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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was this a cheeky request? (Estate agents)

48 replies

shelleybee · 18/07/2016 15:29

I am a tenant in a rented property and recently gave my two months notice. Prospective new tenants were shown around the flat on Saturday by the estate agent, all well and good.
However, I've just taken a call from the estate agents asking if there's any night this week that a viewing can be done after 19.30. Apart from Wednesday, they can do any day. I say yes, fine, Thursday would be ok. The agent then asks if I'm alright to show the viewers round myself! I said no, I won't necessarily be there and wouldn't want to anyway, so someone else will have to do it. Agent then asks if I know someone else who will do it! I again said no, I meant one of your agents will have to come and do it. Agent gets huffy, puts me on hold, then comes back and says she'll just have to tell the viewers they'll have to wait to view at the weekend.
Aibu?! The agents don't want to come out at 19.30 to do the viewing but expect me to work a full day then do it when I get home. I'm feeling really annoyed about this!

OP posts:
honeysucklejasmine · 18/07/2016 15:30

If they want to let it, they need to put the effort in.

File it under "things that are definitely not my problem"

ChicRock · 18/07/2016 15:31

YANBU.

You're being more than accommodating by allowing viewings at all.

HoneyBadgers · 18/07/2016 15:32

I hate this! DP and I also rent (and I've just posted an AIBU about an estate agent too!) but when I was living at home my parents had their house on the market. We had viewings and I was home that day, the couple viewing showed up, without the estate agents. They hadn't even told us they wouldn't be showing them around, so awkward, 15 year old me showed them. They didn't put an offer in!

MeridianB · 18/07/2016 15:33

They are definitely BU.

Poppyreefs · 18/07/2016 15:38

You should of offered to show them around on the condition that you'll take the commission that the agent would expect to earn for letting the property. Grin

scaryteacher · 18/07/2016 15:39

Tell them you'll do it but your charge for this service is £££££.

Then ask them, precisely what is the l/l paying them for and does he know that they are expecting you to do the viewings?

Original poster
shelleybee · 18/07/2016 15:51

Thanks for the replies. I didn't think I was BU.
I'm liking the idea of charging them! Next time I'll ask how much I'll be being paid to show people round Grin

OP posts:
harderandharder2breathe · 18/07/2016 15:51

Yadnbu

This isn't like selling your own home where by you benefit from it yourself, so put up with the inconvenience and will do what you can

You are being very accommodating by allowing evening and weekend viewings, but the agents need to do their job and not expect you to do it for them! Very unprofessional of them to ask you. I wonder if maybe someone had told the viewers it was fine then someone else realised they had no one available to do it.

I guess it depends on your area but I've always found that there are multiple viewings and agents aren't too bothered if one prospective tenant can't make it cause they have others lined up!

SlimCheesy2 · 18/07/2016 15:53

The agent is taking a fee for their services, so they can bloody well provide the service of showing people around.

PokemonGo · 18/07/2016 16:04

Yabu to get huffy about this. Just say that you can't do it. It's not a big deal. When I've rented Im happy to show people around.

deste · 18/07/2016 16:07

My friend shows properties and gets £10 for each one.

TrulyFubar · 18/07/2016 16:11

I've been in this situation. We'd been living very happily in a rented house for over six years when the owner suddenly decided to sell up. I had three DC, one of them not quite nursery age and we were understandably gutted to have been given notice. One couple said they could only view the house at the weekend so the Estate Agent asked if we would do the viewing ourselves. It was a disaster! The kids were crying because they thought the couple were buying the house RIGHT NOW AT THIS VERY MOMENT and they didn't want to leave, which upset me too. To be fair the viewers were appalled that we'd been asked to show them round when we were basically out on our ear. They didn't make an offer.

citychick · 18/07/2016 16:21

As a(n accidental) landlord paying fees to an estate agent I would be livid if I thought this crap was going on.

It doesn't surprise me, tho.

I now feel angry on you and your landlord's behalf. Grrrr..

YANBU. But just say no, you can't. Lazy feckers....

44PumpLane · 18/07/2016 16:28

YANBU and you should think about mentioning it to your landlord if you can. Id be very annoyed to think the estate agent (who gets a very decent chunk of cash) was palming off their responsibilities! If the person could only view on a weekday evening I'd expect the estate agent or the landlord to do the viewing, if you were asked and happy to do it then great, but the agent should be in no way peeved that you're not willing to do their job for them.

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 18/07/2016 16:30

Not your circus, not your monkeys.

I personally wouldn't bother taking any more calls from them. If they can't be arsed to do their job properly then why should you concern yourself with it?

KoalaDownUnder · 18/07/2016 16:32

Lazy and cheeky! Angry

Just say no.

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 18/07/2016 16:34

Although I should add that there are some cheeky fuckers about.

When we left a house we'd rented for 7 years the LL asked us to redecorate before we'd left and moaned that the carpets had gone. (The house had been rented to smokers before us and we couldn't get the smell out. We took the carpet up and put down laminate.

I had it professionally cleaned, I'm not an arsehole, but no way was I redecorating for her.

citychick · 18/07/2016 16:35

44 is right. Tell your landlord.
Hopefully he'll tear strips off the agents.

Good luck.

HereIAm20 · 18/07/2016 16:39

I'd tell the landlord too. Tell him that whilst you have no problem with viewings per se you are not comfortable with doing the showing round and ask (innocently) isn't that why you are paying an agent?

ADishBestEatenCold · 18/07/2016 16:57

"My friend shows properties and gets £10 for each one."

I don't understand, deste. How is that in any way a good deal (for your friend)?

He/she travels orwalks to the property, waits for the viewer, shows the property to the viewer, locks up again and travels home/wherever. Yes? All for £10?

I would think that rate struggles to reach minimum wage.

expatinscotland · 18/07/2016 17:02

YANBU! Fucking cheek. They are being paid to show the home and flog it. And they want you to do their fucking job for free? Just keep telling them no. 'I'm not an estate agent. I'm not paid to be one.'

They get huffy, so what. Not your problem.

You don't even have to accommodate the viewings.

DoomGloomAndKaboom · 18/07/2016 17:02

I would say yes.

"Here is where the cockroaches breed, these are the best earplugs to use - you'll need them for when the neighbours are shagging and/or it's death metal band practice night, and this is where they found the body......you can only really see the stains on a sunny day.....this is where water comes in when it rains and this is the spot where we sacrifice goats whilst ceremonially pissing on the carpet. Cup of tea?"

expatinscotland · 18/07/2016 17:03

I'd tell the LL, too, that he/she is paying for services he/she is not receiving.

Pinkheart5915 · 18/07/2016 17:06

Yanbu

I've got a few rental properties and I've never shown anybody around one and don't intend to. You pay the estate agents to let it so they should put the effort in to get it let.

123MothergotafleA · 18/07/2016 17:36

I have had a similar issue with EA, asked me to do a showing in the evening.
They are an EA who charge one of the higher rates for their services (Male Deer) and I certainly would hesitate to use them next time.
I understand that in USA the agent takes over the process and encourages the vendor to keep away altogether.