Agents

[Rita]

Hi,

I really hope someone can help.I will have to give some background info before I ask my question so hope you will bear with me!

We booked a viewing with an English Agent in May to see a particular property!.We gave them our mobile no. and asked if it sold prior to us visitng if they could let us know. Anyway we travelled 31/2 hours to meet them. When we arrived they we then all had to meet up with a French agent, however they did not know him so we sat there looking at this chap for at least 20minutes before they rang him and realised it was him! We were NOT introduced to this agent and did NOT sign any viewing paperwork with either as we have done with other agents.We were then informed that the property was already sold. he took us to 3 other properties that were all over the budget we had explained we had, when we asked him questions about the first property he did not seem to know what land,how much land or indeed how much the property was, even though the owner(apparently) was with us. We then left the agents. Oh! by the way the English Agent turned up with his Wife and 13year old daughter who all went round the properties with us, totally embarrasing. We liked the first property and on the way back we drove past it and noticed a Notaires sign on the fence. We rang the Notaire and booked another viewing which we managed to do, we spoke to the Notaire and asked him if there were agents involved with the sale of this property he informed us that there were NOT. As we have been involved with unscrupulous agents before we were concerned, anyway we put in an offer and the vendor came to meet us and the offer was accepted. The Notaire asked us to return a few weeks later to sign the compromis (this is on the 30th June).We have had e-mails from the English agent informing us that we had no right to do this and saying that we intended to cut them out all along, This we did not intend and our solicitor told us to stop all contact with them as he was looking into deformation of character.
Anyway the Agent has now got in touch with the Notaire and informed him that we will have to pay the agents fees or they will take us to court.
Can anyone tell me if this is correct, as the offer was accepted and it was above our previous budget it will make it extemely difficult if we now have to pay the agents fees.

I apologise for the long winded post and hope someone will be able to cope with reading it all and helping us.

Thanking you all in advance,

Rita

[Rita]

Sorry forgot to put:-

Whilst we were at the property the English Agents wife and daughter kept saying about them selling their property and buying this one. The wife even told us that her husband was taking photo's as he would be wanting to buy this property. DO you think this is why they are making a fuss?

Thanks

Rita