Will you be home all day?

Worse still are those potential buyers who make an arrangement and never turn up at all! So you waste your time and keep thinking they might appear. Some never even reply when you try to check if they are coming.

I always put the first part of my postcode in the listing, but don't give out my full address until the buyer has given me the day they want to collect and at what time. I also ask them to let me know if they are running late or aren't coming for any reason. The slightly annoying part is when they message to say, "Just leaving now" when I have absolutely no idea where they are leaving from!

I dont ask when they can collect, I say "what time suits you between 10 and 12?"

Probably paranoid but i dont want to tell a random ill be out in the afternoon.

This - I wouldn't tell anyone what time I may or not be at home, but would be happy to arrange a specific time frame - unfortunately due to not wanting strangers to know when the house would unoccupied.

I've had the same problem today with the Post Office who arrived after 4pm after I'd waited in all day. They said "before 3". Last week again I waited in all day for Fedex, who made it clear the round they did was entirely up to them with no time slots and not done for the benefit of customers. Noone wants to stay in all day, I'm sure.

I always negotiate a specific time for people to collect stuff.

You might be surprised, but over the years on Mumsnet, I've discovered that far too many people believe anyone over 50 is wealthy and thriving by draining the younger generation. Some even think those over 50 shouldn't be allowed a pension or even a life.

Even if I'm home all day I'd given them shorter time slots that are convenient to me. Like "on X day 11-1 or 4-6pm". It just forces to pick a time, or respond with an alternative time if they can't make it.

It's when you get one of those deliveries/pickup slots anytime between 8-6 which drive me nuts. Not too bad if they have tracker which activate when they are on their way.

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat To be fair, I've had various NHS clinics do the same to me, and I'm in my 30s. I think they just think everyone can drop everything to fit their availability. My favourite was when I had to get my son's preschool innoculations done and the GP surgery merrily told me that the only times they do them were Tuesday mornings from 10 - 11.30am.

I usually say “evening around 5” and text about an hour or two earlier to be even more specific- I’ll then turn up within five mins either side of the stated time. I don’t think you’re unreasonable!

I always ask what time suits them so I can see if it can work for me.
Anyone who has suggested the time and then doesn't turn up though is in my bad books.

I'm always wary when people ask. I WFH so am here 90% of the time but like to have a window when folk will come. I always worry that they are checking whether the house is empty...

I wish I could get a pension at 55 and watch Midsomer Murders all day :)

I've always said for example "I'll be with you between 2-3pm and will text when google maps says I'm 15mins away" and then I do just that.

So yeah I prefer a time slot shorter than a whole day.

If I'm collecting something from someone, I'll say something like 'Can I collect tomorrow afternoon?' as a polite opener, so it doesn't come across as me 'demanding' they are there at 2pm.
They then reply with "yes I'm in all afternoon" and I'd say "It will be about 2pm then".
Or, it leaves it open for them to say "I've got to go out later so can you make sure it is before 2 please" or "Not quite sure what I'm doing earlier, so can you make it after 4pm" or whatever.

If you are the one with the item, then you can restrict the time. There is no way I'd be hanging around for 5 hours for some vague timescale.

It also seems a bit silly to give a random person your address and then let them know what time your house will be empty.

I can be available any time, by arrangement.

😂

This ^ is a perfect message.
and yes, of course people should give you at least an hour window.

Nope, I would want a specific time or maybe an hour window at the most. I also WFH 3 days a week but find it hard to get stuck into anything if I don't know when someone's going to be turning up. Same with big deliveries where you get an AM or PM slot.

You might not have specifically timed plans, but still have stuff to do.... going food shopping, popping to the Post office, walking the dog... so you can be at home at any time if necessary but not be sitting there twiddling your thumbs.

I do this a lot and I normally say text before you set off the make sure it suits. Same with picking things up I might say around 10am I’ll text you 15 mins before to check it suits.

no one stays in sitting around waiting all day surely.

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat it's a thing, if you're retired people think you never leave the house except to go bother the NHS some more 😂. Amazon drive me nuts, first they'll be here between 12 and 1, then they get behind and it's between 3 and 5. YANBU

I want a specific time too OP.
When there's only me to answer the door, I don't want to waste a whole day on someone who's only going to be there for a few minutes - and, as you say, when you have no time frame to work with, you just know the doorbell will go the very second your knickers are down and your naked bum lands on the loo seat.