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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To say no to viewings on the weekend?

83 replies

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 15:14

Landlords are selling our house, which is fine obviously and we have purchased anyway and are moving out in the next month or so.

I have been receiving emails asking me if potential buyers can view at X date or at Y time.

I am working from home at a high pressure job (I've just managed to step away to have a sandwich and a sit outside for 10 minutes) so I have said I can only accommodate either weekday evenings or ideally, during my lunch hour which I never usually take but will if necessary to accommodate this but that I don't want people coming at various different times during the day disturbing my work.

I've also said I'd rather not have people coming in and out at weekend either. We have two kids and I am heavily pregnant. During the weekday it's only me at home but at weekend it can get manic and frankly, I don't want to be running round tidying up every weekend, heavily pregnant, chucking the kids out of their rooms to let people in to look etc...

AIBU to say I can only accommodate viewings during my lunch hour, during the week? And maybe an odd early evening where I can chuck DH and the kids out to McDonald's or the park or something?

OP posts:

TerribleCustomerCervix · 21/09/2020 15:36

I wouldn’t be allowing any viewings in your position.

Yes, it might suck for the landlord , but while you’re paying rent it’s your home. I would not be fucking about organising my young kids, work schedule and keeping my home viewing-ready to suit them.

Presumably

namechangeinamillion · 21/09/2020 15:41

I'd just give them times and dates that suit you a week in advance and say that you're unable to accommodate any other viewings.

Original poster

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 15:41

Personally when I was in rented, I just let the viewings happen, said hi and let the agent get on with it, I stayed in the room I was in. Generally they’d just poke their head round the door, smile nod and then spend more time in other rooms

I reckon if it were just me I'd be the same. But the house is just crazy at weekends, I'm bloody knackered as it is from working and being pregnant, the kids are usually sprawled somewhere either playing games or arguing, bowls and plates etc from breakfast and things... Just the thought of having to make sure everything was nice and tidy and marching the kids in and out every weekend... Ugh!

I think, if I were to offer any weekend, it would be a block thing as suggested. At least that way we can maybe plan a day out for the same time so the house is left untouched and we don't have to worry about us all being there and being overcrowded.

I think I'm fairly dead set against just allowing any old viewing over any weekend the more I think about it though. I appreciate most people want flexibility to view at the weekend but, at the risk of sounding like a bitch, is it really my problem?

OP posts:

Original poster

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 15:46

I can imagine the estate agents having a “miscommunication” where they show up with viewers and no permisson

This absolutely would not surprise me one bit to be honest. I'd probably just tell them politely maybe to do one.

OP posts:

Morechocmorechoc · 21/09/2020 15:49

Well its a pandemic and you're pregnant. I assume you've read the stories so I woukd be more careful. That being said the owners may have lost their jobs and be in need of selling the house.

I agree with other posters, one day open house style over say 3 hours and thats it until you've left. I would have one of you jn the house to make sure nobody touches anything. Clear rules as the enter....ie doors are open dont touch anything and wear a mask.

CoronaIsShit · 21/09/2020 15:52

No way would randoms be poking around my home during a pandemic. The LL is an absolute tool to even entertain the idea and as you’re already leaving, should wait until the house is vacant.

Doesn’t matter if it’s in your tenancy agreement, there is no legal obligation on you to allow this and your should refuse any viewings. The most the LL could do is give you a ‘bad’ reference which any future LL worth their salt would ignore, and as you don’t need one (as buying your own property) that is not an issue.

1990shopefulftm · 21/09/2020 15:53

I would not want to be having strangers in my home whilst I was there being heavily pregnant myself, I think saying a set time slot at the weekend where you can safely pop out for a couple of hours is more than generous.

2bazookas · 21/09/2020 15:58

Why not offer one block of 2 hours on one day only, say Saturday afternoon. You or DH can take the kids out and the other stays home to let viewers in. No viewers at anyother time.

nwatty · 21/09/2020 16:06

But why should the OP accomodate the viewers or the landlord. She has a tenancy agreement and the right to a quiet life in their home. Unfortunately one of the cons of being a landlord is it will take longer to sell and the tenant is under no obligation whatsoever to allow viewings.
Given the history with the agent I would be making it very clear that they are nto to let themselves in, they have no legal right to do this unless it is an emergency.

Imloosingmyshit · 21/09/2020 16:07

You’ve paid your rent. It’s your property while you’re paid up. Landlord has to accommodate your wishes not the other way around. You don’t have to let agree to any viewings.

SpaceOP · 21/09/2020 16:28

Why can't a viewing happen while you're working? I mean, surely you just tell the estate agent to let themselves in and to please ignore you as you'll be working? Obviously, if you're on a call or something, perhaps not.

Ditto, absolutely re weekends. but i think it would be fair to offer some. Perhaps suggest they lump a few together one morning. Or tell them only one a weekend or whatever?

WorkingItOutAsIGo · 21/09/2020 16:34

Seriously you do not need to agree to any viewings at all. There is no legal obligation which overrides your right to quiet enjoyment of the property.

Pregnant in a pandemic would be a no to viewings from me. Literally none at all. They can do it after you have moved out.

Serendipity79 · 21/09/2020 16:34

You aren't under any obligation to do viewings at all and the agent should be telling people that as its rented out, they need to fit round your timings. They also shouldn't be coming in when you aren't there.

Give them the time slots that suit you and if people want to buy it badly enough, they will fit round those times. Alternatively they can see it empty once you move out. Landlords should budget for void time if they're selling.

During a pandemic the last thing you need are randoms roaming around your house

Original poster

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 16:36

Why can't a viewing happen while you're working? I mean, surely you just tell the estate agent to let themselves in and to please ignore you as you'll be working?

I can't do that unfortunately, the only place I have available to work is the living room so not shut away in an office or anything and I am a solicitor so dealing with confidential and highly personal information. It also means I am required to take phone calls/zoom calls etc.. with clients which haven't always been prearranged.

It's not appropriate imo to arrange my work calls and meetings around my landlords viewings, it really needs to not disturb my working day.

OP posts:

billyt · 21/09/2020 16:38

I wouldn't allow any viewings at all. Any sensible landlord will factor in empty periods and if they haven't then it's tough shit.

It may be his house but it's your home and you are entitled to peaceful enjoyment. Especially at the moment. I'd change the locks and re-instate the old ones when you leave for good.

Oh, and make sure the checking out inventory is done correctly as you don't want the LL or EA trying to screw you that way.

Your home, your rules...

UnfinishedSymphon · 21/09/2020 16:40

@SpaceOP

Ditto, absolutely re weekends. but i think it would be fair to offer some. Perhaps suggest they lump a few together one morning. Or tell them only one a weekend or whatever?

Really?

Fuck that shit, it might be the landlord's house but it's OP's home, she doesn't have to allow viewings at all - I certainly won't be when we move from here.

Porcupineinwaiting · 21/09/2020 16:42

It would be kind to let them have 1 afternoon or a couple of lunchtime to show people round. But you absolutely dont even have to do that.

A 3rd option is to ask for some rebate on the rent to allow viewings - but then youd still be stuck with the hassle.

Original poster

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 16:42

@vengeancer

I think it is a really shitty thing to do, sorry.

In what way? We live here, the landlords don't. It has to be convenient for us surely? Even without the Covid stuff.

OP posts:

Whatthebloodyell · 21/09/2020 16:44

I don’t bunk it’s shorty thing to do at all! It’s your home that you pay rent for. You will be moving out shortly and the landlord can arrange viewings then. Why should you have to inconvenience yourself for the landlords benefit? In ‘normal’ times it is no hassle to allow viewings when your house is empty, but these are not normal times.

PinkLegoBrick · 21/09/2020 16:47

Do you need to be there? When we sold our house we preferred to be out and the estate agents accompanied them.

ohffs66 · 21/09/2020 16:49

We had this when we moved out of our last rented property. Our actual landlord was really relaxed about viewings happening but the agent was a total nightmare, sending emails when I was at work saying they were taking someone in 2 hours time, arranging night time viewings etc. I blew my top in the end and agreed with the landlord that I would send both him and the agent a schedule of when we would and wouldn't accommodate viewings for the next couple of weeks, and that DH or I wanted to be there. It worked just fine, the agent still kept trying it on though and I just kept referring him back to the schedule. They are super pushy because they want the commission. It was a lovely flat and we liked our landlord so we did everything we could to 'sell' it to the people that viewed, but I wasn't having Barry from Foxtons wandering round our home with a bunch of randoms whenever he felt like it.

treetopss · 21/09/2020 16:50

We're currently selling. The majority have booked to view on weekdays, I assume due to covid they're working from home and also want to keep their weekends free. Therefore I'd say that in the current climate you won't actually be hindering your landlord too much by saying no weekend. I would try to accommodate early evenings though if not too inconvenient.

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 21/09/2020 16:55

@vengeancer

I think it is a really shitty thing to do, sorry.

I think it's shitty AF to take money from someone for the hire a space and then expect them to allow strangers in their home during a pandemic and whilst they have young kids and are pregnant to facilitate selling of said space.

They always email as well as if it's a given just 'someone wants to view at 10am tomorrow, let me know if you'll be in or if we need to be there'.

So they expect you to show the person around if you're in? WTAF? That's their job. They are being paid, handsomely, to do it.

Just tell them NO, no viewings, leave your key in the lock if you're home or change the lock barrels and tell them NO.

Can't believe how people find this acceptable here. If you had booked and paid for a room in a hotel, would you expect the proprietor to have people in it to see if they might like to book a room there at some point in the future? No, because you paid for the exclusive hire of the space.

When you rent a property, you're paying for that. Not to do someone else's job or have strangers traipsing around.

UnfinishedSymphon · 21/09/2020 16:56

Everything said above

Intelinside57 · 21/09/2020 17:35

There's a bloody pandemic going on and the prospect of further lockdowns. You're pregnant. The agents are being unhelpful. On top of all of that - legally you don't have to allow any viewings at all. Legally you can change the locks to stop agents trying their luck and notify them that you will not be allowing any access to the property at all. It's called your right to quiet enjoyment. I'm a landlord and I don't expect tenants to put up with viewings, it's a nice bonus if anyone says they don't mind.

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