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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

On line estate agents don't send an agent - is it me?

92 replies

blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 22:52

I've been viewing properties at the moment because I'm moving house as part of a divorce. As such, I'm going to view them on my own or with my three-year-old.

I made an appointment for today through an online estate agent. Thought nothing more of it. When I got there it turns out they don't send an agent, they just expect you to go in and view the property with the owner.

Bloke on his own answers the door. He was really nice about it, but I explained I didn't feel safe going in in those circumstances.

Is it me?

I know they have their details registered with the estate agent etc., so I suppose they are totally traceable, but WIBU not to feel comfortable? Alarm bells were just going off I guess.

I"m prepared to be told I"m being silly if I am.

It might be because my job involves dealing with what happens "when things go wrong" that I was so fearful.

OP posts:
Original poster
blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 23:46

Any way I accepted I was probably being u to expect someone there if thats not actually standard.

I'll check and bring someone along on future.

OP posts:
IvyLeagueUnderTheSea · 18/03/2017 23:47

But if it's the agent it's their job, and there's obvious recourse if something dodgy happens,

Well that'll help some poor female agent if she gets raped and murdered then....Hmm

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Suzy_Lamplugh

Original poster
blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 23:48

I'm in London alpies

I'm thinking with the ludicrously expensive properties they can afford to send someone!

There's one specific agent around here that seem so much better than the others it's tempting just to go for them!

OP posts:
Imknackeredzzz · 18/03/2017 23:48

Most agents don't accompany viewings, competley normal. You are being very silly

Original poster
blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 23:49

I wasn't referring to female agents ivy

That's a different proposition to the one I was answering.

OP posts:
IvyLeagueUnderTheSea · 18/03/2017 23:54

How is a female estate agent being asked to value the house of a lone man any different to a lone female viewer being shown around house by a man?

Original poster
blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 23:59

It's different to the question I was answering in the sentence you have highlighted in bold ivy

I was asked why I was OK going round with a male agent not a male owner.

You said that didn't help the female agents and posted a link is about a female agent being murdered (it seemed) by a male member of the public.

OP posts:
Original poster
blackteasplease · 18/03/2017 23:59

I need to go to bed now but thanks for your responses.

OP posts:
user1489189598 · 19/03/2017 00:00

People don't get raped because they are gorgeous anyway. Stupid thing to say.

Bloke on his own answers the door. He was really nice about it, but I explained I didn't feel safe going in in those circumstances. Stupid thing to say, and also wasting his time. And paranoid.

A UareBU from me. Biscuit

You're welcome.

Original poster
blackteasplease · 19/03/2017 00:01

Your link seems to suggest I wasn't being U! Grin

OP posts:
ScarletSienna · 19/03/2017 00:06

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. Being wary of going into a stranger's house is sensible. I didn't know agencies worked this way; they don't in the town I left or the one I now live in. We were always net by an agent and agents have always shown people around our properties.

IvyLeagueUnderTheSea · 19/03/2017 00:08

That's one person, in 1986. It doesn't happen that often. Far more likely to meet with an accident crossing the road to get there.

Your comment about estate agents having some kind of recourse sounded to me like you were saying that if a female estate agent got attacked then at least people would know who it was.

kmc1111 · 19/03/2017 00:17

I don't know why you think an agent is safer? It's not like people don't commit crimes while doing their job.

The homeowner has the strongest link to the place if anything happened, whereas agents don't necessarily keep records of viewings and who did them.

caroldecker · 19/03/2017 00:26

There is no more recourse against an agent than a householder. The name and address of both are known.
Also, a person wanting to be alone in a house with a woman is more likely to get a job as an estate agent than sell their house regularly. You are almost certainly more at risk with an agent.

Lostwithinthehills · 19/03/2017 06:59

The last time I had a house up for sale it was advertised through a high street estate agent. I specifically asked for the estate agents to conduct all the viewings but they didn't do a single one. Obviously it meant that I could have been inviting strange men into my home while I was on my own with my toddler. It never occurred to me that I was being placed in danger, I don't think posing as a house seller or buyer is the most obvious route that a man intending to attack a woman would take.
There are plenty of occasions where women find themselves alone with a strange man you can't live your life assuming that they are all rapists.

Weatherforecaster · 19/03/2017 07:02

Gosh you must find life hard if you feel like this. I wouldn't think twice about going in. I think you're being ridiculous.

TaliDiNozzo · 19/03/2017 07:07

I do think you're being a bit silly. I wouldn't expect to be allowed another viewing after wasting the owners time like that.

PoundlandUK · 19/03/2017 07:07

Is it that you're so very gorgeous they'd all rape you instantly?

WTAF? ConfusedAngry

heron98 · 19/03/2017 07:07

You are being utterly ridiculous. And unreasonable.

ScarletSienna · 19/03/2017 07:08

Feeling uncomfortable about going alone into a stranger's house is a bit of a leap from assuming all men a racists. Hmm

Porpoiselife · 19/03/2017 07:11

In your opening post you said you didn't feel safe going in. Then you say it's not because you feared being raped or robbed. So what were you feeling not safe about?

And I agree with you that you wouldn't go into a male strangers house generally. But this isn't generally is it , you were looking to buy his house.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 19/03/2017 07:13

Blimey I bet the home owner was scratching his head a bit.

insancerre · 19/03/2017 07:14

You are being utterly ridiculous
Fro your reasoning you would never let a man into your hometo read your meters or carry out any sort of work, or even to give you a quite, to deliver items you had ordered etc

toomuchfaster · 19/03/2017 07:33

I'm finding this thread very weird. Between us, me and DH have viewed over 50 properties and have always been accompanied by the agent, both rental and purchase. Sometimes the tenant/owner was there, sometimes not.
However, I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd turned up and no agent came. I've always met them outside so wouldn't have knocked!

Bookishandblondish · 19/03/2017 07:47

To be fair to the OP, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust set up after her death specifically advises that people are accompanied by an agent for their personal safety. Admittedly this is selling your home but suspect they would give the same advice for viewings.

Viewing houses is quite odd - I moved to a new area and was viewing houses on my own in an area which I didn't know at all. While no one did anything, the fact is that i was vulnerable because of those facts above. I don't as a norm go into complete strangers houses and look in every single room in the property.