Problems Getting Refund Following Cancellation

[lovesquadsue]

Hi

Anything new - I think there are lots of interested people waiting to see how you progress this.

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Hello!

Yes we have made a bit of progress last week.... the lawyer has been over in Egypt and has told me on Wednesday that he has been in to see El Riad and the refund has been arranged. El Riad were to transfer the money to him by close of business yesterday and subsequently he will transfer to us as soon as it hits his account next week. So, El Riad are refunding the monies that were paid to them less a canx fee of circa £1300.00! So, progress on that point - providing we get the £13K as promised next week.

My next obstacle is with the agent who have received £3600 commission and are so far refusing to refund it. They have told me that they are having a meeting with the lawyer next week and until the meeting has taken place they are not prepared to do anything.

So, as it stands at the moment our main priority is to get the bulk of the monies back into our account hopefully throughout the course of next week. By then we will know the outcome of the meeting between the lawyer and the agent. We can then wrangle with the agent safe in the knowledge that there is only £3600 at stake as opposed to nearly £17K - plus as its a smaller amount the small claims court is a more feasible option!

I will update more next week as things progress.

 

[lovesquadsue]

Hi Lovesquad, see if the agent is a member of AIPP the new proffesional body for this industry. Even if they are not a member someone in the chain of agents/developers might be. Even if your agent says they are not involved in the problem they should still be fighting your corner and using their contacts within the industry to help you. If this is the way the solicitor works then a word of warning from the agent/s to them that they will not be receiving anymore business should make them listen. Hope you get it sorted out.

Thank you so much for the info! I have checked this out today and unfortunately they are not a member of AIPP and as far as i know there is only the UK agent, the Egyptian developer and the Egyptian lawyer in the chain..... We do not feel that the agent has helped us out as much as they could have and certainly I have been the one doing all the ringing around - im sure i must have spent about £300 on ringing egypt to speak to the lawyer and the developers in this month alone!
Hopefully we can finally get things resolved next week (I'v just posted another reply in this thread with an update of where things are up to!)

I will be so glad once this is sorted - its taking up sooooo much of my time. And to think - we used a reputible local based agent to avoid this sort of thing! LOL!
Thanks again, sue x

 

[Emu49]

Who was your agent? It would be nice to know so that if someone is thinking of buying with the same agent they get something in writing to protect themselves.

 

[dave99]

Hope this does not stop you buying into Egypt

I will be so glad once this is sorted - its taking up sooooo much of my time. And to think - we used a reputible local based agent to avoid this sort of thing! LOL!
Thanks again, sue x

Hope this does not stop you buying into Egypt.

There are plenty of trustworthy developers and I'm sure you'll be better able to judge this in future.

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[lovesquadsue]

Hope this does not stop you buying into Egypt.

There are plenty of trustworthy developers and I'm sure you'll be better able to judge this in future.

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Doesnt put me off at all! Just got to put it down to a bad experience and move on! Will defo be buying in Hurghada - but cant do anything til I sort this situation out.! Cant cope with any more stress at the moment!

Sue x

PS - the lawyer is finally back in UK today so I am hoping for some good news this morning! fingers crossed (again!)

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Sue keeping them crossed for you too.

 

[NeilHollingsworth]

Good luck Sue.

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Sue - any news yet??

 

[realestatemart]

Hi Sue - any news yet??

Sue What is up we hope eeything ok with you now

 

[lovesquadsue]

Hi all!
thanks for all of your support with this nightmare!!
Well, here is a little update for you - unbelievably it has proved easier getting a refund from the Egyptian developer than the UK agent that has received circa £3600 commission. We have now received a refund from the developer (El Riad) with no problems at all (other than it took them a while) and we negotiated a canx fee with them of just over £1000.00 - which we found acceptable.
Anyhow, the UK BASED AGENT who we thought we could trust and we thought we would not have a problem getting a refund from have now said that they are not prepared to refund the £3612 commission they have received as we have cancelled and its in the contract - yes, thats the contract that we havent signed!!!!
SO - I WOULD GIVE EVERYONE THIS WORD OF ADVICE. JUST BECAUSE A DEVELOPER OR AGENT IS FROM THE UK DO NOT TRUST THEM ON THIS ASSUMPTION ALONE!! AND, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE TOLD DO NOT HAND OVER ANY MONEY UNTIL YOU ARE 100% HAPPY WITH YOUR CONTRACT.
This case is now being dealt with by my solicitor and trading standards. I would think that this will drag on for some time to come however on the positive side we have at least received £12,000 of our monies back from the developer!
On an even more positive note we have just purchased a 2 bed apartment on the British Resort after visiting Hurghada last week! AND - its ready to use! YEAHY!

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Sue - great news that you have received the bulk of your money back and good for you for taking it further with the British Agent.

Congratulations on your new purchase. Maybe if you have any updates or pics you can post on the British Resort thread and maybe add to the furniture thread if you have purchased anything yet - again pics would be lovely.

It is lovely to have an update from you as stories like yours will help others that may find themselves in the same situation.

Regards

Alison.

 

[Emu49]

I have been following your story and I am glad you got most of your money back. I just do not understand why you did not tell us the name of the UK Agent. It may be information that could prevent a similar story.

 

[lovesquadsue]

I cant really disclose any info at the moment as the case is likely to go to court - my solicitor has advised me not to comment on the agent at this time. If anyone out there has purchased through an agent in Liverpool, UK and are worried then pm me with details of the agent you have used and we can talk ' off the record'!

 

[lovesquadsue]

ps - FORGOT TO SAY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Sue - your welcome and I can fully appreciate at this moment why you cannot name and shame.
Please do let us know the outcome.

Regards

Alison

 

[realestatemart]

I cant really disclose any info at the moment as the case is likely to go to court - my solicitor has advised me not to comment on the agent at this time. If anyone out there has purchased through an agent in Liverpool, UK and are worried then pm me with details of the agent you have used and we can talk ' off the record'!

I'm so sad that it ended with such problem i hate not be able to support or help you

 

[Peter Mitry]

Hi Sue

Delighted you finally got most of your money back and have now found something else; best of luck in pursuing the agent. You have the final sanction that if he doesn't play ball you can NAME & SHAME and probably ruin his business.

 

[lovesquadsue]

Hi Sue

Delighted you finally got most of your money back and have now found something else; best of luck in pursuing the agent. You have the final sanction that if he doesn't play ball you can NAME & SHAME and probably ruin his business.

thanks peter.

well that is the only saving grace really that if we dont get the money refunded we can pursue the matter via 'other avenues'. I am quite prepared to write the money off if it means i get total satisfaction from ruining their business - i am sure that naming and shaming them in the public domain is not the best way forward for them nor is having me stand outside their premises handingout leaflets or turning up at their seminars and stands at exhibitions... but if they wanna play hard ball then so be it. I can play it with the best of them!
I am hoping in one way that i can do this as i think i would get more satisfaction from ruining them and warning others than actually getting the money back!!!!!!

 

[dave99]

What's the bank account for the fighting fund !!!

thanks peter.

well that is the only saving grace really that if we dont get the money refunded we can pursue the matter via 'other avenues'. I am quite prepared to write the money off if it means i get total satisfaction from ruining their business - i am sure that naming and shaming them in the public domain is not the best way forward for them nor is having me stand outside their premises handingout leaflets or turning up at their seminars and stands at exhibitions... but if they wanna play hard ball then so be it. I can play it with the best of them!
I am hoping in one way that i can do this as i think i would get more satisfaction from ruining them and warning others than actually getting the money back!!!!!!

Hi

Hope it doesn't come to you standing outside their office with a banner - I wounder what it would say - let me know when and where if you need some support.

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[lovesquadsue]

Hi

Hope it doesn't come to you standing outside their office with a banner - I wounder what it would say - let me know when and where if you need some support.

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LOL!
I have got a strange feeling that this is what its going to come down to... any ideas what snappy 'quote' i could put on my banner - i will have to have a think! I have already been thinking about what i could put on flyers - but obviously it has to be the truth and the truth that i can prove! Dont want to be getting sued myself for slander!!