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I was asked to evaluate the condition of a used piano for a customer
(buyer) for a nominal fee. It was a private sale. When I went to see
the piano, it was one that I had been wanting for some time. <b>I</b>
wanted to buy it from the seller. Question: How, when and/or what must
I do, ethically, to buy it from the seller seeing that now I had a
fiduciary relationship with the customer who paid my fee?<br>
<br>
What actually happened:<br>
<br>
I wrote a positive report of the piano and recommended the buyer offer
several hundred dollars below the asking price. She did so, but, the
seller rejected her offer. The buyer left the deal and bought another
piano elsewhere. When I heard she bought another piano, without
telling her, I offered the original seller his price and bought the
piano. Did I do wrong? Should I have asked her permission? Should I
tell her now, especially since she plans to hire me to tune her new
piano? I have a queasy feeling about the deal. Should I? It could
be a future, awkward situation.<br>
<br>
Phil Ryan<br>
Miami Beach<br>
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