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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is really cheeky?

38 replies

SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 19:52

This is a rant but also im genuinely asking if i would be over reacting to complain.

I had a pre arranged inspection by the estate agents today of my rented house. To start they arrived 15 minutes early when i was midway through doing my make up. However thats not a problem.
The issue began as soon as i opened the door. The guy said "hello, X estate agents to do your inspection" and before i had even opened my mouth to invite them in he said "can i stick my phone on to charge somewhere, my batterys dead" Shock i think my jaw must have actually dropped and i just gawped at him before realising he was serious and i said "no you cannot" i gestured for them to go through to the living room and as they did he asked again "seriously, can i plug this in somewhere?" And started ti walk through to my kitchen as if to do just that. I told him no. He didnt respond and then made for the stairs and said "i'm just heading upstairs here". Ive had inspections before and never have they just taken themselves round the house. Theyve always asked if they could see X room or upstairs and invited me to lead the way. This guy was already half way up the stairs by the time he'd finished the sentence! So he went up, took a few photos and came back down, the other guy was asking if there were any problems an i was telling him of a few and one i had fixed myself due to the LL doing no repairs in 3 years and me being desperate. Cheeky man walked in as i was saying this and he said "your heads melted doing repairs yourself in a rented house". The second guy asked if i was going to give notice and i said that i was happy here otherwise to which cheeky man replied "Pfft in [my towns name]?" Implying it wasnt possible to be happy here! ( its my home and quite a lovely little town) he then went on to criticise the fact that the houses share a communal access between the gardens saying he wouldnt be happy with it.

I know it doesnt sound like much but the whole interaction left me quite pissed off TBH. I think he was really rude and am considering calling the office and complaining. Would this be an over reaction? Ive never had this type of behaviour from any of the other agents in the company.

OP posts:
TedAndLola · 23/04/2015 19:55

Annoying, but probably an overreaction to complain. The only bit I'd imagine they would care about was him pointing out faults to a prospective buyer (? assuming this was a BTL landlord asking if you'd stay?).

I could tell you a REALLY shocking story about estate agent behaviour but I won't derail your thread!

MrsHathaway · 23/04/2015 19:59

That's really rude.

But you aren't his client, and if you aren't moving you aren't going to be. So why would he or his office care what you think?

Droflove · 23/04/2015 20:02

He sounds like a jerk. But I would have let him charge his phone no problem.

lithewire · 23/04/2015 20:02

I'd be annoyed at his attitude with taking himself around the house and assuming he could plug his phone in. Sometimes estate agents seem to feel that because you don't own the place, they can treat it like you're a guest in their hotel if you see what I mean. I probably wouldn't go so far as to complain though.

hiddenhome · 23/04/2015 20:02

C'mon TedAndLola please tell us Grin

Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:03

Im the tenant of the property. My landlord is their client and their company will be sending this guy to inspect other properties. I think he should be given a refresher in appropriate behaviour or something.

OP posts:
Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:05

Although yes i totally can see that they wouldnt give a shiney shite how he behaved as they get their money regardless

OP posts:
TheGirlFromIpanema · 23/04/2015 20:06

I think he was on a wind up after you wouldn't let him charge his phone.

19lottie82 · 23/04/2015 20:06

What's the big deal with him asking if he can plug his phone in for a few moments? To say your "jaw dropped" is a total over reaction.

ConfusedInBath · 23/04/2015 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:08

Is it really normal to walk into a strangers house in a professional capacity and ask to charge your phone? Confused i would only do that in close friends' houses and even then it wouldnt be the second sentence out of my mouth.

OP posts:
WhataMistakeaToMakea · 23/04/2015 20:08

I don't see an issue with the phone - he asked rather than assumed. Just out of interest why did you say no?

The other things would have annoyed me though and it's your home so he should have checked out you were ok with him going upstairs and there was nothing you needed to sort out before he went up etc (experience of me leaving my knickers in the middle of the floor and me and a landlords awkwardly trying to pretend they were not there speaking!). Perhaps he want you to move so they can hike the rent up and put it back on the market?

Cassie258 · 23/04/2015 20:09

I'm sorry but I don't think he was that cheeky.

I'm sorry that the meeting left you upset tho.

It's standard to ask people if you are allowed to charge a phone. It's not going to have costed you much at all but could have greatly helped him.

In my experience, agents are left to inspect x y and z rather than guided around the house.

It is unusual to fix something in a rented house. It shouldn't be the norm. If it becomes such then it would be a huge problem.

His remarks about the town are probably just small talk.

Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:09

Because i think he was really bloody cheeky. Thats why not.

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 23/04/2015 20:09

I assume the OP didn't let him charge his phone because people normally don't let strangers use the facilities in the house.

What's rude is asking to charge his phone.

It's just rude.

TheGirlFromIpanema · 23/04/2015 20:11

No I do really think that he was probably purposely being an arse after he saw your arse about the phone charging...

I am Shock at some of the precious behaviour on MN at times.

Could you explain to me what is so scandalous about asking to charge his phone? Why you would only ask it of a close friend?

I am amazed at this thought process...

ThisFenceIsComfy · 23/04/2015 20:12

Well I don't walk round with the lady from the estate agents when she does the inspection. I just let her get on with it. I wouldn't really care if she asked to charge her phone but she is only in the house for a two minutes tops so there wouldn't be enough time really.

TheAwfulDaughter · 23/04/2015 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

AuntyMag10 · 23/04/2015 20:16

I can't see what was so jaw dropping about asking to charge a phone. Actually I think it's you who was initially rude.

Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:17

I dont think it was him asking to charge the phone but the way in which he went about it, and well his attitude throughout the visit. I have no problem that he went upstairs alone it was that he just went on ahead without checking it was ok or waiting for a response. As i said, previous agents have always asked and invited me to go ahead.

OP posts:
Yourface · 23/04/2015 20:18

Don't see the phone thing as rude. It's a bit bizarre that anyone should see it as rude, in my view. The rest is v off though, it doesn't sound like he viewed the property as your home as you are renter rather than owner and barging about the place and criticising it is really out of order.

DownWithThisTypeOfThing · 23/04/2015 20:19

I'd have let him charge his phone.
I'd be a bit Hmm if he was so tactless to insult where I lived and wonder if that lack of tact cost him business.
I'd have probably thought no more about it once he'd left.

Original poster
SurlyCue · 23/04/2015 20:21

Thinking about it now, no-one has ever walked in and asked me i they can charge their phone. Thats probably why it was such a shock for me to hear, just not something i expected to be asked but also because i hadnt even invited him through the door when he asked. It seemed quite presumptious on his part.

OP posts:
ConfusedInBath · 23/04/2015 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Yourface · 23/04/2015 20:35

Maybe it was the way he asked rather than what he asked. I can imagine asking the same thing as a favour, but prob in a very apologetic, humble way. The rest of his behaviour makes him sound like a tosser so I imagine he asked in a tosserish way.