</p> <p> </p> <p>Eight, the owner claimed that he could not find the tenants number, but that we are welcome to go to the house any time, there is always someone there. We went over to the house three times and each time the tenants were not there. The agent, Jonathan gave me the owners number and he was very rude, telling me the house is not mine yet so I have got nothing to say.( The owner not Jonathan) </p> <p> </p> <p>After a lot of phone calls we eventually found the tenant home on 28 December. She was happy for us to measure for curtains, and was friendly and helpful. She was upset though as the owner told her the rent would be till the end of December or January, In December, before she left to go on holiday (the reason why she was not at home) she asked the owner when she would have to move and he said not to worry he will give he notice well ahead of time. When we saw her on the 28th she said, she still did not receive notice from the owner but the agent phoned her on the 26 telling her that she has to be out on the 2nd. This left this poor lady with a week to find accomodation and someone to transport her furniture. We could not change the dates, as we already paid for a removal company to move our furiture on the 2nd, it is not easy to find someone willing to do this on a public holiday and we had to pay upfront, a higher fee that on other days.</p> <p> </p> <p>Tomorrow we will move in, the tenant has found a place but is still trying to find someone to transport her furniture. We have had no contact with Harcourts for a while and we have no idea how far the deal is, we do not know if we will be paying occupational rent for the next two months still, or whether everything is nearly done. The owner, who is not a pleasant man, reserves the right to keep one set of keyes, and the tenants told us that he send some men with the keys once before to remove some of his things that was still in the house, when she first moved in. We will also not be able to put up a security fence in front of our property until this property is on our name. This is a cause of concern for safety for two ladies living on their own. </p>