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

[iliketea]

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?

I hope the shoes off people ask if it's ok that they remove their shoes first rather than just doing it. That would be rude.

Depends. With some cultures it would be incredibly rude not to automatically remove their shoes. So for some removing shoes is rude, for some not removing shoes is rude - it's a minefield I tell ya.

So would you not mind it i walked some unknown to me dog shit round your house - that's very accommodating of you.

So the "class" issue simply boils down to the fact that, in the past, if you were fortunate enough to have a staff of skivvies waiting on you, you didn't have to worry about visitors messing up your carpets as there was always someone else to clean them up! This didn't represent a lofty disregard for the state of your floor-coverings - just a lofty confidence that someone else would maintain them for you in a pristine state!

Since the vast majority of us today are responsible for keeping our own houses clean, it makes sense to stop the dirt coming in before the mess is made - hence the shoe-removing policy.

And the people with disabilities rendering shoe removal impossible just don't get to buy a house?

BlingBlang thanks for your concern but I am yet to find dog shit in my house.

I suppose the lesson is to ask before entering a stranger's house whether you can leave your shoes on/take your shoes off.

YANBU

Honestly, I just don't get people who have flooring that can't be walked on with shoes downstairs. Its utterly bizarre.

I think YANBU. How are you supposed to envisage yourself living there if you're having to shlep round in stocking feet?

I think YANBU. How are you supposed to envisage yourself living there if you're having to shlep round in stocking feet?

Quite easily. I mean u don't where shoes at home indoors.

What it comes gown to is ya don't care about their stuff as it doesn't benefit you.

Taking your shoes off isn't just a question of hygiene, it is a question of comfort. Who wants to stomp around a house with their shoes on? I would want viewers to be relaxed and feel like my home could be their own, not be dressed up and ready to make a quick get away before they have had time to take a proper look. If they take their shoes off they can relax surely?

I don't know anybody who doesn't take their shoes off indoors. I have been reading these posts wracking my brains for somebody who does this and the only people I can come up with are a couple whose books I did about 20 years ago. They lived in a very posh house, nothing out of place, immaculately clean and tidy. It was possibly the most unwelcoming house I have been in too despite the owners being perfectly civil, helpful and general nice people.

I just find it very weird that people wear shoes indoors in their own homes too. Even my PIL who tend to wear sandals indoors wear sandals that are only ever worn inside the house. They just don't happen to be traditional slippers. Don't you ever want to relax or are your floors so secretly so gross that you can't bear to remove them?

Oh I am always barefoot at home for comfort I just wouldn't order or expect everyone who came into my home to do the same. Some people like to keep their shoes on in other people's homes, that is what is comfortable for them.

People who are disabled and need their shoes built up cannot just remove them and walk.

Where do you live that you can afford to the heat the place so much you can walk round barefoot?

underfloor heating

YABU, I am a civil servant and my job involves going into houses to speak to residents. I spend most of the winter in strange houses in my bare feet. I don't ask people to remove their shoes at home but I wouldn't dream of going into someone's home and keep shoes on that might carry dirt on them, I would be mortified if I looked down and saw mud on a carpet.

I would think that people have paid to have carpets professionally cleaned before putting the house on the market, why would they then allow people to traipse around walking in dirt.

How odd , we have a shoes off policy in our house and I was brought up to take my shoes off when I go in anyone's house out of respect ..I expect people to take their shoes off especially strangers . How can you feel
Exposed with your shoes off .. Sounds really weird !!!

I take my shoes off in my own house. I just don't really care that much if anyone else does. It's up to them.

We were never expected to take our shoes off indoors as kids, so I don't expect people to do it in my house, nor do I like being told to do so in other peoples houses.

I find it much more comfortable to wear shoes indoors. They support my feet.

YABU

I always offer to take my shoes off in other people's houses. I think it's called being politel

Sorry I havent rrad thru all 15 pages.

Why not take some slippers then you can view the property and not in your stockinged feet.

An intreguing civil service job there tiredoutgran!

I live in the countryside, therefore we get mud on the roads - there's no way I would let anyone in my house without taking their shoes/wellies off. Traipsing mud all in everywhere. Hell, the dog is restricted to the kitchen with muddy paws, I certainly wouldn't let someone with muddy shoes in.

And those who say about doormats, well that only works if people who have shoes with no grips otherwise they end up dropping nice strips of mud.

Given the choice I would have tiled floors or wooden floors throughout, carpets are totally impractical and as such you have to take steps to keep them clean and in decent condition.

Ok I call a conspiracy theory on this thread.... on my way home last night, I heard this new song on the radio :

Once I'd finished laughing about how apt it is, I began to think that the OP must be Dan Croll's mother...

We''ve been rumbled! 50% of us on this thread are covert publicity agents for Dan Croll.

I f you are worried about cold feet or dirty floors...

Rollable ballet shoes. Only £6.70

If you are feeling charitable and want to help with the cleaning