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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed that estate agent turned up early with clients?

73 replies

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:26

I know it's only 10 mins but when you are trying to speed clean your entire house for a potential buyer to see it 10 minutes matter!

and I would never go to anyone's house early when invited for a specific time anyway, it's just not on

it was just so embarrassing that I didn't have time to hoover the floor, clean the sink and wake up baby!Angry

(we'd normally be out, but today we couldn't and they know we'd be in)

I am really annoyed. would you be? AIBU?

OP posts:
Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 16:29

I want to know how you were going to Hoover the floors, clean the sink and wake up baby all in the space of 10 mins. Either you have a very small floor space or have some secret super power.

Ezza1 · 31/08/2013 16:33

Yabu. 10 minutes is nothing.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:41

running

last few jobs:

  • hoovering living room floor maybe 3 mins
  • rinsing out sink as it was already empty and wiping kitchen top (very small kitchen) 3mins
  • waking baby and get all the kids to gather in living room so we are out of the way - 2mins

just to make me feel that it's organized.
that I'm not flustered and stressed out.

OP posts:
Jan49 · 31/08/2013 16:43

No I wouldn't be annoyed. I'd be annoyed if they turned up half an hour early.

I once turned up at a friend's house 10 minutes early and she commented that she'd been planning to run the hoover over the floor but hadn't as I was early. I thought that was a bit odd. I wouldn't do hoovering 10 minutes before someone was due to arrive because I might not hear the doorbell if I was doing something noisy.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 31/08/2013 16:44

I'd suggest giving the Esatate agent a ring and asking him to come at the appointed time, not earlier, as that is inconvenient. You are paying him plenty of money for his services, so don't feel shy about saying what you want.

BunchofTulips · 31/08/2013 16:45

YANBU. I reckon you can do a lot in 10 minutes. And of course, for a potential buyer, you could have made the house look a little bit cleaner/tidier etc. I would have felt the same - stressed not prepared.

coffeeinbed · 31/08/2013 16:46

YANBU.
That's not on.
But maybe the buyers turned up early and he ran out of things to say about your front garden.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:47

to me it's the same as gping to a friend's house for a party.
I don't turn up early.

there are always last minute jobs and as a host you just don't want people turning up as you are about to change into your nice dress or taking the bin out or whatever.

We have had a lot of gatherings at our house and no one ever have came before the "starting" time.
Also been to a fair few and never arrived early either.

I think it's rude.

OP posts:
RobinSparkles · 31/08/2013 16:47

I had an estate agent round to value the house - he was 45 minutes early but he sat in the car waiting! Confused

I knew it was him so I let him in. Luckily I'd finished cleaning!

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:50

RobinSparkles

exactly. if I had been ready - no problem. but I wasn't.

(let's go to the mall?Grin )

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 31/08/2013 16:53

I guess the problem is when you're viewing houses you may go from one to another. I can remember viewing six a day and would sometimes be a bit early for an appt if a previous viewing hadn't taken as long as I'd allowed.

Maybe the estate agent didnt want to piss off prospective buyers by saying to them that we need to wait ten minutes sat in the car?

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:56

viva

good point and I hadn't thought of that.

but then would it not be courteous of him to call me and ask if I mind?
and reasonable for me to expect this?

(which is exactly what we did a few weeks ago, come to think of it)

OP posts:
GibberTheMonkey · 31/08/2013 16:59

I would hate it too as I used to leave the house with the dog five minutes before they arrived. If they were at my door early I would have the leave with an upset dog past potential buyers at the door.
Of course I could leave the house earlier but then I would have to send time hanging around.

fackinell · 31/08/2013 17:22

YANBU, give 'em an inch...etc. mine kept turning up unannounced and twice let himself and clients in without knocking. I called up and dropped a bollock at them.

To be fair I had just been dumped and had nowhere for me and my Dcat to move to and got pissed off being nice when asked about where I was off to. I ended up just telling the truth of 'fuck knows, a cardboard box under a bridge with my cat in a piece of string?' Grin

Serialdrinker · 31/08/2013 17:25

At least the agent wasn't late! Ridiculous thing to get pissed off about. I hope you didn't let on to the viewers that you were also annoyed with them for being early?!

RobinSparkles · 31/08/2013 17:25

I would have been pissed off if I hadn't been ready but I was glad to get it over with! At least he politely sat in the car though, rather than thinking he could knock straight away. I don't know what he would have done for 45 minutes though.

I agree, OP, that sometimes being early is just as rude as being late.

My mum is always early and it drives me mental!

RobinStinson · 31/08/2013 17:28

YABU. Why leave the tidying til the last ten minutes before they are due? I'd just be glad they actually turned up Grin

LRDPomogiMnyeSRabotoi · 31/08/2013 17:35

Sorry, it wouldn't have occurred to me it was rude - I was brought up that arriving a little early was polite.

I can see why it was annoying, but I reckon they might have been dragged up like me.

Lethologica · 31/08/2013 17:37

10 minutes ok is fine in my books and not at all rude.

RobinSparkles · 31/08/2013 17:40

RobinStinson, you made me think I had posted twice! :o

mynewpassion · 31/08/2013 17:41

I always thought the rule of thumb was to leave 15minutes before the appointed time. You don't want to be walking out the door while they come up the walk.

Floggingmolly · 31/08/2013 17:41

10 minutes is immaterial. We had to dis instruct an agent once when they repeatedly turned up unannounced. They tried to claim we were closing ourselves off to whole sections of the market by not opening our home to the masses 24/7 Hmm

WeleaseWodger · 31/08/2013 17:44

If i was looking at houses and was told by EA we need to hang around 10 min because seller complained when a potential buyer showed up 10 min early before - I'd not bother looking. It makes you sound like hard work and I would wonder what else you'd try to pull if I did make an offer.

VivaLeBeaver · 31/08/2013 17:47

When I was viewing I turned up 15 mins early to see a house. The woman was still hoovering. She was obviously pissed off about me been early and had a bit of a go. Funnily enough I didn't buy the house.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 17:48

robinstinson

excellent responseConfused

I have been tidying all day - but had 5 of our kids home and as DH was out with our oldest it was a bit difficult to get most things done.

the very reason we need to movevis because we have no space to store stuff nicely - despite my decluttering and organizing efforts.
and it's the last Saturday before school so we are going through stuff anyway - which creates mess on top of everything.

they called us yesterday and we said yes - thinking we can fit it in.
now I know that we should have said no.

but thanks for your very MIL-like response assuming I did fuck all until 3.50 pm.

OP posts:
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