King Sturge - www.kingsturge.co.uk

I was looking to purchase an apartment in a new building called Ability Place. I put in an offer which was accepted and I paid a £1,000 reservation fee. I dealt with the sales manager at the development who worked for King Sturge (estate agent), and also the Sales Consultant.

My mortgage company called me one day to say the surveyor had been denied access to the apartment so I tried to get in contact with the sale manager of King Sturge. Over the period between me paying the reservation fee and being told that there was a problem by the mortgage company I called the sales manager many times. He ignored my calls, voicemails and email and only once sent me a text saying he had a throat infection and could not talk as a result which was in hindsight very convenient for him.

He told me when he finally called me that there was an error and they had actually agreed a price with someone a year ago for the apartment. I personally found this excuse for gazumping very poor as nobody agrees an offer and then waits for a whole year to exchange contracts? No estate agent would wait this long for their commission, I don't find the sales manager's reason plausible at all and I think it is more likely that I was gazumped and the sales manager just told me this because I had signed a reservation form so the property should not have been marketed to anyone else. The sales manager and the company he represents King Sturge I found totally unprofessional and I would refuse to do business with this person and avoid the company where possible also.