Not All That Glitters Is Gold
Apart from helping couples make their big day memorable, we also have other business ventures. Today I want to share an experience I had with you. Truly, NOT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD.
Though this is a common saying but I experienced this in a rather painful way. We recently purchased a property from one of the top Estate Agents. It hasn't been a pleasant experience. We went to view the property and it all looked newly refurbished, ready for immediate use. The Estate Agents advised that it was previously owned by an investor who buys run down properties, refurblishes the property and then sells. So, i was quite happy with what i saw after the viewing but i had a few reservations. The price was ok, but I was not so convinced about the property but I could not really say why. Then the following morning, the Estate agent called for me to make an offer. I made an offer which was rejected. They advised it had to be higher because someone else had put in the same offer. I increased my offer and it was accepted but i was a bit reluctant to go ahead. But the agent was ringing me almost every half an hour for me to pay the deposit. At that point i should have known something was not right. However, I gave in to the pressure from the agents and paid the deposit. That was the beginning of 'ugly revelations'. This particular company are very good at pressurizing people to get a sale. But once you make a payment, then you would see their other side. The tone in their voice changes when you ring them. We got the keys to the property and realized that there was no longer Electricity and gas supply to the building. I rang the Agents and was advised that it was like that when we viewed. Which was not true. Apparently, the gas and electricity company had to remove the meters a couple of weeks after we viewed the property because the previous owner owed a lot of money and ignored the bills. The Estate Agents knew this had happened but they decided not to inform us. When I spoke to them, they advised there was nothing they could do about it. This was just the beginning. It took a lot of time and effort to know the energy supplier. We got the information and the supplier was happy to return the meters but they would not connect the meters to the gas or electricity.We had to get safety engineers to restore the gas and electricity back to the property. Electrity was restored after the connection was established. However, we discovered a big issue with the central heating. Apparently the boiler that looked new from the outside was an empty box. So when it was turned on, it did not fire up. The boiler had to be replaced. The shower- This also looked brand new however there was no electrical connection so we had to get it connected. After the connection it was switched on and it did not work either. Again, we had to replace that. The tenants moved in, then we discovered that the window frames in the living room, kitchen and back door were not installed firmly. In fact, they would fall over with the slightest push. This had to be fixed immediately to avoid an accident. The kitchen cabinet also came off the wall when the tenant wanted to put somethings in it. Again this was not installed securely to the wall. The entire cabinet was only held up with just 4 nails. The bath tub had to be reinforced to avoid collapse, leaking pipes had to be fixed and the list goes on. The summary : The property was presented to look newly refurblished just to deceive the buyer. Advice: Not all that glitters is gold. Ensure you carry out a thorough research on what you want to buy before making a commitment. Carry out a thorough research on the company you want to pay before making any payment. Check what others are saying about them. Check there reviews on google. The size of a company does not necessarily mean they are the best. It does not mean they would render a good service Do not allow yourself to be pressured or forced to make a commitment. Take your time. Despite the negative experience, I am not discourage from moving onto my next venture. As an entrepreneur, you learn from your mistakes and move on. You need a company that will offer you their services and also go the extra mile. At Exquisite Events Newcastle , we go the extra mile.
Please check out our reviews on google. Have a lovely day.