Aibu or are the letting agents regarding viewing property.

[saffronshawty]

So me and OH went to view a rental property earlier this afternoon, just a one bedroomed, one bathroom apartment. The apartment is currently tenanted, but they had 48 hours notice of the time of viewing.

so we meet the estate agent, who guides us up to the apartment, on entering the apartment, the apartment is full of smoke from lighting incenses. We couldn't view the bathroom as the tenants partner was currently using the shower? The tenant also had his mother over from another country, cooking food, so we couldn't really view the kitchen properly, and his guests were in the balcony all smoking, so it was really awkward to be able to look around properly.

At the end of the viewing, we asked if we could come back at another time so we could have a proper viewing, but the estate agent told us, that she had more viewings lined up so we must make a decision now or most likely another person will be ahead of us?
I told her that it was quite unfair that the tenants knew we was coming, but made it as awkward as possible (btw tenants are moving back to own country so it's not like they wanted to stay)

The estate agent just mumbled, and said her next viewings were downstairs.
So we left, and I just want to know, was I expecting too much?

That’s a crap viewing for sure but they’re not obliged to show you round again, you can just decline the property.

It sounds like the tenants didn't want anyone viewing and were getting on with their lives in their home. The letting agent is probably a bit awkward as maybe the tenants have only given permission for limited viewings so they want as many different people as possible through the door to maximise chance of letting. Not ideal at all really, which is why I always think it a better idea for landlords to show after tenants have left

Letting agents have terrible problems with some tenants who just dont give a toss. Its not like they are selling or have a vested interest in it being re let

Maybe the tenants didn’t fancy having people walking through their home or stopping their lives to allow them to do so. I’m a fan of landlords waiting til the tenants have left first before doing viewings. They should factor the empty months into their finances.

I think this is tricky. And also, letting agents do not always give the proper notice, e.g. I was once asleep and heard the door being opened by the agent with prospective tenants in tow. Someone was supposed to have told me, but hadn't. Quite distressing ( I thought I was being broken into!). Also if there are quite a few viewings are the tenants supposed to put their lives on hold?

I bet the tenants are thoroughly fed up of all the viewings and are just trying to get on with their lives, and the letting agents are trying to manage that as best they can. Adding in repeat viewings is probably viewed as more hassle than its worth, and there's no guarantee you'll not run into the same problems again.

Yabu. Why should the tenants have you there again, they are paying their rent for this month!

I never stopped my every day life for viewings when I was a tenant, if the landlord had such poor financial management they couldn't afford a month or so between tenants that was not my problem. I didn't usually refuse viewings unnecessarily (I did once the day after my birthday because I didn't want strangers interrupting me sleeping off my hangover) but I wasnt going to stop what I was doing for them.

The tenants don’t have to change their routine in any way for viewings. It’s not like someone selling their own property who will clean like mad and vacate the place to put on the best possible display of the property

Having been a tenant, the viewings are almost always scheduled for that afternoon to evening window when everyone is coming home from school or work and you are trying to cook dinner. I mean that 4pm-7pm back to back every half hour a different ethnicities of people tramping through your house for a look. You can’t vacate all afternoon evening because then bedtime is thrown off. If husband or you work a physical or medical job, you have to shower coming home.
If you want a better viewing with less chance of thevtenant being there, ask for a weekend viewing. We were able to plan to be out for those. But any weekday evening viewing, you’re going to get a fully populated home to view.

Wtf? I wrote “different clumps of people” and somehow it showed up as ethnicities? Please! That was a typo. Not what I wrote.

It’s rubbish but the letting agent can’t control what the tenants are doing and it’s not up to the tenants to make it a positive viewing

The tenants are obliged to allow viewings at all let alone tidy up, show you around, or vacate the property while you look around. Ultimately it is their home right now, would you want strangers traipsing through your home?

Also, take note because how the letting agents treat these tenants is how they will treat you.

That should say the tenants are NOT obligated to allow viewings.

the tenants have the right to enjoy their home as they see fit until the day they move out and have no obligation to put their lives on hold to accommodate viewings. they would gain no benefit whatsoever from putting any effort into your viewing experience. they have no obligation to even allow viewings at will. if they refuse the landlords have to put up with a couple of months void with no rent coming in as they can't market it until its empty.

don't resent the tenants. the issue is landlords wanting to maximise their profits and an unbalanced market where landlords can do wtf they like because there are so many potential tenants out there (due to btl landlords driving up prices to exclude sp many from home ownership) that they know they can get new tenants without bothering to make it a decent experience for either the outgoing or the new tenants.

You shouldn't let yourself be intimidated. it's a viewing, just pretend people are not there and let yourself in (NOT in the bathroom obviously )

I would have waited for the man to finish his shower if I was interested in the flat. I would be worried that tenants like that would leave the property in a right state unfortunately.

It's a stupid attitude, if you make viewings too awkward, people are less likely to take the place and you end up with MORE viewings!

Not necessarily as the tenants could just refuse all viewings and the letting agent will need to wait until they've vacated before showing people around.

I am another person who thinks viewings should only be conducted once the tenants have vacated. Landlords are not even grateful when they are accommodated by tenants. People must remember rent has been paid for the last month and tenants still retain their right to quiet enjoyment of the property until they move out

YANBU to expect a proper viewing, but that’s the fault of the agent who should have waited until the tenant had moved out. It’s not the fault of the tenant who has every right to carry on as normal and in fact doesn’t have to allow viewings at all.

Round here places get snapped up very quickly. If you can't decide whether you want a place because there are people living their lives in there, someone else who can decide will take it. Simple as that really. The tenants aren't obliged to facilitate a viewing.

Should they have stopped their lives just for your convenience?! Of course not. Don't be ridiculous. That's their home until they leave. They're not selling it....they won't make any money. They're paying for the right to live there. Having you traipse into their home is an inconvenience and they didn't even have to let you!

YABU. Tenants are quite often coerced into allowing viewings when they don't really want to. It's no great surprise some of them aren't especially helpful for it.

With the agent essentially trying the hard sell on you too, you just might have dodged a bullet yourself.

Definitely take note if the Agents attitude as you’ll have to deal with that if you move in.

You’re renting an apartment, not buying a house. How much of the kitchen do you need to see.

I’ve moved into places I haven’t even seen - it’s a rental. The location is the most important thing, you can make pretty much anywhere home if you need to.

You must have got a reasonable idea of what the place was like & the area. If the price & location works, then you take it before someone else does surely?

Hang on a minute here. To facilitate viewings is written into my tenants contracts and I only have to give 48 hours notice by law to gain access. We do however always specify our agent or myself, does the viewing preferably when the tenant isn't home so there's as little as possible disturbance to them.
There seems to be some misconception that Landlords should carry the bills for a month between tenants....Why? The tenants rentals would only have to go up to cover the void period. When a tenant has moved out, the landlord picks up the bills for gas/ electric/ council tax and any block management fees (if its an apartment) so the less time the property is unoccupied the better.
I treat my tenants well and with respect and expect they do the same. Always have their mobile number and keep them updated on all matters pertaining to their home but my property.

Cup it's a common misconception. That part of your contract is actually worthless. Tenants do not ever have to allow access. THey do have a right to refuse. It's up for debate constantly but the result is always the same that tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property until they leave or are made to leave legally.

The ONLY time you can enter is if you think there's a fire, gas leak or flood and you have the correct authorities with you.