Mystery surrounds a property for sale which is apparently in both Oxfordshire and Sutton Coldfield.
One is being marketed by a Birmingham agent, Circle Sales & Lettings.
It is a £1.5m property called The Cloves in Sutton Coldfield, and it is advertised on both Rightmove and Zoopla.
But it appears to be identical to a property in Boar’s Hill, Oxfordshire, which is being marketed by Savills for £2.25m. Both properties even have the same white garden seat in the photographs.
According to Circle, The Cloves has seven bedrooms plus a coach house and extensive gardens. It is described as a “magnificent listed family residence in need of modernisation”.
It is said to be an Arts and Crafts Grade Two property, built in 1906 by Isaac Langley and designed by Haywood Farmer.
The details say that after modernisation, there is potential to make The Cloves “one of the most impressive properties in Sutton Coldfield”.
Savills say of Overdale in Foxcombe Road, Boars Hill, that it is unlisted and was once an RAF officers’ mess before being a nursing home. Like The Cloves, it has seven bedrooms but it is a bit larger at 6,817 sq ft, whereas The Cloves has 6,513 sq ft.
A spokesperson for Savills said: “We are aware of this and it is now in the hands of our legal team.”
Eye contacted Circle, making it clear we were journalists. We were unable to speak to the owner, but did speak to a member of staff who told us that The Cloves is not yet on the market as it is going through probate.
The owner of Circle, Adam Kahn, did not return our calls.
The Sutton Coldfield property is here and can also be seen in the screen grab:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46763249.html
The Oxfordshire property is here:
Comments (34)
Has anyone else picked up on the fact that the address quoted is NOT available on the RM Streetview?
How convenient – no-one can check it out…! 😉
Flagrante isn't on Streetview either. I think the story in the Daily mail about the couple having relations in a client's house in Flagrante can be true either.
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This has got to be a case for Watchdog's Rogue Gallery!
Circle seem to be absolutely awful, it's bad enough copying properties but then coming on here pretending to be one of their clients is unbelievable. Can PIE track the IP address of james elliot? As I bet £1000 they are connected with Circle's owner.
I think you lot have been very unfair and extremely judgemental of this company today.
Alot of areas have properties that look similar(especially on council estates/new estates and alike) and whilst it is unusual to have the same seat in the garden, following my extensive research, I have found that they are widely available at your local ALDI store priced £34.99 so it is possible that both owners chose one and put it in exacltly the same spot. Cloud formations do look the same, I admit, and whilst it is unusual to have exactly the same formation over a very similar property……it's not impossible – I checked with the Met office. Give the guys at circles a break…yeah?
I think Savills' lawyers might be giving due consideration to a libel case. I am fairly sure their client from Boars Hill will be mortally offended at the aspersion their garden furniture cost £34.99 at Aldi.
Any chance this a data transposition error with the new portal? Is Circles a member?
Are you kidding???
You are really suggesting that two properties 75 miles apart are constructed to EXACTLY the same design, using EXACTLY the same materials, that EXACTLY the same species of trees were planted around, and that those trees grew in EXACTLY the same ways, and that the owners used EXACTLY the same garden furniture, that the photographer arrived and took the photograph from EXACTLY the same place relative to the house, at the moment when the sky EXACTLY matched the other, when the sun was in EXACTLY the same place in the sky?
That's almost more ridiculous than this agent's behaviour…
You checked with the Met Office??? Really? I'd love to see that email "Dear Met Office, can you tell me whether clouds can look the same as each other?" I doubt that they would reply.
As for your extensive research in to what is available at my local Aldi store… how did you manage that, and your emailing (and getting replies), all in the few hours between this article arriving and your post being written? You must be a very efficient man, Ishfaq/Adam/James/Wilko…
Wilko was joking!
Check out some of the internal pics, the two at £115k, a nice shot of darkened room and window. Joke
I wonder whether Mr Khan/Hussain also goes under the name James Elliot occasionally?
I'd be very interested to see how they verify some of the claims they make on their website ie
the most prominent high street based estate agency brand in the UK;
the most visited estate agency offices in the UK;
Circle is the fastest growing high street based estate agency brand in the UK;
Personally I think there is a lot of jealousy with other agents when a new agent is doing well , I have been to Circle offices in Birmingham & was amazed at the level of service . I instructed them on my property that was on with 2 other agents for months & only got few viewings with no offers .
Within a week I got 4 viewings & 2 offers with Circle , that's a result !
I know other agents lied out there teeth and tried me to reduce price but Circle have only delivered & sold my property and never made empty promises .
And the fact they are getting so many properties on is getting the other agents really jealous . I know a lot of the time agents are reliant on the sellers supplying the correct information & sometimes the agents are not always supplied with this so it's only fair when the agent finds out that the details are amended .
Circle has just sold £3M church , wow, I will say to the other agents you have to be fair & offer a good service rather than slag each other of because for too many years agents have let their clients down .
Hello James, welcome to PIE. I am not an agent (at the moment) so no jealousy here. I have to say that whilst I understand Sheep can be cloned these days, cloning properties and cloud formations is a tad beyond my comprehension. As you can vouch for this agent can you explain what is apparently going on?
@James Elliot – cannot believe what you've written for one moment. We market our rental properties better than what appears in these listings. Somewhat doubtful then that all you write is correct.
I think James Elliott is Adam Khan
Agreed!
As I mentioned in my earlier reply, the director of Circle is Ishfaq Ali Hussain, AKA Adam Khan, AKA James Ellerton, and now known as James Elliott.
Mr Elliot
I am over 200 miles from Birmingham; I am a traditional 'High'Street' Agent who only lists and sells properties within a 5-mile or so radius of my branch – so I have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to gain from any comment I pass on this Birmingham-based story.
The same, by the way, goes for many of the other posters, in that they operate well out of your locale.
You say that the company have 'sold' your property – which of their current 'Under Offer' properties are we referring to here? Or, if it is already sold, what was its' address?
You came on here in defence – and in doing so, launched your own attack on others – it is only therefore reasonable that the information you offer be substantiated.
I look forward to your response. Thanking you in anticipation.
James Elliot……. seriously?! Hello Mr Khan/Ali/whoever you are. I think you've been well and truly rumbled and a half-****** attempt at pretending to be a satisfied Circle customer won't fool anyone. You're a marked man; I would be very worried about getting an imminent visit from Trading Standards if I were you. Good luck with that!
@ James / Adam / whatever… the sensible thing to do when you have dug yourself into a hole is to stop digging. ie not assume another fake identity and start yet another thread of lies. But then again if you just can't help yourself.
Very disappointing that "Mr Elliott" was so quick off the mark to defend the company – pretty much appeared from nowhere – but fails to respond to a reasonable request for further information relating to his defence statement.
I would also like to know of him (assuming that he might, at some point, afford me the courtesy of a response…) what was meant by his statement "I know a lot of the time agents are reliant on the sellers supplying the correct information & sometimes the agents are not always supplied with this so it's only fair when the agent finds out that the details are amended ."
Let's face it – if he is referring to the fact that the "details" to be "amended" are, as it seems in this particular instance, the PHOTOGRAPHS of the property which the AGENT will have "supplied", taken on their Appraisal or Take-On appointment, and you wouldn't reasonably expect them to mix them up with a property EIGHTY MILES AWAY – would you?
I'm confused Mr James Elliott. Please help me here.
This must mean that Circle agent is out of the Circle of trust!
SELLING YOUR HOUSE WITH CIRCLE
The most prominent high street based estate agency brand in the UK
The most visited estate agency offices in the UK
GET THE CIRCLE BRAND BEHIND YOU
Circle is the fastest growing high street based estate agency brand in the UK. With our offices we have the market covered. In every local branch we have property experts whose main aim is to give every one of our customers the best chance of selling their house at the best price.
Our emphasis on customer service and professionalism has helped us to achieve a number of national property awards in the last few years . Professional ethics are at the heart of what we do. You save money using Circle, on average you will save around 40% compared to other agents
look at this one! http://circlelettings.com/property/church-trinity-road-birmingham/
Look at their website http://circlelettings.com/
They are making up properties to try and boost their presence – idiots!
Same company have another one on Somerset Road in Edgbaston priced at £2.995m. I know Somerset Road in Edgbaston and that house doesn't exist….. They've taken the photos off now (possibly in light of recent events) but the listing is still there. Presumably they think this is a way of giving themselves a profile in the market. Losers!
Very interesting article. The director of Circle Sales and Lettings is Ishfaq Ali Hussain. He goes by many names including Adam, James, Tony and Jason to name but a few. Adam Kahn? I think not! He not only fakes his names he also fakes many of the properties advertised at Circle Sales and Lettings, 99 New St. This man is not to be trusted. He has ripped off many innocent people. Take a look at this link about other 'fake' properties. http://circlesales.wordpress.com/
Wow that is brazen!
It would be great if PIE could keep up with this story. If Savills get anywhere if this I'm going to have a field day with some of the ***** around here.
I agree, would love to see the outcome of this!
Just a small suggestion. In the light of the late DJ and his predatory activities, perhaps PIE (easily mistaken for Paedophile Information Exchange) should not be used in the same sentence as Savills, just in case?
Funnily enough, well actually not that funny, we did take that into consideration when deciding on our name. However, we thought that our readers would quickly call us Eye – which is how we refer to ourselves. If we could have called ourselves Property Eye, we would have done but the name was unfortunately taken, hence the full title of Property Industry Eye. But really, we're just Eye. And I don't think Savills would object to that!
Thanks Rosalind, I have been wondering about it for some time since every time Harriet Harperson and others are mentioned with the abuse, PIE are brought into. That is the bad PIE, not the EYE.
I doubt Savills would object but what about the London Eye???
Even the shape of the clouds in the background are the same – what are the chances !