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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be fuming that my estate agent left my front door unlocked??

26 replies

bumpers · 15/03/2012 17:36

subject says it all really....

Just come home after a viewing on our house and the front door is unlocked. Have rung them but no answer so have left a message asking for someone to call me back. Seems incredible that they would be that stupid and irresponsible. I want to tear them off a strip but also need them to sell my house - what should i do?!

OP posts:
Hecubasdaughter · 15/03/2012 17:38

YANBU. Is everything still in place?

ShatnersBassoon · 15/03/2012 17:38

Tell them you're extremely annoyed about their lack of thought, then forget about it. No harm done, luckily.

dinkystinkyandveryverybored · 15/03/2012 17:39

Ask to speak to the manager, in measured tones explain that the front door was left unlocked post viewing and this is quite frankly unacceptable- please can he have a word with the team to ensure it doesnt occur again and if it does, you'll be terminating their instruction.

HoudiniHissy · 15/03/2012 17:40

Was the door wide open, or just able to be opened from outside if anyone had tried it?

I am an inventory clerk, I once did an inspection and thought I'd pulled the door closed, but (no knocker/handle) apparently not. Thankfully nothing happened to the house, but I was told about it and apologised profusely.

If your door needs to be LOCKED to close it, then make sure that the EA knows this, and a note is written on the details they have on the system.

bobbledunk · 15/03/2012 17:54

yanbu, raise hellShock

valiumredhead · 15/03/2012 18:24

Unlocked or wide open?

Gilgamesh · 15/03/2012 19:12

People make mistakes. Unless you never have, get the fuckity over it.

crashdoll · 15/03/2012 19:25

Don't tear a strip off but do calmly explain how unacceptable you found it. Also, remind them how lucky they were that nothing happened to your home because they would have been responsible.

Original poster
bumpers · 15/03/2012 19:45

Was shut, but not locked and thankfully everything is in order inside. Agree I probably shouldn't get cross, but considering estate agents are in and out of houses all day, it seems an incredibly stupid thing for them to do. They didn't bother calling back tonight so that's probably just as well.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 15/03/2012 19:48

Them not calling back is a bit crap. Hope they call back people who may want to buy your house. Angry

Busyoldfool · 15/03/2012 20:37

Definitely make sure they have it on the system - some doors just pull shut and don't need to be locked. The EA probably thought s/he'd done it. (My door used to do that until I kept getting locked out by the kids!! Now I have to actually lock it).

I once did a viewing, ( as an EA), and when I left I double locked the bottom lock not knowing that the family never bothered with that. When they got home at midnight they were locked out!! Grin

StrandedBear · 15/03/2012 22:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DodieSmith · 15/03/2012 23:04

I think you're overreacting.

StrandedBear · 15/03/2012 23:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HalfPastWine · 15/03/2012 23:08

OP, I would be livid if this happened to me, especially in the area in which I live.

HalfPastWine · 15/03/2012 23:09

Oh, and forgot to add (not sure if someone else has said this already) but your contents insurance would also be invalid if you were burgled.

notdrowningjustwaving · 15/03/2012 23:13

It's a buyers' market. They need to sell your house in order to get their commission. They should not be doing anything to piss you off, EAs are 10 a penny. Tell them off, but be firm and not nutty about it.

DoomCatsofCognitiveDissonance · 16/03/2012 00:21

I'd be angry - so what was probably a careless mistake? And if you don't get through to them that they've done it, they won't know and may do it again.

TBH the fact that some doors lock when you pull them to is not really relevant - it's not like this was your mate who forgot it wasn't like her own front door. This person is an estate agent. I am willing to bet they have come across a wide range of doors and locks in their time.

Walkinginwonderland · 16/03/2012 02:40

I'd be beyond livid, and would let them know it.

samandi · 16/03/2012 06:23

YADNBU. I would be absolutely furious. It's very easy to check if a door opens once you've shut it. As estate agents, this should be second nature.

Babycameearly · 16/03/2012 07:37

YANBU - our EA did 2 viewings for us, on one occasion they left the back door unlocked - when I rang to -shout at them- enquire about it she said 'oh, I couldn't manage to turn the key' erm - why the fook didn't you ring and tell us???? 2nd occasion they or the viewer walked dog poo all through the house!!

WillSingForCake · 16/03/2012 07:55

Ours did this too. And never turned the burglar alarm on even though we'd given them the code. We'd already been broken into earlier in the year, so it was a sore point!

ineedamiracle · 16/03/2012 08:17

When I sold my house last year (I didn't live there at the time, but lots of furniture and possessions still there) my Estate Agent gave my keys to my buyer before it all completed and they went round, left the only alarmed door (garage into utility) wide open, my loft hatch open, my oven door wide open and my post opened with my name and address torn off a letter and removed from the property...I honestly thought I'd been burgled! When I challenged them about it, I was raging - but I couldn't risk losing my buyer. I told the EA that it was THEM I was angry with, not my buyer (their excuse was that the buyer had asked to take a builder round to price up for work) and I took back my spare keys until the house sale actually completed. They then tried to charge me a percentage of the original asking price rather than the eventual purchase price (MASSIVE difference) but my solicitor just paid them what she thought the correct charge should have been. The EA never queried it Angry

takeonboard · 16/03/2012 11:11

YANBU As someone who has been burgled 4 times I would be furious about this and would certainly let the EA know that i was not happy. I would also be concerned that they didn't return my call.
Your insurance company would not pay out if you had been burgled as the door wasn't locked.

ElizabethDarcy · 16/03/2012 11:42

Agree 100% with takeonboard

Highly unprofessional. I would be livid. Have been burgled twice, Security is key and not to be undermined.