We saw the property and loved it. Ideal location for us: close to our son's primary school, my husband's work and my work. We made an offer and was ACCEPTED!!!. We find a good mortgage rate with an independent broker, we paid the lawyer fees and the survey fee to the bank, which we received with satisfactory results. The same day we went to the Estate Agency to sign and exchange contracts the manager of Mann Countrywide at Hedge End's branch, MIKE WHATEVER, told us something that unexpectedly would change our lives, and not in a positive way: "Someone had made a better offer and had been ACCEPTED???!!!" We could not believe it!!! Our offer had already been ACCEPTED!!! how is that possible that they can consider any other offer??? "a better offer" as they said. This is UNACCEPTABLE, IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL!!!. We waisted £500 with all the transaction pre-contract exchange and all our future plans. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH MANN COUNTRYWIDE HEDGE END BRAND AT ST.JOHNS ROAD. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT MONEY. Their argument was that they did not show the property to anyone new. That someone who saw the property previously to us made a better offer. IT DOES NO MATTER MIKE, YOU ARE PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES. OUR OFFER HAD BEEN ACCEPTED AND YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL MAKE AN EXCELLENT JOB TREATING EVERYBODY WITH FAIRNESS. Estate Agents have the power to look for the best argument to make everything sounds better on behalf of GAZUMPING. Three months later we haven't found a property we can afford in the area our lives run. Instead we are still renting, paying someone else's mortgage because MIKE WANTED TO EARN A GOOD COMMISSION!!!. WELL DONE MIKE!!! I HOPE YOU CANNOT SLEEP AT NIGHT THINKING ABOUT YOUR DIRTY JOBS. Even if you apologise will never give us what we need. MANN COUNTRYWIDE HEDGE END ST. JOHNS ROAD SO30 4AA DOES PRACTICE GAZUMPING SO PLEASE BE AWARE!!!