I have the UK post code and house number of a property, how can get the contact number of the owner?

I made an offer on a property on Saturday (23/02/08). The estate agent was saying someone has made higher offer Monday (25/02/08). I increase my offer more then that. Almost on a sudden the estate agent is saying the owner has accepted the other buyers offer as they have more deposit then me. The matter is I am first time buyer and I have my mortgage ready. I believe the estate agent did not forward my increased offer to the seller and giving the property to the buyer who possibly sold a property through them. To contact the seller straight way I ask the agent for his phone number, but the agent deny giving sellers contact number as he has accepted the other offer. She said she can not give me seller鈥檚 number as he has already accepted one offer but she can give my number to the seller and ask him to contact me. Just after 10 minutes the agent rang me and said the seller doesn鈥檛 want 2 call us, his decision is final.

Sorry I didn't mention that, the owner does not live at the property, it is an empty one. He lives somewhere else. I asked the neighbors, nearby shopkeepers, no body knows where they live now. If I live the letter in the property (that I was trying to buy) most probably the estate agent will get it not the owner. I was trying to find out there telephone number (as they use to live at that property about 2 years back, it may have local number). I was trying to find it in local BT phone book, but it is too much, can not keep my concentration on millions of small number! If I could get a soft copy of that book, it would helped! Actually the agent did not tell me the name of the vendor, if even I knew the name it was easy to find in the telephone book.

You can find out who seller is on Land Registry website. Costs 拢3.

Put a letter through the door....give your details and see if they contact you - if not you have been gazumped!

Maybe the agent is telling the truth in which case the seller really WON'T appreciate your call.

The agent also isn't allowed to give you their number due to the database protection act, so may be telling the truth.

use the address finder by royal mail (enclosed) and send them a letter.

make sure its polite, im pretty sure either way it goes the seller will be suprised that you contacted them directly.

maybe even go to the actual house and post the letter by hand?

I agree with Dee, just drop round a quick note with your phone number and see what happens. If the seller doesn't ring , then I would look for another property.

Knock on the door and explain situation-a lot of estate agents are scum-a friend of mine did this and made 200k selling 2 years later