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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

House Buyer Wants to Measure Up

51 replies

Dasher789 · 07/06/2021 09:56

I am in the process of moving house. The contracts have been signed and the entry date for my buyers is at the beginning of July. The buyers were to send round a surveyor to measure up for some work they want done.

I am WFH so on the one hand it would be easy for me to let them in but on the other, I might have a last minute zoom call pop up and I work in the room that they want to measure which wouldn't be suitable.

I don't want to be awkward/rude if it is a normal thing for buyers to want to do but if I did agree to the viewing, would it be the EA or myself who let them in? The EA took the viewings, I don't particularly want to meet the buyer.

AIBU to feel uneasy and should let them in to have a quick look around the room they want to measure?

OP posts:

FilthyforFirth · 07/06/2021 09:59

Why dont you want to meet the buyers?! Yabu I think. It is so useful having measurements ahead of moving. It wont take long and is a normal part of house buying.

PyjamaFan · 07/06/2021 10:00

I think that's a reasonable request.

AllOptionsAreOnTheTable · 07/06/2021 10:00

I think it would be perfectly normal for people to come and measure up. As long as they take the relevant covid precautions, they should be allowed to visit.

As a vendor, I've done this lots of times, but I suppose you could ask the estate agent to do it.

UrAWizHarry · 07/06/2021 10:00

If they are sending a surveyor then you won't meet the buyers, and in any case why does it matter if you do?

It's pretty normal to allow the buyer to measure things up once contracts have been exchanged.

SuperMonkeys · 07/06/2021 10:00

Very normal. Of course you don't have to, but measuring up pre moving is very normal.

Minfilia · 07/06/2021 10:01

Yeah, totally normal. I’ve been into houses to measure up twice after offer and I’ve also let our buyers in to do the same. It’s just common courtesy.

ChainJane · 07/06/2021 10:02

Give the EA/buyer/surveyor a half hour time slot and then book that in your work calendar so people won't schedule a meeting with you then.

Works in theory.

Moonshine11 · 07/06/2021 10:02

Totally normal, I done this whilst buying my house.
It’s really handy to measure, the owners let me in and it was great to meet them tbh. We had a lovely chat about the estate, their new house etc.
Your using a last minute zoom call as a reason when it might not even happen.

fashionablefennel · 07/06/2021 10:04

Absolutely normal, and it's usually up to you, not the EA.

You could contact the EA telling them you are unavailable so you leave it with them, but if you are WFH they'll see you anyway!

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 07/06/2021 10:05

Totally normal. I got worried last time we moved that the buyers weren't making measuring up noises as I thought they might be getting cold feet.

Elbels · 07/06/2021 10:06

Totally normally and surely if you're on a zoom call you just turn your camera off or mention you've got someone in the house?

ApplePie86 · 07/06/2021 10:06

This is completely unreasonable if you were in Scotland. Sellers are advised to never allow buyers in.

Why don't you just offer to take measurements for them?

Chloemol · 07/06/2021 10:07

It’s a simple normal request. I did it when I moved mainly as they were taking curtains etc and I needed some sorting for the first night

Why on Earth wouldn’t you want to meet them? Agree about post etc? Talk about the area, give suggestions etc

Be a nice person

Original poster

Dasher789 · 07/06/2021 10:07

@FilthyforFirth i have no idea why i don't want to meet the buyers, it is irrational, i just don't

@UrAWizHarry the wording in the email request suggests that the buyer will be coming with the surveyor. i assume so that they can talk through exactly what they want together?

@Moonshine11 totally appreciate the zoom may not happen but i don't think it is unreasonable to think that there is a reasonable chance that this will happen. they do pop up last minute quite often in my role.

I think given the unanimous YABU, I will need to get over it and let them in. Thanks for the help, haven't had this request before in previous moves so this has been helpful.

OP posts:

LastInTheQueue · 07/06/2021 10:09

Totally normal and shows how keen they are.
We’re in the process of buying at the moment, and I’ve been back twice to measure up. Not only did it give me a chance to speak to the vendor is a more casual way, but also means I can get people booked in to do work for when we complete.

AlmostSummer21 · 07/06/2021 10:09

Totally normal. It would be quite mean not to let them measure up so they can start getting sorted.

Why do you not want to meet the buyers? I can understand not being bothered either way, but to actively not want to meet them seems a little odd ?!

Iwantcauliflowercheese · 07/06/2021 10:09

In England it would be odd not to allow purchasers in to measure up. I've sold several houses and have always had people wanted to measure for curtains etc.

fashionablefennel · 07/06/2021 10:10

Good update OP.

Don't forget that if a seller refuses to let you (reasonably) access the house before moving in, massive alarm bells start ringing!

AlmostSummer21 · 07/06/2021 10:11

X posted with you.

Are you a bit sad at leaving the house & don't want to meet the people that will be living there instead of you?

Could you not just take your zoom call into your bedroom or whatever?

Seeingadistance · 07/06/2021 10:12

@ApplePie86

This is completely unreasonable if you were in Scotland. Sellers are advised to never allow buyers in.

Why don't you just offer to take measurements for them?

What?

I’m in Scotland and have bought and sold several times over the past 30 years. Letting buyers or their surveyors etc access to measure up is absolutely normal.

Don’t take the measurements yourself, OP, as if any problems later you don’t want any liability.

Original poster

Dasher789 · 07/06/2021 10:12

@ApplePie86 could I ask why that is? I did check with the lawyer and they said that because the contracts are signed it was okay. I think I would mind less though if it was just the surveyor.

One of the other worries I have is that when the house was for sale it was spotless. It is no longer spotless, 1. because we don't normally live like that and 2. because we are moving we have been a bit more blase eg. if we take something out the loft, it hasn't been going back etc as we will need to bring it down again in a couple of weeks.

OP posts:

wildeverose · 07/06/2021 10:15

@Dasher789 if you're worried about mess, can you not just book them
In a slot for a few days time and clean up before then? It's not like they're going to spring a surprise visit on you

Moonshine11 · 07/06/2021 10:15

Just say sorry for the mess we’re getting sorted for the move.
They won’t care as it’ll be empty.

UrAWizHarry · 07/06/2021 10:22

@ApplePie86

This is completely unreasonable if you were in Scotland. Sellers are advised to never allow buyers in.

Why don't you just offer to take measurements for them?

I've moved, what, 5 times in scotland and every single time I've visited to measure up and allowed buys in to do the same once the contracts are sorted.

Don't talk rubbish, bluntly.

Original poster

Dasher789 · 07/06/2021 10:27

@almostsummer21 As above, it is irrational why I don't want to meet them. I am not really sure why I feel this way but during my last house sale, we got really messed around by the buyer so I think it may stem from that and I really just don't want anything to go wrong. From what the lawyer has said though, as the buyer has signed, they cannot back out - I think I just need to have more faith in the system and get over it.

I can't really take the zoom in a different room because I have to be quite active in my meetings and my laptop set up is a bit cumbersome to move - laptop, dock, 2 screens, keyboard, mouse, camera, etc. - we are usually shown things on one screen and the other will be used for documenting or cross referencing. I can't just stick a headset on and leave the room.

@Chloemol i see what you are saying, i had planned to leave a note with details on how to work the hive heating thing and recommendations of milk men, cleaners etc and arrange the redirect with royal mail. I will still do all of this. I don't want to have an ongoing agreement with the buyer.

@fashionablefennel good point, thanks, had not thought of it like that.

I will definitely let the buyer in. I will block out time on my calendar and hope no one ignores it and puts a zoom in anyway . Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

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