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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to refuse to view a house if I have to remove my shoes?

406 replies

iliketea · 04/11/2013 09:01

I'm happy to be told IABU....

We are currently house hunting. A few of the houses we've requested to view have asked us to remove our shoes at the door. At that point, I've said I'm not viewing a house in my socks and stopped the viewin before it's even started if the shoe thing is non-negotiable.

AIBU? it's not that i mind taking my shoes off when I'm visiting a friend - and generally do take my shoes in friends homes, but I find it weird that if you are trying to sell your house that you expect viewers to take their shoes off.

Or am I likely to miss a really great house and just suck it up / make sure i've got non-holey, matching socks wheb we go to view a house?

OP posts:
LoisEinhorn · 04/11/2013 09:03

Yes YABU. They are selling their house and want to keep the carpets clean?
Maybe it their rule for everyone who comes in the door?
You are looking around someone's home, be respectful.

Helpyourself · 04/11/2013 09:04

Entirely up to you.
Obviously you might miss your dream house, but you've worked that out already.

shewhowines · 04/11/2013 09:05

YABU. You are cutting off your nose to spite your face. I'd prefer to buy a house with clean carpets.

CbeebiesIsMyLife · 04/11/2013 09:05

Having shown people around several houses we have sold I prefer them to take shoes off, however don't insist. I have young crawling kids and also people walk mud etc into te house and on one occasion I've had back to back viewings only for someone to point out the stain on the hallway carpet. It's not a stain, it's mud the last people walked in Angry I think you are being a little unreasonable and yes if you keep walking out you may miss a perfect opportunity.

TrumptonVandal · 04/11/2013 09:06

YABU and daft.

Thumbwitch · 04/11/2013 09:06

YABU but it's entirely up to you if you choose to maybe miss out.

Isildur · 04/11/2013 09:06

Amongst the people I visit, I'd say it's 50/50 wrt shoes/no shoes in the house.

I always just ask, and go along with it.

BrianTheMole · 04/11/2013 09:06

They want to keep their carpets clean. Which is fair enough. I would assume that someone who wouldn't do this isn't a serious buyer, and i'd be annoyed they had wasted my time.

FuckyNell · 04/11/2013 09:06

Of course yabu! Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face Grin

HettiePetal · 04/11/2013 09:06

I think you could be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Is it really that big a deal in the scheme of things? Really?

What if the house is exactly what you're after? You'd forgo that just because you didn't want to take your shoes off?

At least you know they're trying to care for a house & carpets that could, possibly, be yours one day.

Yes, wear clean socks and suck it up would be my advice.

ILoveTomHardy · 04/11/2013 09:06

My fiance had three viewings on his house on Saturday. It was raining outside and after they had left we had to clean the floors as they were wet and dirty. Luckily he has wooden floors. YABU.

MadeOfStarDust · 04/11/2013 09:07

NO-ONE goes upstairs in shoes in our house.... that is where we walk about in bare feet and do not want outside muck trailed in...

You are more likely to miss a great house with your "rule" since people who care about their carpets tend to keep up with the house maintenance...

flipchart · 04/11/2013 09:07

Yabu

Littleredsquirrel · 04/11/2013 09:07

Really? take your shoes off, show some respect for peoples property.

KellyElly · 04/11/2013 09:08

I think it's a bit rude when people as guests to take their shoes off when visiting, but actually when loads of people are viewing your house then it seems sensible to keep the carpet in good nick.

CooEeeEldridge · 04/11/2013 09:08

Just get some of those little blue plastic shoe covers then?

holidaysarenice · 04/11/2013 09:08

Bloody hell I really think yanbu but apparently I'm in the minority!

The sellers should be making you comfortable in their home. Not pointing out how easily dirtied the carpets are!!!

ElleMcFearsome · 04/11/2013 09:08

I made sure that both DH and I wore respectable socks when house hunting for this reason! We don't have a 'no shoes' rule but I understand that others do and keeping your house immaculate for viewings is ghastly enough, without having to hoover in between every viewing!

plummyjam · 04/11/2013 09:09

YABU. House owner has probably been tidying all morning getting house ready to be viewed only for you to effectively cancel at the last minute because you won't do something perfectly reasonable like take your shoes off?

If this is a frequent occurrence I would suggest taking a special pair of house viewing slippers with you in future.

FuckyNell · 04/11/2013 09:09

I keep a pair similar to these in my bag for just this reason.

DropYourSword · 04/11/2013 09:09

No-one will care what your socks look like. Plenty of people will care about the state of their carpets and won't won't then to get stained / marked by many people coming and viewing. Why should the owners have to potentially fork out for this.

AnotherWorld · 04/11/2013 09:10

YABU. Take your shoes off and stop being stroppy.

You WILL miss out on your dream house because the kind of people who look after floors are the kind of people you want to buy a house from.

That said - if you were viewing my house I wouldn't insist on shoes off as you might be the person who buys my house. Although the estate agent does all of our viewings so I have no idea if it's shoes off or on.

BackforGood · 04/11/2013 09:11

Up to you - you may well miss a lovely home.
That said, I think the vendors are being silly, making prospective purchasers feel uncomfortable when they arrive at the house - surely they should be going out of their way to make you feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible?

DontmindifIdo · 04/11/2013 09:11

YABU - but as you are looking to spend a large sum of money on something, you are entitled to apply whatever batshit crazy criteria to deciding which one to buy you like. Most people pick things like "distance to public transport" "distance to outstanding state schools" "crime rates for the area" "only view set postcodes" - DH would only view houses with upstairs bathrooms (makes buying tricky in areas with a lot of victorian properties) - but if you want to only view houses with badly cared for carpets (so probably have to replace once you move in), you go for it, you're the customer.

shellbot · 04/11/2013 09:11

YABU It's hard enough keeping your house clean and tidy for viewing especially if you've got children without people thinking it's beneath them to show respect to someone's home.

I wonder if you're that awkward about a little thing like taking your shoes off then I can't imagine you're going to be the easiest buyer to have.