Overall, parts of the process went okay, while others left me feeling quite bewildered and confused. There were times when the communication felt more confrontational and unprofessional than I would have expected, particularly when I was simply trying to raise a concern or understand what was happening. I also felt that, on occasion, possible explanations were given very quickly before there seemed to be enough information to know what had actually occurred. I would have much preferred a simple acknowledgment that the answer wasn’t yet known, followed by taking the time to clarify or investigate it. Edit following the agent’s response: I feel this response actually reinforces the point of my original review. I never said these matters were not eventually dealt with. My concern was the way they were handled and communicated. Yes, a plumber was eventually contacted, but in my view that should have been the first response to an unexplained puddle. Instead, the possibility of a leak was initially dismissed, then it was suggested a trade may have caused it, then that nobody had been at the property, and eventually that a “hoarder” may have broken in and somehow caused the puddle. At the same time, the plumber was initially framed as something that could happen if we allowed it, rather than simply the obvious next step to investigate the issue. I also understand that settlement moves quickly and that agents are coordinating multiple people and trades. That was never the issue. The issue was the contradictory explanations, raised voices, being spoken over, and the way reasonable concerns were communicated. That is exactly what I meant when I described parts of the experience as confusing and unprofessional.
Leigh-Anne Batty
