I Sold My House… Never Got Paid – But, I still have to pay the agent’s commission. Help Me Fight a 4-Year Legal Nightmare

I sold my house.

The contract was signed.

But I never received a single cent.

The buyers walked away—and I was still left owing over $50,000.

Like many Australians, my home was my biggest asset and my future security.

Four years ago, I made the decision to sell my property in Tasmania due to health issues and to downsize. I had plans in place to move forward with my life and support myself while living with my disability.

But everything changed.

The purchasers signed the contract to buy my home…

and then never completed the purchase.

Instead, they went and bought another property—leaving me in an impossible situation:

• My home was legally “sold”… but I received no money

• I was still required to pay real estate commission and conveyancing fees

• In Tasmania I could not access the deposit without the purchaser’s consent

• I was left facing over $50,000 in costs, with nothing to pay them with

I had no choice but to begin legal action.

To try and resolve the situation and resell my home, I was forced to:

• Cancel approximately $40,000 in forward bookings (I ran a BnB from part of the property)

• Put all my belongings into storage

• Vacate my home for a settlement that never happened

• Pay for re-marketing, staging, and ongoing property costs

I am on a part disability pension, and, with my assistance dog Ralph, I spent over 12 months moving between friends and family homes while the house was back up for sale

Four years later:

• I have been through three failed mediations

• The matter is still unresolved

To survive and keep fighting, I have used all of my superannuation.

That money is now gone.

If this sale had completed four years ago, I would have downsized and had approximately $600,000 in super to support my future.

Instead, I am left in financial uncertainty, unable to move forward, and still trapped in this legal process.

The emotional toll has been just as devastating.

I have been under the care of a clinical psychologist and on medication for the past four years to cope with the stress, uncertainty, and impact this has had on my life.

This is not just about me.

This situation highlights serious questions within the Tasmanian’s property system—one that could affect any person buying or selling a home.

Perhaps my case highlighted changes that needed to occur in the contracts as now there is a new one, but I'm caught out on the old contract.

How your support will help me:

Every contribution matters

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If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page could make all the difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and for any support you can give.

Thank you to Ralph my assistant dog who has travelled this journey with me for 4 years, he still entertains me daily which makes me smile.

A HUGE thank you to the people that have already donated and to the people that have listened to me over and over.

I'd love to hear from anyone that has gone through something similar

Thank you in advance

Jane