Focus on the property, not the salesperson

[Ian Somers]

I think more than enough has already been said about the threats to both Asy and this forum which were made by the lawyers acting on behalf of Neil Jenman. However, to move on, I think that it is appropriate that I put my view of events and where we go from here.

Asy made statements about Mr Jenman on this forum for which she has now publicly apologized. According to Asy, those statements were made without malice and in good faith based on the information that she had at hand, however, her inappropriate choice of words was both provocative and clearly outside the spirit of the forum. When it was brought to my attention, I decided to have the entire thread removed and Asy readily agreed to the apology.

What Asy did was not a hanging offence but there are lessons that we can all learn from it.

Firstly, forumites should focus on the issues, stay objective and not become personal. When you have strong statements to make on any issue, make sure that they are supported and can be substantiated. The spirit of the forum is to be cooperative, not combatitive, though reasoned debate is always welcome.

Secondly, resorting to lawyers to deliver your message is probably not the smartest or most effective way of dealing with statements made in the forum. If debating the issue on-line is not an option for whatever reason, or individuals feel that they are being unfairly treated in any post, they are most welcome to appeal to the forum host (me) for adjudication. In my view, litigation should be the last resort, not the first.

A more recent thread suggesting a poll (started by Pedro?) to resolve the “Asy v Jenman” issue was innovative, but inappropriate, as it did nothing more than target the credibility of the Jenman group. It is something that we will all have personal views about, but those views are largely irrelevant in the bigger picture. With due respect to Pedro, I have taken the liberty of removing that thread and I suggest an alternative question that many have already touched on in this debate…

When you build the courage to take your next step in property investment, will you be influenced more by the property or the salesperson selling it?

 

[Jakk]

Ian,

well said,.........but who am I to argue??????


you own both the bat and the ball


regards

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

Ian,
Your question is an insightful and excellent one. It really serves to remind (well, me at least); 'Just how strongly do I stand behind my convictions?'
I made my views clear to the person that initiated the legal proceedings when I emailed the Jenman group, and those were that I would not deal with Jenman agents in the future. But is that really the right way to look at the issue? Okay, it was the Jenman group that initiated this, but remember, it was the people at the top that made that decision. By saying that I would not consider properties held by Jenman agents, I have made a decision to point the finger at the group as a whole.
Now, that is kinda like blaming the teller at the local bank for decisions made by the board. Is the local Jenman agent really to blame for a decision that was made by the top people? Is it fair that someone who is possibly a 'stand up guy' and could potentially handball more deals to you in the future held responsible, when he/she has done nothing or had nothing to do with the incident?
I've had a week or so to reflect on the issue and think it through calmly and rationally and I gotta say that I retract my original sentiments, cause it's not really the right way to go about things. I emailed Neil directly, and I am sure he will probably read my email, so I reckon it suffices that he knows how I feel, and that's the end of it. No point holding grudges over something that few people are going to even remember in five years.

Mark
'no hat, some cattle'

 

[andrewp]

Very good post Ian
Andrew

 

[brains]

Mark, good post and very true.
The 5 years should be 5 minutes tho