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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that if you are selling your house, you should at least clean it first??

32 replies

PussinJimmyChoos · 06/11/2010 20:43

Now, before I get flamed, I am not talking about houses where someone has died or an elderly relative/disabled person unable to clean

No, I am talking about the house of two doctors with kids that I viewed today...walked in and it STANK of dog...I mean REEKED! Carpets everywhere smelling of it (even the downstairs loo) and although things were superficially clean eg kitchen work surfaces, no deep cleaning had been done for yonks - manky walls, skirting boards, stains on carpet...the dog, which was a Great Dane btw, slept in their bedroom on a dog bed bigger than the Queen Mary and had graced the room most successfully with eua de canine...the poor fish in the fishtank looked like their water was grey and they probably do not know what the world outside their tank looks like as it was manky!

I was appalled...I actually went around in manner of Anthea and ran my fingers on things...

Could not believe people could actually show their house in such a state?!!

OP posts:

SecretNutellaFix · 06/11/2010 20:47

Sounds rank!

Did you comment to the Estate Agent?

fluffles · 06/11/2010 20:47

two doctors with kids? i doubt they've had a second to even notice the dirt... but i guess should probably be able to afford to pay somebody to come in and do it.

still, you could get a real bargain if you want the house cause it'll put some people off but really not cost much to have fixed before you move in with a professional clean.

LaurieScaryCake · 06/11/2010 20:49

Aren't you spending a million on the house?

bet you can get a good deal on the price

and I bet the kids were right healthy in amongst all that dirt

Original poster

PussinJimmyChoos · 06/11/2010 20:52

Yes I did comment to the Estate Agent...rather a lot

I used to think that House Dr woman was going OTT when she banged on about the doggy smell when making over houses but seriously, was so bad, we couldn't have moved in until we had recarpeted the whole house, rather than do it bit by bit as budget allowed and I was also wondering if any smells would have seeped through the floorboards as a Great Dane wee is probably rather a lot if it had an accident

I could see past all of it and see the potential so that wasn't the issue, I was just that people could have their house viewed in a state like that!

OP posts:

Caboodle · 06/11/2010 20:53

Once viewed a house which was like something off Kim and Aggie - but the owners had put out a sara lee gateau thing amongst all the mess/dirt so obviously they thought they had made an effort. Didn't buy the house...

PinkieMinx · 06/11/2010 20:54

YANBU - middle classes are worst for dirt - skanks - bet they never wash their front step

PinkieMinx · 06/11/2010 20:55

Sod let people view - they LIVE like it!

snigger · 06/11/2010 20:58

DH has a pair of doctor customers whose dogs chewed a door in half, so that it swung saloon style in halves - they sold their house in that condition, at a profit, too.

DH did more decorating in the eight weeks prior to our house sale than in the eight years running up to it - I think it helped.

FourEyesGood · 06/11/2010 21:00

When I came to look around this house, it was in a dreadful state - smelly, dirty and piled with rubbish, even though there was a family living here. It just meant that I was the only one interested in it and I got it at a good price. The mess was still here when I got the keys, but within a few days it was clean, and within a few months we'd managed to make it look nice. Use the filth to your advantage!

StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou · 06/11/2010 21:00

oh we don't have animals, but we have preschoolers and crayon on walls, yoghurty handprints on the furniture and I never dust, air freshen or obsessively clean because I don't think chemicals and young children go together.

RiojaLover75 · 06/11/2010 21:01

Two Doctors could probably afford to have a cleaner, non????

Ah unless they're divorcing .

YANBU to expect a house to view in a decent state, NOT stinking of dog or even have dog in situ while viewing......

Original poster

PussinJimmyChoos · 06/11/2010 21:03

I don't mind kiddie mess, in fact, DS has drawn a little on our hallway wall and I've left it out of nostalgia but that aside, house is clean

It was just the dirt

OP posts:

RiojaLover75 · 06/11/2010 21:03

I like your style FourEyes

SixtyFootDoll · 06/11/2010 21:05

Theres untidy family mess
ANd there's unclean
This sounds like the latter.
Phewwweeee

I never ceased to be amazed at how dirty some people are.

jonicomelately · 06/11/2010 21:09

I'm no clean freak and we have a dog but we viewed lots of houses this year and some of them were utter rank.

Original poster

PussinJimmyChoos · 06/11/2010 21:13

Mind you, there is probably someone out there thinking I am rank when viewing my house thanks to bloody DH!

Was getting ready for a trip out with DS in half term. Had no viewings booked at all so I just did a basic tidy up before going out but didn't make the bed etc. I am 5mths pg and getting nosebleeds some mornings. Had a slight one before I left so I sorted it, put tissue in the loo but didn't flush as I thought it was a waste of water and no-one was coming around

Came back from trip out to see post on the side. I text DH oh did you come home for lunch, he says no. I text back omg, did you agree to a viewing without telling me - he said yes

So now someone thinks I am a skank who leaves period tissue in toilet (cos that is what it looks like)

The shame! Was so miffed at DH!

OP posts:

Georgimama · 06/11/2010 21:16

Even more stunning than houses messy on viewing (some family crap could have arisen in the last hour or two before the viewing) are the houses which are messy in the photos on rightmove.

Dishes on the drainer or even in the sink is not rare. Piles of toot lying about which make it obvious the house has inadequate storage - just pick it all up and dump in another room while the photos are taken, this is not hard stuff.

QuintessentialShadows · 06/11/2010 21:16

"YANBU - middle classes are worst for dirt - skanks - bet they never wash their front step"

That is because they have cleaners, who are doing a terrible job.

Nobody who cleans their own home would do such an appalling job. I have yet to see the cleaner who can do my house better than me. So I have given up on them.

Georgimama · 06/11/2010 21:18

Puss - why would your viewees open the loo seat and see this?

You leave the loo seat up don't you? That is skanky, bloody loo roll or no.

HSMM · 06/11/2010 21:22

it's a great way to get a bargain. Our house would have been a lot more expensive if it had been clean

Funkychunkymunky · 06/11/2010 21:27

I once viewed a home that stank, had piles of dirty pots in the kitchen sink on the draining board and on the floor!!

I couldn't open one bedroom door for all the stuff piled behind the door.

I had to stand on dirty clothes to see the bathroom.

I couldn't see out of the filthy windows.

We didn't buy it.

Dolanette · 06/11/2010 21:27

DH and I have viewed dirty, dog-smelly houses and there is nothing worse. I actually gagged outside the smelly-dog house. LOL as I type as I just remember when we opened the hot-press/airing cupboard there was a cat in it! EA , DH and I got such a fright.
People selling their home should clean it first. When DH and I were selling our house, we decluttered/cleaned etc.

Georgimama · 06/11/2010 21:31

I can (but won't) clean very thoroughly but there is no-one to touch my cleaner; pitifully I look forward to Mondays because 1) Spooks 2) my gorgeous cleaner will have turned my house into a hotel suite. The ambiance of hotel suite doesn't last long after we get home but it is nice when I walk through the door.

Dolanette · 06/11/2010 21:32

LOL at this thread, when our house was for sale, I had to ring FIL to remove rat our cat had left on our back door mat. Knew it would not be good if perspective buyers saw it!!

Unbelievably it happened again, bloody cat, Fil unavaible to dispose of it, i had to go to hardware shop, buy spade and dispose of it myself

oldraver · 06/11/2010 22:06

I once viewd a house that had quite a few piles of cat shit dotted around.

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