Firstly, I am very sorry to hear that you felt undue stress during your purchase. That was never our intention. However, having reviewed the records, it is clear that the deadlines you refer to were set by the vendor and her solicitors, not by ourselves. We were obliged to act in line with their instructions. The vendor’s solicitor confirmed on multiple occasions that exchange must take place by 4th August, with completion shortly thereafter, failing which the property would be re-marketed. Your own solicitor also noted that the timetable was one you had put forward, and accordingly asked you to have deposit funds in place. Where additional enquiries were raised, the vendor’s solicitor confirmed that several were not legal requirements and could not justify delaying exchange. The vendor had an onward purchase at risk, which is why she instructed firm deadlines. She also provided an indemnity policy and even carried out roof works, despite her own solicitor confirming these were unnecessary. As the vendor was our client, we had no choice but to pass on her position. I apologise if the way this was conveyed caused you distress. Our role as agent was to communicate the vendor’s instructions and maintain progress to protect the transaction. We did attempt to contact you on numerous occasions, but our calls were not taken or returned, which added to the pressure of managing deadlines. We regret that you felt our communications were forceful; however, they were reflective of the vendor’s position and not intended to intimidate. We note your feedback and will ensure that future communications balance the need to progress matters with greater sensitivity to buyers’ circumstances. We therefore do not agree that our staff acted unprofessionally but accept that the process was stressful for you. On behalf of the firm, I extend our apologies for the anxiety this caused.