mel77 1 Report post Posted March 7, 2011 Thanks guys! Yah, this is my first experience trying to get a flat and I got this really bad experience. Anyway, I have lodged a report with CEA already. Unfortunately, I only have my cheque and smses to prove. However, it's a fact that they are husband and wife so I hope that is a strong case for conflict of interest. It's a nice unit but certainly not the best so I will move on to search for another unit. Last time I always hear of such unethical cases and people complaining. Didn't know it's so bad until it hits you. Haha Did CEA get back to you? My experience with CEA has been horrible. Nobody gets back to you on the status. Call nobodu answer, email bounced. Last straw, send email to the "Contact Us" listed in the CEA website and if still no picture no sound, will go down to CEA office again and KPKB. Friends have been asking us to go straight to media and don't bother to get response from CEA. Agency also don't bother to contact us to find out details. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Plastic3 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 Did CEA get back to you? My experience with CEA has been horrible. Nobody gets back to you on the status. Call nobodu answer, email bounced. Last straw, send email to the "Contact Us" listed in the CEA website and if still no picture no sound, will go down to CEA office again and KPKB. Friends have been asking us to go straight to media and don't bother to get response from CEA. Agency also don't bother to contact us to find out details. I think CEA is understaffed, only 33 staff if I heard correctly... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edenstrauss 3 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 The whole place was rented out to some Indians. I decided to give it a overhaul if I am buying it. If I were to look at the flat, I'll back out becox like what U've indicated, it needs a 100% facelift. Don't seemed to be able to retain anything in the flat, not at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pepamint_L 0 Report post Posted March 13, 2011 hi icer, I read in Saturday's newspaper a whole page about warning readers about cases like yours! Good that it has now been brought to the attention of masses! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
icer 0 Report post Posted March 22, 2011 Yah, I am not sure if I am one of the 3 cases that was reported on newspaper. But CEA replied me to say that the agent didn't violate any regulations. Basically it's difficult to prove whether the owner sold the flat to the other agent of their own choice or influenced by the agent unless they interrogate the owner right? Seems like it's quite useless to report to CEA also. hi icer, I read in Saturday's newspaper a whole page about warning readers about cases like yours! Good that it has now been brought to the attention of masses! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelze 0 Report post Posted March 28, 2011 sad, i think buyers will always in losing end. during my purchase last year april, i called up this unit (my current place) after seeing the adv on propertyguru. during the viewing, the seller agent knew that i didnt have any buyer agent acting on my behalf. he insisted that he would act on behalf of me as well. omg, isnt this a pure conflict of interest??? i told him that i didnt see any value add from him as my buyer agent since i found and arragned this viewing myself. it's pretty insane to pay 4k for someone to do some paper work. then, he threatened to put off the deal and he said that he was very confident that the seller will listen to him. eventually, we paid him 4k for the buyer commission. during the COV nego, he was always siding the seller's side. he told me that my offer was way below the last offer, but seller hope to sell us because we were sincere.. what bull**** was that... haha.. we settled for a 20k+ COV for the corner low floor unit eventually... after moving in and getting to know my neighbours, i realised the previous malay onwer was actually desperate to sell his unit. he owes hdb quite a huge amount of $$$ from utility bills, cleaning fees and etc. that agent obviously knew about this and painted a rosy picture about high competition for this unit... =( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DKWM 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2011 Hi Icer,I think the CEA is right as we as buyers cant prove any thing in this kind of situation. Unless the seller is unhappy with the agent and the seller report him... I believe this is alway a case when $$ come in place, the agent maybe buddy with any agent to earn the other buyers' commission. If you were him, will you choose the other buyers in this situation... For me, yes but what to do ?? $$ everybody want..RegardsDesmond Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
avidmonkey80 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2011 The sequence of events is as stated below.I called this male agent to view a unit. Instead he asked a female agent to take me for viewing. I didn't think much into it so I went for the viewing. After viewing, I wasn't interested as the COV is high. I saw the female agent went off in a car with her husband and family. After some weeks, I saw the ad for the same unit again. So I decided to try and see if the COV has been lowered. Indeed it was. So I went for 2nd viewing. This time the male agent was there with me. I was quite ok and decided to issue a cheque for deposit. However, the male agent told me that owner is overseas and cannot sign the OTP. So he asked me to wait. After a few days, he said that there was another offer from another agent and he asked me if I could match the offer. I agreed to match. Then in the end, he told me the owner decided to draw lots and the flat goes to the other agent and buyer despite I was the one who gave the cheque first. And later I realised that the female agent that I met the first time is his wife!!! 1) So apparently he wanted his wife to be my agent and earn my commission? 2) He decided to accept the other offer so both him and the buyer's agent (whoever it may be) can earn commission at the expense of the flat that I wanted? 3) Can they just draw lots like that? Believable? Hope to share my experience with members here so that they can avoid similiar situations. See the links for more info. <img src="http://www.renotalk.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> <a href="http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listing/for-sale-74-whampoa-drive-2031294" target="_blank">http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listing/for...a-drive-2031294</a><a href="http://www.iproperty.com.my/singapore-property/1255406/KallangWhampoa-3_Room_HDB_Flat-ForRent" target="_blank">http://www.iproperty.com.my/singapore-prop...DB_Flat-ForRent</a>just becareful n look out for agents who try to play tricks. .. anyway if u are really unhappy now, go ahead n lodged a complaint to CEA. good luck!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fabteo 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2011 9 out of 10 agents are cheats and scumbags the last one is just stupidLOl, thats a good one, i do agreed that 90% of the agents out there are scumbags and cheats, 9% are plain stupid, 1% are professional. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aidygirl 0 Report post Posted June 14, 2011 Think its because of the cea new ruling, must have separate agent representing buyer & seller. Some of the hses that I've viewed are either husband/ wife team or partners.When ur pay is commission based, there will always be ethical issues. I dun believe agent representing buyer will help ask for lower cov cos their comm will be pegged to the higher price they sell.There was once i viewed a condo & my white hat info tells me the agent is owner himself. They are planning to get a bigger unit in same estate. That means he does not need to pay 2% comm when he sells his unit & when he buys the new unit, he still can earn 1% comm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
