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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you know people are going to view your house

57 replies

NotSoChicAfterAll · 21/02/2014 13:57

You should at least tidy up a little before they come.
I've just been to view a rental, it looked lovely in the photos, all brand new inside, and it's not cheap.

When I first walked in it stank of sweatyness, there was junk everywhere!
there was dirty knickers and socks on the floor, ice cream wrappers in the bathroom, some kind of weird comic/animation naked lady pictures up.
The estate agent who showed me round and apologised for the mess, and said the guy who lives there with his mrs had just left and had tidied up before he'd gone and it was a lot worse before Shock

Aibu to think that if you should at least tidy up things off the floor if you know people are coming to view your house? Especially if it's rental as it's not even your house!

OP posts:
Mintyy · 21/02/2014 18:31

Yes, blame House Doctor!

So now we have the weird thing where people post pictures of cluttered family homes on Mumsnet or Facebook and everyone goes "Eeeeeeek".

Personally, I prefer to see a much-loved and slightly unusual (and yes, cluttered) normal family home than some beige homage to Ann Maurice, but I seem to be in a minority.

Bearbehind · 21/02/2014 18:31

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29307840.html

Was it as bad as this Shock

ShabbyChic8 · 21/02/2014 18:46

The last place we rented I was the model tenant. No shoes indoors, kept the place spotless, adhered to all the rules. I made a huge effort to clean the flat and make it look and smell lovely every time they brought someone round (about half a dozen visits in total) so that they would find another tenant quickly. However, they then screwed us over and charged us for additional cleaning and tried to blame us for damage that I reported on the day we moved in. I wish I hadn't made so much effort as I was treated exactly the same had I been like 'dirty pants on the floor man'. I wouldn't do it again.

Caterina99 · 21/02/2014 19:17

My landlord had our house up for sale while we were tenants. We had given our notice anyway, so we didn't have a problem with it and he was a really good landlord.

I tidied up a bit because I didn't want random people seeing my knickers drying on the radiator, but we never got much notice of viewings and it wasn't my responsibility to have it looking like a show home. If the landlord wants it to look immaculate for viewings then they wait til the tenant has moved out!

vvviola · 21/02/2014 19:29

Like ShabbyChic, we were model tenants in the last place we rented.

The landlord sold the place from under us. For every viewing I made sure the place was immaculate, the estate agent said that our layout in the living area made for lovely photos, I was pleasant and friendly to all people viewing (I was home with a 9 month old so couldn't always make myself scarce). I was happy for random additional viewings during the week.

The house sold for less than expected and I was treated to a stream of abuse from the landlady claiming that it was our fault and we'd been obstructive and difficult (we'd asked that there only be one 'open viewing' per weekend, and we once accidentally locked the house up with a key the estate agent didn't have).

I don't think I'd go to such trouble again - clean and vaguely tidy will be the limit.

Tulip26 · 21/02/2014 19:32

OMG bearbehind

Cleaning products everywhere but yet so much crap. Bed with no sheets on FFS!

Laquitar · 21/02/2014 19:46

One glass
When we were buying we went to see 2 identical houses.The first one they had vases with flowers in every room and they burnt some aromatherapy shit in tbe tiny kitchen. The house was overpriced.
The second one they left dirty dishes in the sink and a ru ish bag on the patio. It was yuck but 35K cheaper.
You can guess which one we bought.

FredFredGeorge · 21/02/2014 19:46

The estate agent claimed to have cleaned it up? That is totally out of order.

Either way YABU, if they're stupid enough to arrange viewings with an unhelpful tenant they get what they deserve. Surprised the EA is bothered wasting their time showing you around.

phantomnamechanger · 21/02/2014 19:53

Shock bearbehind !! That is bizarre!

Bearbehind · 21/02/2014 20:08

It cracked me up. I can't believe the estate agents agreed to try and sell it- it's a health hazard!

Owllady · 21/02/2014 20:13

Do you have to really let people in if your landlord decides to 're let?
Surely if you are still under lease and paying rent within your contract, they have no right to do this?

Oneglassandpuzzled · 21/02/2014 20:15

Interesting, laquitar.

So House Doctor is where all this has stemmed from, Mintyy!

Owllady · 21/02/2014 20:15

Omg bearbehind, that's awful :( it looks like it has kid stuff in too

JackNoneReacher · 21/02/2014 20:15

I can't believe they included photos bear!

And I can't believe the OP is surprised that tenants haven't left the place pristine. Nothing in it for them and there could be bad feeling.

everlong · 21/02/2014 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JackNoneReacher · 21/02/2014 20:16

Equally likely, the tenants didn't even know it was being viewed. Classic landlord behaviour in my bitter experience.

needaholidaynow · 21/02/2014 20:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

randomfemale · 21/02/2014 20:18

thumbcat were there also assorted teenagers lolling around the lounge giving you 'evils' - if so I think we viewed the same house Grin

phantomnamechanger · 21/02/2014 20:22

owllady I look after a let out property on behalf of someone else - it's let through a reputable agent, written into the contract is that in the last 2 months of the (6month) let and if the current tenant is not extending the lease, they are obliged to allow reasonable access for viewings - that means they need at least 24 hours notice, can say no if it is not convenient and can allow the agent to show people round in their absence but ONLY with their consent. It is their home as long as they are there, after all, and I for one would want my private things tidied up not left in full view of strangers.

Nocomet · 21/02/2014 20:23

Hmm a months rent holiday might see the house tidy for viewinds?

Pumpkinpositive · 21/02/2014 20:24

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29307840.html

Was it as bad as this

They must sleep like bats.

cowbiscuits · 21/02/2014 20:26

I'm not a tidy person but if someone was coming to look at the place i live, I'd be ashamed for a stranger to see it in a mess and would make an effort, at very least not to have underwear rubbish etc about. Regardless of whether it matters to me what they think of the place.

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 21/02/2014 20:51

Crikey Pumpkin, what the hell is that???

I once viewed a house where there was a huge poo floating in the toilet [lowers tone of thread and slopes off]

You are not alone.
It wasn't a rental property either.

I'm just agog at how some people live to be honest.
There's normal day to day living and stuff and then there's that kind of stuff. Ugh.

coffeeinbed · 21/02/2014 21:04

When I was renting and the gave notice and the house went on the market the agents could not be arsed to give me any notice.
I would come home to people viewing and I had no idea.

So I stopped tidying up.
Wink
and it worked.

BumWad · 21/02/2014 21:06

I once viewed a house, the upstairs attic room was full of big fuck off vibrators and lube everywhere.

We laughed. And didn't put an offer in