20th Oct 2026 (7 days ago)
Extremely Poor Experience with Sibley Pares – False Reassurances and Serious Consequences for Our Family<br><br>Our experience with Sibley Pares has been incredibly stressful and disappointing. As first-time buyers with two young children, we trusted their professional advice, and unfortunately, this experience had serious consequences for our family.<br><br>From the very first viewing, we made it absolutely clear that we would only buy the property if it became Freehold. The property was Leasehold, and we specifically explained that purchasing the Freehold and having it transferred to us was a condition of our purchase. The agent confidently assured us that this would definitely happen and that it would take only two to four months.<br><br>We trusted these assurances and proceeded accordingly. Month after month, we were told that things were progressing and that the Freehold would be sorted out very soon. After five months, the seller’s solicitor stopped responding, leaving us without answers and with no clear idea of whether or when the issue would ever be resolved.<br><br>As an estate agency, Sibley Pares should understand the complexities and uncertainties involved in acquiring the Freehold of a Leasehold property. If this process was not straightforward or could take considerably longer than the timeframe we were given, we believe they should have been honest with us from the beginning. We should have been given the opportunity to understand the risks and decide whether we wanted to proceed, rather than being repeatedly reassured that everything would be sorted out shortly.<br><br>The way the situation was handled left us feeling that we were being kept on the hook as potential buyers without being given a realistic picture of what we were facing. We cannot know what the agency’s intentions were, but the repeated assurances and lack of a satisfactory outcome have seriously undermined our trust in them.<br><br>The consequences for our family were devastating. We informed our landlord that we intended to leave, believing that our house purchase would proceed as promised. We ultimately lost the opportunity to secure the property we had been pursuing, endured months of uncertainty, suffered significant financial losses and experienced enormous emotional stress. With two young children, this was far more than a frustrating property transaction. It affected our family’s housing security and forced us to make alternative arrangements and purchase another property.<br><br>First-time buyers rely on estate agents to provide honest information and realistic expectations. We understand that legal processes can be complicated and delays can happen. What we find unacceptable is being given such confident assurances about a fundamental condition of the purchase without, in our experience, receiving a clear explanation of the risks or realistic timescales.<br><br>If Sibley Pares could not be certain that the Freehold would be acquired and transferred within the timeframe suggested, they should never have presented it to us with such confidence. We could then have made an informed decision before putting our existing housing arrangements and our family’s stability at risk.<br><br>I would strongly advise other buyers, especially first-time buyers, not to rely on verbal assurances about a Freehold transfer. Obtain independent legal advice and written confirmation of the arrangements before making major financial or housing decisions.<br><br>This experience has cost us time, money and peace of mind. We feel deeply let down by the way we were treated, and we would not want another family to go through the same ordeal.<br><br>I understand the freehold process is complicated and outside your control. But if you knew this from the beginning, why repeatedly assure us it would take just 2–4 months? As first-time buyers, we trusted your professional advice and made major housing decisions based on your assurances. We expected honesty and realistic timescales, not false confidence. Unfortunately, our trust was misplaced, with serious financial and emotional consequences for our family.... Read more