To not expect estate agent to give out my key!

[LauraSmurf]

Estate agent has a copy of my key for viewings. They have now Sold house and had arranged for mortgage survey today. I said I couldn't be in all day today, they said they could accompany him using their key if I didn't answer the phone.

I come home and find a message from 5mins earlier saying he was on his way with our key to let himself in!

I was not pleased. He is basically a stranger to us and he was going to be given free reign of our home with no one to keep him accountable for the state of our home or it's contents.

Estate agent said no one else had ever had a problem and made it seem like I was being unreasonable. Was I ?

No, you ANBU. The Estate Agent was being lazy!

Nope yWNBU

I'd be furious too.

I'd be absolutely livid

YANBU and you should complain about this in writing and check your contract with them to see if they have anything in it about the key so you can quote it back to them.

It's not totally unheard of for a surveyor to be allowed access unaccompanied but they should have asked your first rather than misled you about going with him.

Estate agent said no one else had ever had a problem

Complete crap. They probably just didn't find out. The estate agent has allowed a completely un-vetted (By you) individual to enter your property alone.

That's disgraceful and highly unprofessional.

Estate agents really do live up to all the bad press they get.

I went to view a house yesterday - the estate agent let me go upstairs unaccompanied while he took pics of the back garden. I would NOT have been happy if that was my house.

I agree that it's not that unusual for surveyors to go in unaccompanied. But I 100% think the estate agent should have checked with you. And the estate agent shouldn't have said they would accompany the surveyor then reneged on that.

So, YANBU

I am so glad to hear these! I was beginning to think I was just a paranoid , hyper vigilant person!

YANBU. Cheeky bugger. I would not be best pleased.

If they said they would accompany the surveyor they should have! So YANBU.

Most people, if asked, don't mind the surveyor doing the survey alone. Some do, and ask for the surveyor to go at a time they are at home, or for them to be accompanied by the agent. Which is quite reasonable.

I suspect there wasn't an agent when the surveyor turned up (if he hadn't specified an exact time) and they thought it was better for it to go ahead unaccompanied, rather than have your sale delayed, and fall out with the surveyor. But that's pure speculation.

On further thought I would mention this to you solicitor who is dealing with the sale. You never know a pig of a solicitor might get you some fees back!

When we bought a house once, the surveyor had a big poo whilst there.

The vendor wasn't best pleased.

Agree with Sparks.

Also with pps regarding checking any paperwork.

I can't see how anyone would be happy with this (unless clearly discussed and with prior approval). I'd be on the phone like a shot and would pull up any bugger that tried an 'it's just you' attitude.

YADNBU. Even though I'm staggeringly anti-estate agent it's clearly not on.

I get twitchy about the Estate Agent doing viewings when I'm not there. Basically that's all strangers piling into my home, looking in cupboards and wardrobes etc, passing judgement on my belongings. But in order to sell, I have to let them get on with it.

No I wouldn't be happy with the EA passing my key to a third party, and probably would have strong words with them for doing it.

Oh, yes, I wouldn't want a viewing when I wasn't there!

Wouldn't care about a surveyor, thought, any more than an electrician or plumber or decorator.

I'd expect them to cover the cost of new locks. That's awful!

lisaro, if you've let the agent have the keys, who's to say someone of the 20 peoplen who work in the office hasn't copied the key and intends to burgle your house. They will probably have your burglar alarm code too.

Surveyors go into loads of houses alone everyday. Never met one with any interested in copying a key.

My ex is an estate agent he used to shag random women in people's houses while they were at work! Also the reason he is now my ex! According to him everyone did it? Shocked:

So I guess it's not the surveyor you should be worried about!

When we sold last year the surveyor visited our house alone - but the agent had phoned me to ask if this was OK before he arranged/OKd it with the surveyor.

I think it was the moving the goalposts that annoyed me and then they have tried to make me feel like a paranoid idiot.

Your estate agent is a cheeky, lazy bugger. I'd complain in writing and make a massive stink. It's YOUR decision whether to let someone in without the EA, not his.