Beware the buyer of your house may be a friend of your Agent

We had an enormous amount of interest in the house. The Estate agent at Ilford branch presented a buyer with the offer of £255, 000..But said we would have to accept the £5,000 as a fixtures and fittings deal.We were not happy with this but we weren't given a choice .He said we would work it out with the buyer. .This is not something we can handle as we don't like bickering and negotiations. .that's what we wanted the estate agent for. .However this situation saved the buyer nearly 8, 000 stamp duty. .they obviously found him some expert..one of 3 people who came to the house with the survey in hand to wriggle out of the £5, 000 which was cleverly separate from our house price..Did I mention that Haarts of Ilford provided the buyers mortgage lender and solicitor..So yes you guessed it. .due to the survey the buyer negotiated his way out of paying the £5, 000 for the fixtures and fittings. .and by this time we were too far in to tell him to do one. .the moral of the story is never let the Agent supposedly representing you CONvince you to do something that is not in your interest. .including fixtures and fittings in your asking price is not in your interest. .kind regards. .