Buyer beware — special conditions ignored, appliances never fixed

We purchased a property through this agency and had a very poor experience. Our contract included a special condition requiring the seller to repair any appliances not in working order before settlement. Despite this, the agent did not appear to properly communicate this condition to the seller, and no effort was made to test or fix the appliances. Each time we raised it, we were told everything would be sorted by settlement — it wasn't. At our pre-settlement inspection, the air conditioning, gas, and garage remote were all still not working. We sent video evidence to the agent and our solicitor formally notified them that settlement could not proceed as the contract condition had been breached. We offered a reasonable compromise — withholding $5,000 in escrow until the appliances were repaired — but the agency refused. We ultimately felt pressured into settling under protest, without the issues being resolved. The property's lawns and general cleaning were also meant to be handled professionally before settlement. Instead, someone turned up the evening before and did a rushed job, only after we complained. Separately, this agency also managed the property as a rental. We were told by a neighbour that the kitchen had sustained significant fire/burn damage during a previous tenancy — which raises real questions about how well the property was managed and maintained during that time. Overall, I would caution anyone considering this agency for either a purchase or a rental management arrangement to go in with eyes open, and to make sure all contract conditions are independently verified before settlement.