To think this is rude?

[m0therofdragons]

We're selling our home and the agent has done all the viewings (we are paying extra for this service). Our buyers wanted to come round and measure up. Rather early in proceedings but they're first time buyers and excited.

The evening after they came round dh and I commented that it was really warm in the house before noticing the thermostat had been moved to 28degrees. 24 hours later I go to bath dc and we have no hot water. Basically we'd used the tank reserves and it hadn't re filled as the boiler (high up in kitchen cupboard) was switched to Off. we turned it on and still nothing but after further investigation we find there's another "isolation" switch also turned off.

Aibu to think you don't mess around with other people's boilers even if you're buying the house? I'd happily have shown them how it works and the fact they didn't mention they'd turned it off has really annoyed me. It's still my home right now and I'd never do that to our vendor. It's clearly marked On/Off too.

That's weird.

They already think it's their house.

Who was with them when they came to measure up? Have you raised it with the Agents? Do you even have to let them in to measure yet?

Moving date is looking like August so hardly imminent.

YANBU

Agent was with them as we've paid for that service as I have 3 dc (who were covered in face paints and needed a good wash after rolling in mud (literally). I get that they're excited and keen but still.

I'd have a grumble to the Agent about things being messed with. Why turn the heating up? Why turn the boiler off?

Is it obvious that the switches relate to the boiler? If it's a switch ontop of a cupboard they might have wondered what it was for and just pressed it? Thermostat could have been knocked and someone brushed past it?
Definitely mention to your estate agent.

Seriously, who fiddles with a boiler in someone else's home?

That was a stupid thing for them to do.

Have they got another viewing booked? Beware if they come carrying duvet and pillows. .

Isolation switch is labelled as such but to be fair we had no idea it linked and we've lived here 11 years. We probably worked it out once then forgot about it. Switch on boiler is obvious.
Agent suggested dc may have done it initially- only if they'd made a human pyramid and there's no way they'd do all 3 things and one of them not blab. No way they could reach boiler in the kitchen cupboard.

Agent admitted they were looking but he didn't see them switch anything and he said he told them they'd get a safety certificate anyway.

Surely if you switch something you then switch it back?

Glad I'm not bu- moving stress and tiredness meant I wasn't sure if it was me.

Sounds like they were checking to see if the boiler worked. It's an older boiler so they may just be checking it heated up ok but then forgot to return it to its settings.

Rude from your point of view, possibly wise from theirs?

I would make sure that the agent mentions it to them and the hassle it caused you.

Who the hell messes around with switches in someone elses house? I wouldnt be letting them back in again without good reason.

I'd go apeshit and state that I wasn't prepared to pay for the service in full - surely part of what you are paying for is the agent being left 'in care' of what is still YOUR home?! Yes they're your buyers but they're basically strangers who you are allowing in, under the supervision of the agent,. What they did was well out of order - and the agents respone - taking no responsibility but blaming your children - was well below the total apology I would expect.

I don't think the agents appreciate that they have failed in the service you're paying for here. I think I'd be making a few comments about needing now to check that nothing was missing or damaged in the house before discussing a reduction in the bill to recognise their failure to supervise the buyers.

I would say that is to be their last visit before completion, and as PP said ask where the accompanying estate agent was when they were arsing about with stuff they shouldn't be touching.

That's so odd. I would write a complaint to the management of the agency as the agent should have been supervising them, it's not their house yet they can fiddle with whatever they like once they've moved in but til then they need to respect that it's still your house!

I was really prepared to be told I'm being precious. Agent was actually the senior partner. He is very aware I was annoyed. Thing is he can't tell buyers off (although he says he'll have a word) as we don't want to lose them and are excited about our new home. Testing it works by turning it off is a bit pointless if you don't turn it back on. I wonder if they were trying to get the pilot light on but it's not a combi boiler

But - no need to have a word with buyers. It's agent who failed in their duty. You could simply reply to the agent with what folk have said here - that you are unhappy that they were not supervised and were left in the position to do what they did. You are now in the position of having to check that nothing else is missing or damaged in your home, and as a result you have no intention of paying the full cost of the agent service. If they bill you in full you will be complaining to the ombudsman. Remind them that they're lucky that the buyers didn't break the boiler - if they had, it's the agents who'd be paying for the repair.

Well the next time they want to come round you can say "sorry no, as last time you turned our boiler off and caused is inconvenience".

If you piss them off they may pull out of buying your house

Have a quiet grumble to yourself then forget it

That's why I'm ranting here.

I think they're over excited and new to this but completely blame the agent for being so unaware what was happening on his watch.

Perhaps ask the estate agent what percentage of the fee they will agree to deduct due to not fulfilling their part of the contract.

To be honest, I think both the buyers and the agent were at fault here. Yes, the agent should have been watching them and probably was - but if he had one buyer asking questions in one room and their other half was fiddling with switches/thermostats in another room, the agent can't be in two places at once. The buyers shouldn't have switched anything on and off! They had permission to measure up not test appliances/electricals. They overstepped the boundaries massively. I would want the agent to pass on a polite message relaying how inconvenienced you were, and if the buyers want to visit again, I'd probably say no.

I think they were out if line doing this and I would watch them like a hawk next time. It was probably first time buyers twitchery and the equivalent of kicking g the tyres when when buying a second hand car. Still lefy you with no water though. I'd get yw have a further viewing I would tell them in your best headmistress voice 'no touching the switches'