Our holiday home is for sale. Lettings agent blocking viewings by prospective buyers.

[MillyMollyMama]

We have been trying to sell our holiday house. Someone wants to view it on Tuesday but the Agent has told us the holiday tenant is not agreeable to this. The Agent has known for months that the property is for sale and this is the second time a viewing has been blocked. I know it can be difficult to get tenants to agree to viewings when it is their home, but this is someone renting my house for a week's holiday and it is not their home.

The agent was miffed because we instructed another agent to sell the house for us. There were sound reasons for this. Our letting agent, for the past 4 years, is also an estate agent but they quoted the highest percentage for selling and do not use national coverage advertising, or even much locally. They are also closed at weekends. This made us go to a more dynamic agent.

Can the tenant refuse to accommodate our request for a viewing? Can we say to the letting agent that, if the tenant will not accommodate this request, then we will not make the house available to the tenant that week? I have offered a discount of 10% off the rent if they allow the viewing. We need to sell but we need to keep the income stream coming in too. Our letting agent told me they always accommodate viewings, but obviously this meant only if they came through them at an extortionate selling fee! Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[MidniteScribbler]

Would you want buyers traipsing through a house you were trying to have a relaxing holiday in? Stop renting it out if you're trying to sell it.

[Sam100]

Personally if I had taken a holiday let then I would expect to have the place to myself and exclusive use and to not be interrupted by viewings. You have offered a 10% discount for the inconvenience but presumably this has been turned down by the client. If the agent has not discussed with the client then that is wrong of them.

[BrianTheMole]

If I rented a holiday home for a week, I would not be amenable to people viewing it at that time. Stop letting it out is your answer.

[specialsubject]

I agree. You can't have it both ways. Make viewing arrangements when the place is empty.

this is absolutely NOT acceptable for someone on holiday!!

[feesh]

You are putting your own needs before those of your customers, bad business sense. You can't expect a holidaymaker to allow viewings when they're on holiday!

[KhloeKardashian]

Don't rent it out if you are trying to sell.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I wouldn't agree to viewings if I was on holiday.

[expatinscotland]

Your customers are paying to HIRE the space for their holiday and you act like you are doing them a favour by deigning to let them stay in 'my house' so they should accommodate your needs.

You want to sell it, stop letting it out!

A 10% discount to have my holiday interrupted by the proprietor's personal desires? I'd find another place to stay.

[eddielizzard]

i think you have to rent it out on the proviso that viewings are possible. you're willing to discount rent so the agent should make that very clear at the time of booking. 'you are getting 10% off because there may be viewings that week. if you don't want to do that i'm afraid you won't be able to rent the property.'

if your lettings agent won't do that then you're screwed aren't you? only other option is to terminate lettings, slightly drop your selling price to get a quick sale and then hopefully it'll go through quickly without you losing too much income.

[OddFodd]

What everyone else said. They're paying through the nose for a holiday let. You either have the income or you sell the property. You can't have it both ways!

I can't believe you think you're being remotely reasonable :o

[IComeFromALandDownUnder]

If you are renting your property you should only arrange viewings on changeover day or stop renting the property. You can't have it both ways.

[LumpySpacePrincessOhMyGlob]

It takes us all year to save for a holiday. I would hate to have to let an agent in. Stop renting it out if you want to sell it, you can't have it both ways.

[MillyMollyMama]

I am not arranging the viewings and as it is Cornwall people are travelling down there to view houses at times convenient to them, not me. They are not necessarily available on changeover days. They are not local buyers. We will obviously have to stop letting it but if it was me I would just go out and allow a viewing. By the way, in March no-one is paying through the nose. However, it has not sold since last October and is competitively priced at what it cost us 5 years ago. We felt we could not afford to take a massive hit on loss of income for months on end and truly wish we had never bought a holiday home in the first place and certainly did not think it would be so difficult to shift. I would have loved to have had responses from landlords because I am not sure any of you have ever been in this situation. If it is empty and unsold I, in effect, have no business.

[Mckayz]

I would not agree to people coming to view a house I ha paid to have a holiday in.

Stop renting it and then sell it.

[MirandaWest]

If I were on holiday and someone came to view the house I would be very pissed off tbh. It's my holiday and I'm not there to facilitate in any way someone trying to buy the house. Stop letting it out if you are selling it.

[expatinscotland]

You are still acting like you are doing your customers a favour by hiring out a holiday let. Regardless of the time of the year, customers are PAYING to stay there. Not surprised it is not selling.

I couldn't care less about who owns any space I hire out for holiday, be it Premier Inn or a campsite on a park, when I hire the space and pay for it, it's mine to use exclusively unless there is a big discount, not a measly 10%.

When we make investments of ANY sort, or go into business, there is always the risk of losing money.

[expatinscotland]

And when I rent space, I consider my lodgings my home for however long I have paid to rent it. I get us unpacked and comfortable.

[specialsubject]

I am a landlord - of a 'normal' rental if you see what I mean. I still don't think that you should arrange viewings when the place is let. Holidays in the UK are not cheap - I realise that due to your costs and the tax structure you can charge no less but that still means that it is not a cheap holiday.

I looked into holiday letting. I didn't buy for all the reasons that I fear you are now finding out. You probably need to drop the price, I'm afraid - they don't hold value especially in Cornwall.

good luck.

[ReallyTired]

I think you are being ridicolous. Your customers have paid for a holiday and should have peaceful enjoyment. Its not as if you have a long term tenant.

[MillyMollyMama]

expatinscotland. Why are you surprised it is not selling? You know nothing about my house or that particular property market? I am not expecting the tenants to buy it! Perhaps you can tell me what I should do to sell it? Other than reduce it to way below anything else of a similar size and quality in the area? Even that does not guarantee anything. I am just about to cancel all the bookings for the next two months. Here's hoping I can sell it!

[IComeFromALandDownUnder]

I am a landlord. As I said you tell the sales agent the property can only be viewed on changeover day or you do not rent it out. They are the only options.

[feesh]

This thread summarises everything that is wrong with the UK 'hospitality' industry. Sorry, have had some dreadful holiday cottage owner experiences, although I know there are some good ones out there. But most of them make you feel like they are doing you a bloody favour to be allowed into their property.

[MissMilbanke]

You can't do this - think about it if you were on holiday would you want prospective buyers interrupting your stay ? No - didn't think so.

I have been in this position and when we were looking at buying a second home we had too fit in with the tenants.

This meant that on a turnaround day (usually saturday) we had to be there alongside other potential buyers for an allocated 10 minutes or so. We had to travel from wherever home was to be there then. If you missed that time slot then you had to wait till the following saturday. Thems the rules.

Its not ideal but thats how it works.