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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to get irritated with the people on Escape to the Country

54 replies

wetaugust · 20/12/2013 14:58

They never look at a house and say - Yes! This will suit us beautifully.

No. They always have to 'change' the kitchen, or 'move the bathroom, or redesign the garden' or 'build en extension'.

Today's lot want a vegetable car, a garage fopr his sports car and a library. Makes a change from wanting a 'music room' I suppose.

They are just never happy are they?

OP posts:

WoodBurnerBabe · 20/12/2013 15:52

My DH calls that programme "Fussy Fuckers" and we have a proper good laugh watching it.

Rock and roll, baby...

feesh · 20/12/2013 16:41

There's been a thread about this programme on Mumsnet before and someone's parents had been on it, and apparently they're not allowed to say anything negative about the houses!

I don't think they screen their participants very well and I don't think they have particularly good researchers - hence the lack of success in finding suitable houses. It's more of a fantasy programme, unlike Kirsty and Phil which is more of a serious house hunt.

I'm living overseas and I watch it just to make myself homesick :)

ThreeWisePerpendicularVinces · 20/12/2013 16:46

I can't stand it when I watch these programmes and at the end the couple don't buy anything and say that they 'need to do their sums first'/'see if the numbers stack up' etc. Wouldn't you do that before you go on TV??

HungryHorace · 20/12/2013 16:59

Most of them aren't in a position to buy as they've not sold their current property at the time of filming.

Like the ones on A Place in the Sun. I reckon all they want is a free trip abroad as their success rate is pretty low too.

Original poster

wetaugust · 20/12/2013 18:00

Don't get me started on A Place in the Sun, Home or Away.

Eileen can't decide whether to but the seaside bungalow in Clacton or the rustic farmhouse in Tuscany. At the end of the program we find that she's bought a minimalist apartment in Madrid!

OP posts:

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 20/12/2013 18:09

On A Place in the Sun, they've generally never been to the area they're thinking of moving to!

Mrsantithetic · 20/12/2013 18:35

We would like a cottage without a cottagey feel.

We would like a modern house with a not modern house feel.

We definitely do not want a barn conversion. Actually this is the best one yet.

I can see a chimney beyond the trees. Too over looked.

There isn't room for alpacas. Wtf is the obsession with pissing alpacas anyway.

They should all just go and fuck off.

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 20/12/2013 18:44

It's the ones who want a lovely barn conversion then complain because it's too close to a farm.
I mean wtf

caruthers · 20/12/2013 19:13

The people on that show put the "Cunt" into "Cuntry"....hate the show with a passion.

Dinnaeknowshitfromclay · 20/12/2013 19:29

Yepp - it's utter tripe. The whole premise is totally fabricated Bullshoite. Why do they always want to live somewhere they can keep chickens? You can keep chickens almost anywhere with the right husbandry and....and.....and....arghhhh, it is purile nonsense. Telly generally is aimed at the lowest common denominator and this leaves no hope of educational telly any more - sad! Bring back The Woodentops and Pogles Wood, Timeslip and Twizzle!

Makinglists · 20/12/2013 19:35

In our house we call it 'snoop to the country' - they never seem to buy anything and the houses are never right. We just reckon they want to have a good poke round other people's houses and get on TV. And don't get me started on their budgets - you never get someone with a budget of £150,000 (av 3 bed semi here) wanting four beds, character property with a couple of acres - assume us mere mortals would only be able to afford a cow shed or if we were really lucky the land but no property (and no budget for it either).

gleekster · 20/12/2013 19:56

Oh yes, I get really stabby watching this. Still watch it though.
The people I really hate the mostest are the fifty/sixty something couples who don't have kids or aged parents living with them but who want a 6 bed room house.
WHY?????
Nobody is going to want to visit you anyway knobheads!!!

sanssoleil · 20/12/2013 20:07

I know someone who featured on this god-awful programme-she had no intention of buying ,just trying to promote her chi-chi boutique

EachAndEveryHighway · 20/12/2013 20:12

It's so obviously staged .... the couples must already been aware of each property before they were on the show. I mean if you were going to retire to the Mendips and wanted a period 4 bedroom house with garage, sunroom, field and grannyflat, in the countryside not a cul-de-sac, you'd have a damn good look on RightMove, wouldn't you? Every property which even vaguely matched their criteria would have been totally on their radar, wouldn't it. But they have to act all surprised with lots off ooohhhs and wows, contrived bollocks methinks!!

Sleepyhoglet · 20/12/2013 20:16

A lot of them are baby boomers who have made money from ghe property boom.

IamInvisible · 20/12/2013 20:23

They always annoy me. They never seem to know the area they want to move to very well and are always shocked at how little they can get for their money.

Once there was a couple who were moving over from Ireland and wanted to live in our county. They showed them the most gorgeous house in one of the most popular villages, but the garden was too small, although it was massive. It backed out on to a park and cricket club, and within walking distance there is a massive watersports area, sailing club, climbing ropes, walks, more parks, etc. but according to them there wasn't enough outside space. DH and I reckoned they couldn't afford it really.

ferretyfeet · 20/12/2013 21:41

They never seem to look at two or three bedroom terraced houses

Joysmum · 20/12/2013 21:50

It really annoys me (because I'm jealous) when they get houses with lots of land they have no interest in. I'd kill for land...so I could get alpacas

MrsBennetsEldest · 20/12/2013 21:52

Why do they all seem to want 5+ acres? When asked how big do they think the paddock they are standing in is they have no idea. Drives me barmy.
Maureen wants to rescue donkeys/ keep Alpacas/ goats etc and Trevor would like somewhere to house his vintage car collection and Glider. FFS just take your horrible beige life and bog off.

Cathycat · 20/12/2013 22:19

I'd like the producers of tv like this to have a real challenge. Find me a 4 bed house for £120k! That is realism.

DidoTheDodo · 21/12/2013 18:03

It makes me RAAAAHHHH when they go into a bedroom and say "Oh it's a good size". Think of something original to say PLEASE!

Pixel · 21/12/2013 18:25

There is a little place in Exmoor that I've visited regularly with my family since I was a child and now take my children there (we camp nearby). On one of our favourite walks is a beautiful house that I've always coveted but could never ever afford.
Then I saw it on one of these programmes and the gits couple actually had the gall to criticise it! I mean, how dare they?! Don't they know some of us would gnaw off our right arm to live there?

Squidgy78 · 28/03/2018 18:09

Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset must be overcrowded by now as it seems everyone on the planet wants to live there.

Squidgy78 · 28/03/2018 18:14

Have you noticed - it's nearly always the men who want the biggest kitchen - the most God knows what in the kitchen and the latest electronic gadgets - my thoughts - what the hell does a man want to be in the kitchen for anyway.

Squidgy78 · 28/03/2018 18:19

Why is it these numpties always mention 'entertaining' and the hordes of friends, relatives and every Tom, Dick or Harry who are absolutely dying to visit them in their new abode - methinks to show off - pathetic.

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