Mystery deepens over House Network collapse and then ‘sale’

The mystery as to online agent House Network’s administration continues.

However, this update may help agents trying to assist the former customers of the business, and of course the customers themselves who have been trying to sell their homes.

A message on the House Network home page tells customers who paid a marketing fee before March 29 that they should contact the administrators for further advice.

However the message gives no information as to the administrators, and provides no contact details.

We are now told that there is a notice on the members’ area which does give contact details, and appears to confirm that the business was bought out of administration the same day that it entered the arrangement.

The message apparently says: “As you may be aware, on 29th March 2019 House Network Limited trading as House Network entered administration, Universal Acquisitions Limited acquired the trading rights of House Network on 29th March 2019 with the aim to allow House Network to continue trading, Universal Acquisitions have now ceased the trading activities of House Network.

“Any customers of House Network Limited who paid a marketing fee before 29th March 2019 should contact the administrators by email at info@hudsonweir.co.uk”

EYE’s own attempts to contact Hudson Weir have so far been unsuccessful.

Meanwhile a seller with House Network who has tried to take up a free offer for marketing with emoov – itself bought out of administration earlier this year – has claimed that their call has been diverted to a receptionist who tells the caller to send an email.

They have been told that someone will get back to them but we are told that this hasn’t happened.

We have asked the new owners of emoov for comment.

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28 Comments

  1. 2019green

    That information has been on the site since last week. Emoov did get back to me but then asked for proof of payment. I took out the finance option so they wouldn’t list mine.

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    1. PeeBee

      That is a ridiiculous way for emoov#2 to operate.
       
      Speaks volumes, I would suggest.
       
      So – what are your plans now, 2019green?

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  2. Mark Connelly

    I just wish people would engage a no sale no fee local agent rather than penny pinching and then being shocked when what they were promised doesn’t materialise.

    BTW is taking up an offer from someone just bought out of administration really the best option when the company you were dealing with went into administration. Seems a great example of hope over experience.

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    1. 2019green

      I think the assumption of penny pinching is a bit rich. House Network came on the recommendation of a colleague who sold his home with them. I reviewed their reviews and a number of website and there was no indication they were in financial trouble unlike Purple Bricks and Tepilo which I avoided. One local estate agent undervalued our property, presumably to get a fast sale. So I wouldn’t say they are particularly trustworthy either as we had a number of viewings at a higher price.

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      1. Bigbee73

        Have you sold it yet?

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        1. 2019green

          I had a number of viewers the week leading up to HN going into administration so I never got to find out if there was further interest. 

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          1. PeeBee

            I am sure that if someone was interested you would have heard – one way or another.

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      2. Property Pundit

        One local estate agent undervalued our property

        How do you know this?

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        1. 2019green

          Because a number of others didn’t 

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          1. PeeBee

            “Because a number of others didn’t “

            With respect, 2019green, that doesn’t make the one that put the lowest ‘value’ on your property wrong.

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      3. cyberduck46

        PeeBee & Property Pundit, why are you nitpicking over whether this particular Agent overvalued?

         

         

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        1. Bigbee73

          I think the point is the implication that the High Street Agent has under valued it, when it is still for sale?! It is possible that the High Street agent has been around longer than the On line chaps (in the beginning at least) and may be he knew his onions?? Just saying!!

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        2. Property Pundit

          Keep up, we’re interested in how this poster knew their property was under-valued when it isn’t even sold yet. Probably a case of the vendor having their own figure in mind and basing everything on it. Other agents could well have over-valued it.

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          1. cyberduck46

            >Because a number of others didn’t

             

            So various valuations. Does it matter which is more trustworthy?

             

            Would it not be better to give 2019green the benefit of doubt of actually having a good idea of what their property will sell at? We all know Agents overvalue to win instructions.

             

            Just seems trivial in the general scheme of things. Nitpicky and hostile (not you BigBee, the other two who are regularly hostile).

             

             

             

             

             

             

             

             

             

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            1. The date & time sponsored by PIE is;

              Cyberduck, not all agents over value to win instructions as no sale no fee agents have to sell the property to earn their fee so they want sensible pricing.

              However, on the other hand, purple bricks get paid to list whether they sell the property or not.  With that in mind and with purple bricks nearly always having half of their property stock reduced, would that suggest to you that purple bricks are more or less likely to over value to win business compared to a no sale no fee agent?

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  3. AgencyInsider

    You would think the likes of Watchdog, You & Yours, Moneybox etc would be covering these collapses and warning consumers about the risks of using such firms.

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    1. alexd

      Yes, but HN were no fly-by-night. They were one of the first online agents and we used them to sell our flat back in 2010. They had been solvent and presumably profitable for a number of years. Sometimes these things just happen. Most likely caused by mismanagement at senior level rather than a flaw of the ‘online estate agent model’.

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  4. Delmor6758

    The agent you say undervalued your home may have been the only one telling you the truth.

    Have you sold your property yet?

     

     

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    1. 2019green

      Even though I had a number of viewers lined up the week before HN went into administration, other agents valued higher and I saw one-beds in the area sold for the same value? 

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      1. PeeBee

        I am afraid having had viewers lined up equals squat when it comes to judging anything about your property, 2019green.

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      2. cyberduck46

        You are wasting your time 2109green. There are quite a few hypocrites here who need to take a good look at their industry.
         
        Here’s a comment from PeeBee on another forum before he started nitpicking on here “Don’t ask a homeowner who is selling, OR an Estate Agent – they have a vested interest in telling you what you want to hear”
         
        By the way, where did you get the idea that PurpleBricks had financial problems?
         
         

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  5. Matthew Beaumont

    I hope to god that none of you use Amazon over your local high street shops!!
    How unfair of the world for someone to offer a product at a cheaper price than other people.  

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    1. 2019green

      Or Uber over Black Cabs

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    2. PeeBee

      Mr Beaumont Estate Agency is NOT A PRODUCT, it is a service.
       
      In Estate Agency, if XYZ Estates can do exactly the same job, and get the same (or better) results, and charge less than ABC Estates – then hats off to them and they deserve the business.
       
      But you are not comparing apples with apples – or any other kind of fruit – here, I’m afraid.

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      1. Matthew Beaumont

        So because you have a disbelieve that an online agent can do a good job that is the basis for your comment.

        Just because a product can be bought and taken away by the customer and a service is something you provide but has no physical form why does that matter.  You are still a consumer what ever you purchase with your money.

        My point was that we can find cheaper options for products and services in all industries and that being hypocritical of consumers that purchase cheaper versions of products OR services makes me laugh.

        You best be buying Tesco Finest Apples and not the cheaper Lidl versions!!

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  6. PeeBee

    “…why are you nitpicking over whether this particular Agent overvalued?”

    “…on another forum before he started nitpicking on here…”

    Oh, look, everyone – ducky has bought a new word – “nitpicking”.

    Suggest the next one you fork out on be “credibility“, Sir.

    You can wave it about all you like in the hope that somebody, somewhere might actually fall for you having some.

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  7. Harry Albert Lettings Estates

    Emoov: We will help ANYBODY let down by House Network going into administration. Anybody!

     

    Anybody: Can I take you up on that offer?

     

    Emoov: No, we just wanted to look cool. B)

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  8. cbmb

    I sold my house with House Network last year.  They were fantastic and I had no hesitation with recommending them to others that were selling. Sold my house in 6 weeks and had a large number of good quality viewings.  If you look at the companies accounts you can see that the business model worked up until 2015 when two new directors were appointed, possibly to take the business to new places as it was doing well but obviously at a price and the company have clearly been shafted to the tune of millions by some so called business men who now reside in France and Monaco.

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