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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask house viewers to remove shoes before going upstairs?!

224 replies

HollieHelen · 18/09/2013 09:43

I am really new to this as have never sold a house before. We are having the first estate agent round today to value our house, and then I want to get it on the market as soon as. Just thinking ahead to viewings ... would it sound awful to ask prospective buyers to take their shoes off before going upstairs?! It's bound to be terrible weather when they view and muddy etc. We have beige carpet ... fairly forgiving but does show marks. As a family we do no shoes upstairs but I know that might not be fair on visitors!!

OP posts:
Eastpoint · 18/09/2013 09:45

We have been househunting & generally been asked to take off our shoes on entering properties. No problem as far as I can see.

CaptainCapybara · 18/09/2013 09:46

Yes sorry that would be unreasonable if you want people to enjoy viewing your house and want to buy it. We moved recently and its annoying having strangers traipse round dirtying the floors but you just have to suck it up and clean up once they have gone.

Shakirasma · 18/09/2013 09:46

It would piss me off tbh. I would be looking for a house where I felt really comfortable and at home, you request may alter the feel of the place.

Jan49 · 18/09/2013 09:52

No, I think it would be unreasonable. I think the request sounds really unwelcoming. I would feel uncomfortable and a bit silly walking around a stranger's house in tights/socks/bare foot. Just make sure there's a mat that they can wipe their feet on when they come in.

But that's just me. Actually when we sold our house last year, lots of viewers asked if they should take their shoes off. I said no.

Original poster
HollieHelen · 18/09/2013 09:53

Ok, thank you! Need to shop for a new doormat on Friday :)

OP posts:
Mumsyblouse · 18/09/2013 09:56

Lots of people will offer to take their shoes off anyway it's more normal now. I would have good mats downstairs and then just suck it up though, you can't really insist if they don't offer, and fresh mud/marks will lift out with a spray carpet cleaner (the foamy ones).

sarahtigh · 18/09/2013 09:58

definitely do not ask then to, even if they offer say well if you want to but it's not necessary,

livinginwonderland · 18/09/2013 10:00

You may find most people ask anyway, but I wouldn't insist on it. Just get a good doormat and make sure they wipe their feet!

WhatchaMaCalllit · 18/09/2013 10:01

Could you get something like these and put them on the stairs -
www.amazon.com/Clear-Stair-Treads-Carpet-Protectors/dp/B00018TNWC Clear Stair Carpet Protectors
or get this and put it everywhere you don't want marks on the carpet:
www.plasticover.com/protector/carpet-protector.html

peachmint · 18/09/2013 10:01

It would put me right off, sorry.

soimpressed · 18/09/2013 10:01

I wouldn't mind at all. We don't wear shoes upstairs at home so would think nothing of taking my shoes off when viewing a house.

Wishfulmakeupping · 18/09/2013 10:03

Actually it would make me think the house is being looked after better if you asked me shows you are keeping the carpets nice Iyswim I think do it

TTTatty · 18/09/2013 10:04

We have been house viewing the last few months (fingers crossed 'our' house will go through in the next few weeks) and we frequently took our shoes off, the house we put an offer in was one where we were asked to remove shoes - I quite liked it - showed a concern in keeping their house nice, made me feel they had looked after the house in other ways too iykwim?

Osmiornica · 18/09/2013 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 18/09/2013 10:05

Even if I agreed with 'your house your rules', the problem is that the whole point is you want it not to be your house - so if you want them to start thinking of it as their house, and feeling comfortable in it and about it, I don't think you should tell them to take their shoes off, no.

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 18/09/2013 10:05

I don't mind at all and actually always offer - I think it's normal, natural and good manners. Lots of people don't want the dirt from outside trekked through the house - selling or not.

I'm not so good in my own house Blush but that's my choice.

tory79 · 18/09/2013 10:06

At every house we went to view we asked if they wanted us to take our shoes off. Actually no one asked us to but it wouldn't have bothered me at all if they'd said yes.

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 18/09/2013 10:07

Mind you, we viewed a house the other week that had carpets downstairs - the agent had his shoes on and it was dry outside, we started to take our shoes off and he said it was fine not to, so we left them on... walked around the entire downstairs then when we went to go upstairs he asked us to remove our shoes - which was fine, I didn't mind, but frankly after walking around their nice cream carpets downstairs seemed a little pointless Grin

(same carpet through out and no cultural differences?!)

JustBecauseICan · 18/09/2013 10:08

I think buyers should offer, but I don't think sellers should ask.

It's no biggie in the scheme of things.

claudedebussy · 18/09/2013 10:08

i would have absolutely no problem taking my shoes off. i would offer to.

it would not bother me in the slightest, and i'd feel happier about the carpet being clean inside.

Osmiornica · 18/09/2013 10:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OneStepCloser · 18/09/2013 10:53

We offered but the house owners waved it off and said no dont worry, but tbh Id rather take them off as I dont wear shoes indoors so I actually felt a bit umcomfortable Grin, still bought the house tho.

orangepudding · 18/09/2013 10:56

My house is currently on the market. I don't wear shoes indoors. Out of 7 viewers only one hasn't taken off their shoes. Everyone else has done it without being asked.

starfishmummy · 18/09/2013 11:12

It would put me off too. I am house trained and know how to wipe my feet. Also I would be arriving by car and do not generally walk through mud or puddles.

Also J would not be to happy walking around some one else's floors without shoes. Who knows how dirty the floors might be

FatPenguin · 18/09/2013 11:57

I don't understand why people get so offended when asked to take their shoes off, especially in this weather. I wouldn't walk around my own home in shoes - my floors are clean and stay clean if people don't wear shoes indoors.
As a pp said, it shows you want to keep the carpets clean which would be a selling point to me.