Dogs and house viewings

[gebs]

We are currently on the market at the moment, and I wondered if this is now acceptable or if I'm BU...

Firstly, we looked around a house to buy, we arrived (me, husband and mil) and met the estate agent outside. As she opened the door, she said 'oh the owners have left their dog behind, is that okay?' My mil has a dog so was fine, I'm not too fussed by them and my husband doesn't really like them but it was a small cockapoo type dog so we said it was okay. We looked around the house and it was okay/fine, but the dog followed us in every room and was constantly dry humping my husband and mil's legs. Estate agent was very apologetic but couldn't really do very much (fair enough, it's not her pet) but we left feeling pretty miffed that the owners had gone out while the viewing was going on but had left their dog behind?

Second situation, we had a viewing on our own house this week. I was working from home due to a midwife appointment in the morning and the house viewing was at 3pm. The house was relatively tidy due to having a viewing earlier in the week but I had some washing drying, plates from my lunch and breakfast needed putting away, my laptop and work bits were in my sitting room etc. At 2pm I decide to start tidying my washing away in the kitchen when I hear my front door open and the estate agent is with the person viewing at house. He apologises and said the person viewing text him and asked if he could do the viewing earlier and assumed we would of been at work. I was pretty annoyed at this point and told him to give me 10min to clear my work stuff away and give me a chance to give each room a quick whip round and check. As I go to leave the house the estate agent is talking to a lady next to some parked cars outside, he comes over and says sorry again and he'll call when the viewing is done. I walk away and as I turn around the person viewing my house has a dog with her and proceeds to go in the house with the estate agent and the dog! I missed the dog as I was walking pass as it was hidden by the cars/me not noticing in my annoyance at the estate agent.

Now I appreciate the first situation was not my own house, but still off putting to people who don't like dogs and you are trying to sell your house? And for the second situation, surely if someone was bringing/wanting to bring a dog they should at least ask? I could have house cats or allergies? (I don't, but you'd surely check with the agent and agent would check with us?) and I don't know if my view is tainted by our estate agent being rubbish to start with or third trimester hormones, but my husband was very angry when I called him about it and we are removing ourselves from the estate agents. But surely people bringing dogs to house viewings (especially first viewings) is not a thing?!

With our own home viewing I didn't really see them go into the house until I was part way down the street and was pretty shocked so immediately rang my husband absolutely raging. But I was annoyed by the whole situation not just the dog so didn't want to go back to the house to make a scene in the heat of the moment

I'd have gone back and told them to get their dog out of my house, and I've got dogs.

First situation wouldn’t bother me, I’ve been on viewings with people’s teenagers in their pjs eating toast in their bedroom!
Would be really cross about the second. Have never heard of that (sold 7 houses) and would tear the agent off a strip. There are some people for whom dog hear causes real problems. Incredibly thoughtless.

Dog hair

When I've sold houses I do the viewings myself. I put my dogs into the back garden when I greet viewers and ask how they feel about dogs. Only one person once said she wasn't comfortable and so I left the dogs outside and then swapped them to the house when we looked in the garden. I live rurally, everyone seems to have dogs and like them and the potential buyers seem to be the same. For dog owners I think it gives them a chance to see how much space there is for dogs to bomb around outside. If I was selling a flat in the middle of the city I think it's less likely people will find the idea of a dog appealing and would make sure they were out of the way. I've invited people to bring their dogs for second viewings if they'd like and theyve done so. However to roll up with a dog with no invite is binkers and totally out of order

When trying to sell our house we had some amazing CF's! We've got three small JRT's so always made sure that one of us could be available to take them out for viewings.

One family turned up with two huge bouncy spaniel type dogs...totally out of control, jumping up to shoulder height, dragging the owners off their feet, etc. I suggested the dogs would like to check out the huge enclosed garden whilst the owners looked round the house, but the dogs just spent their time throwing themselves against the glass patio doors! I put my foot down and said "no dogs upstairs" so I got the sob story about how one dog has separation anxiety
There were four adults, I'm sure they could have taken it in turns to look round. And they all decided they were desperate to use the loo...

Another lot brought their (muddy) dogs, parents and four kids, the youngest was three and eating crisps which I thought was a bit much, but at least they put their dogs in the garden.

We viewed a house and were warned by the estate agents that "they had cats".....it turned out that they lady had set her self up as a cat rescue and there were 40+ cats in the house everywhere you looked there were eyes! Some of them were vicious buggers, one tried to scratch my teenage son as we walked up the stairs (basket on banisters!) and they were hissing at us!

I was surprised at just how disrespectful people are when viewing, tramping in with muddy feet, slagging off the wallpaper etc. bringing unnecessary friends/relatives/animals, etc.

Yes, the assorted relatives always baffled me: I did begin to wonder if house viewings had become an acceptable, cheap excursion for all the family!

Sack the agents, they sound awful.

Turning up an hour early without checking it's ok with you is appalling. You could have popped home for a lunchtime shag or something, ffs! Letting someone bring a dog into your home without your permission is bloody appalling too, I love dogs but I realise that not everyone else does and some people are severely allergic. And some dogs like to make their mark on other people's homes by pissing in them...

I feel a bit sorry for the agent doing the viewing on the house with the humping dog though. He needs to have a word with the owners about making some sort of alternative arrangement.

We would never be able to have viewings while we're at work, because our dog wouldn't let anyone else over the threshold unless we were here. When we sell, we're going to have to put her in the car when people come to view, or take her for a walk.

We went to look at a house a while ago. The agent explained there was a dog there, but only when he turned up, not when we made the appointment. If either of us had had a problem with dogs, that would have been a massive wasted journey.

We didn't buy the house, but I totally fell in love with the owner's whippet and would have paid good money for her. Less keen on the owner's underpants (several pairs) lying on the bedroom floor, though.

Leaving your own dog in your own home I wouldn't do personally (might put off potential buyers) but it's their choice. Bringing a dog into someone else's home without asking is definitely not acceptable. The person shouldn't have attempted to bring the dog on and the estate agent shouldn't have let them.

Yanbu! I have 3 dogs and even if we’re having workmen in I make sure they’re elsewhere or secured in their crates. I wouldn’t dream of taking them to a viewing, the embarrassment of them damaging something or being turned away would be enough to put me off. Never mind the thought of the owner possibly having a pet of their own that didn’t like other animals.
Obviously a cats a different story, they’re aloof at the best of times and don’t do well with change so it’d be unfair to send someone out with the cat. But again I’d expect an agent to say “there’s a cat”

The reverse of this is the time I arrived back from work just as the estate agent was locking up after a viewing. He was grey-tinged and lost for words, just gesticulating. .. I walked in and it was clear that at some point earlier in the day the cat and dragged a live bird into the house into the cat flap and had spent the entire day dismantling it, feather by feather, limb by limb all over the house. Then the cat had chucked up. It took me hours to clear up and no, they didn't buy the house.

we are with a well known online agent, I would not recommend them but annoyingly you pay the fee upfront so we have lost that

And there's the explanation for them behaving so unprofessionally ... they'd got the money anyway so didn't need to concern themselves

@Buddywoo: that made me laugh out loud! Brilliant story.

I once went to a viewing which was painful. There was an elderly couple with two huge Dobermans and they basically refused to let the agent show anyone around without them following potential buyers around with the dogs. It was really awkward and they didn’t have control over the dogs so they kept jumping up. We were really uncomfortable so didn’t even really go upstairs (which then made the vendors offended). The agent said they would struggle to sell unless they just let the agent get on with it.

I have dogs and love them but would NEVER assume it is ok to bring a dog to view a property. When I did sell my own place before buying a house with DH, an estate agent asked to show prospective buyers around at short notice. My two greyhounds were at home. The estate agent told me chuckling afterwards that my two hounds were asleep on their sofa with legs in the air the entire time and did not even stir. They are definitely not guard dogs. The people came back to view again before putting in an offer and asked if they could see the dogs. They bought the place and got a rescue greyhound.

No way would I allow anybody into my house with a dog.
It's hard to believe someone left an unattended dog in the house viewers were coming to.

I have dogs but when my house was on the market I removed every trace of dogs as well as the dogs themselves prior to viewings. It was a pain but the house did look better without their crap.
I certainly wouldn't want or expect a dog to come to my house for viewings.
Very unprofessional of your Estate Agent to allow this.

We viewed a house where the owner had two large german sheps. He put them in the conservatory while we looked round. We could see them through the glass door and also saw all the damage they had caused by chewing the window sills and scratching the glass.
The vendor told us very proudly that everyone in the street had been visited by burglars except for him because the barking dogs put them off.

So No Sale..

Situation 1 - did the vendors know you were coming, or did they just go to work and the estate agent made the booking? If I was selling my house, I would have to leave my dog in the house every day when I went to work. I couldn't find somewhere else for him to go just in case there was a house viewing while I was out. However, I would tell the agent that he could be put into the garden, or shut in a room while any viewers looked around.

Situation 2 - totally out of order. No way should you show up to a house viewing with your own dog in tow!!!

I'd be so angry if someone brought their dog in without asking.

We viewed a house recently and there was a horrible yappy dog there who constantly barked at my 3 year old and made her cry.

I understand you dont want to loose money by sacking agents. I would still feed back that this is not acceptable. I am sure other estate agents at that office realise that and it is a training issue with the agent showing your home.

Glad it's not me BU, tbh the first scenario I'd forgotten about until the Friday viewing made me think about it again.

In reply to why we didn't shut the dog away for the viewing we went to, it did cross my mind while we were there but it wasn't my house to do that so didn't do anything as it's not my place. Neither did the agent, but again I wouldn't of expected her to as it wasn't her dog. Looking back on it, it was quite funny but did taint the viewing. I don't own any pets but even if i had a cat I would have probably not left it inside as I appreciate not everyone likes animals/has allergies etc

For our situation, if the agent had asked I probably would of said no, my husband is not a fan anyway and I think it's unnecessary to bring a pet to a viewing. If they'd made an offer and were wanting a second viewing that's a bit different as they might of wanted to scope out the garden etc but at least they would of been more serious about purchasing. To be honest we were thinking of taking the house off as I'm 30 weeks pregnant, but this was the last straw for that agent! Once baby is here / we're settled etc it won't be going back on the market with that agent even though we've already paid. I'm in two minds to complain further for the cost of the viewings after such a soddy experience but my husband doesn't think it's worth it. I forgot to mention the estate agent who let myself into my house was also wearing casual clothes (a body warmer, long sleeved tee and jeans type of outfit) which I also thought was pretty off!

I'd refuse to view a house with a dog wandering about inside, especially if the owners aren't there! Who leaves a dog home alone when they have a viewing??

We've viewed a few when the owners and dog were present, very offputting to have a dog slobbering over you or barking at you, or just filling the rooms with its doggy odour! How difficult is it to take it out for a walk while your house is viewed or put it in the car for 15 mins? I've been to viewings where the owner has kept the dog to one room or in the garden but then it has to be moved so you can look everywhere. One lady had a snarling terrier on a lead, she sat on the sofa the whole time with dog growling at us. Then DD trod in dog poo in the garden and trod it all through the woman's house before we realised! I pointed out if she'd bothered to pick up the poo before the viewing it wouldn't have happened. I was annoyed at having to clean DD's shoe and felt it served the woman right to have dog poo smeared on her carpet!

There's no way you should bring a dog to a viewing! So cheeky. Why didn't you tell her to take the dog outside?

It wouldn't bother me going to a house with a dog in it, but I like dogs. Plenty of viewings are done during working hours so the vendor can't necessarily be there to take the dog out every time.

But, I would never turn up to view with my dog. That's just batshit.

It's tedious that suddenly everyone has to take their dig everywhere. But I also wouldn't marry a man who didn't like dogs. Both scenarios shitty.

My dad sold his house last year and on one occasion sat in his car outside waiting for a viewing to finish - he got the shock of his life when the viewer took a dog in with him. I think it's fairly common.