We have a property for sale with a French estate agency. At the moment it is an exclusive contract, but we understood from the agent that we can change this at any time after three months, that we are not bound to them by the exclusive contract and can change it at any time.
We now wish to appoint another agent, without necessarily cancelling the first, just changing our agreement with them to a ‘Simple contract’.
I have written to the French agent to explain this, and this is his reply, from which I understand that we must take out a new contract, and if we sell through another agent, then the two agents share the commission.
“Après si une autre agence a un acquéreur, je partage ma commission donc nous pouvons très bien rester tel quel et si une agence me contacte alors je partage ma commission avec elle.”
Your existing estate agent is essentially saying to keep exclusivity and that if one of their competitors happens to have a buyer, then they (the agent with the buyer) could contact your existing agent and they will share their commission with the new agent.
I’ve not bought in France but I think I’d be telling the existing agent to jog on.
We discussed with our agent that if we find a buyer we will share the commission. But otherwise if we decide after x months to bring in another agent then whoever sells gets the money.
Ask your agent for legal basis of their statement perhaps? This is what I believe the law says:
« Lorsque le mandant a donné à plusieurs agents immobiliers un mandat non-exclusif de vendre le même bien, il n’est tenu de payer une rémunération ou une commission qu’à celui par l’entremise duquel l’opération a été effectivement conclue au sens de l’article 6 de la loi du 2 janvier 1970, et cela même si l’acquéreur lui avait été précédemment présenté par un autre agent immobilier. ».
It is not normal for agents to share the commission (sometimes when within the exclusive period).
I would cancel the exclusive mandate with the first agent , if you are happy with their approach have them then have a non-exclusive mandate and appoint another agent.
By appointing another agent your house should then be promoted to their registered clients.
Check that at least one of the agents advertises on GreenAcres.
So far as I understand it if you leave an exclusive contract in place then even if you found your own buyer that agency would send you a bill for the commission.
Thanks to all for clarifying. I shall cancel the current exclusive contract, and depending on how the agent reacts, I shall either take out a new simple one with him, or not.
I can’t imagine another agent being prepared to split commission on a sale they make, and indeed why should they?
they just ignored him.