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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect people to have manners when viewing a house

77 replies

Woobeedoo · 09/08/2021 09:23

So house is on the market. It’s taken a lot of work (decorating, decluttering etc) to get it to how it is and I’m really proud of how it looks now to how it did.

DH, child and I went away for a long weekend Friday am, dropping keys at agents on the way. They had block viewings for Friday and Saturday so we thought we’d just let them get on with it.

We got back a short while ago and immediately I spot a big red juice spill on my previously clean doormat. Going through the house I discover dirty/greasy hand drags on almost every wall, a gouge out of the wall 7ft high (how?!), a cracked dressing table where someone has either sat or leant heavily on it, scuffs on one bedroom wall and the most filthy bannister hand rail - when I wiped it, it came away grey. Don’t people wash their flipping hands?

I’m not asking for people to wear silk slippers, cotton gloves and tip toe through the house not daring to even breathe but a little bit of respect for someone else’s home is a given surely? As the home owner I shouldn’t be expected to have to fix furniture and re-paint walls after just 10 house viewings.

Urgh. I probably need to be more zen during this process but I’m not impressed right now.

OP posts:
SmokeyDevil · 09/08/2021 09:25

Complain to the agents. They should be paying for those fixes, considering they let people do that. But you're not wrong, unfortunately many people are not nice people and don't give a shit about other people's things.

Wowcherarestalkingme · 09/08/2021 09:25

I’d definitely be complaining to the agent about that. Completely unacceptable

MuddyStiletto · 09/08/2021 09:27

bloody hell , I hope you are going to complain . They need to put it right

StormzyinaTCup · 09/08/2021 09:30

Wow that’s absolutely not on.

I’d take some photos and go down to the estate agent’s with them. As for the gouge 7ft up it sounds like someone bought a ladder or something with them and whacked the wall, I can’t think what else could cause damage at that height.

Shoxfordian · 09/08/2021 09:31

Yanbu
Definitely complain to the agents

Topofthepopicles · 09/08/2021 09:33

That’s weird! I wouldn’t expect to be drinking anything when viewing a house expect maybe a bottle of water. I also can’t imagine having hands so dirty that it marked walls after one walk around. Are you sure something else hasn’t happened? No one else have the key?

Porcupineintherough · 09/08/2021 09:34

My dh once trampled big muddy footprints across a bedroom carpet when house viewing (we'd come from another viewing which had a muddy garden and the fool didn't take his shoes off because they were polite and said "no need"). Utterly mortifying, he had to go back the next day w flowers.

We did end up buying the house though so at least it was eventually our carpet. Blush

ineedaholidayandwine · 09/08/2021 09:35

I would complain and make them fix everything, then look for a new agent. That is not on!

Elieza · 09/08/2021 09:36

OMG that’s dreadful, no way that should have happened.

Although my friend did a viewing herself in her beautiful home full of antiques out in the countryside. A family of four hiked to get there, didn’t offer to take their muddy hiking boots off on arrival, and the two kids pushed past and ran straight into the living room while the introductions were being made and the parents didn’t stop them.

She was trying to be well mannered and hoped the parents would parent their own children but they did not and she was waiting for an antique to be accidentally broken by the children.

Highly likely it was just a nosey jolly. The property was in for a significant price.

corkernewyorker · 09/08/2021 09:38

Blue plastic overshoes to be put on, at a minimum. I can not understand people coming into a house with shoes on - but I guess that is a whole other conversation. I would complain to the agents OP, they have insurance for any damage caused during viewings.

Quickchangeartiste · 09/08/2021 09:40

That’s so rude. Last time I sold, in another country, my agent insisted people took their shoes off, children had to be held by the hand and no food or drink.
He told me this after one obnoxious family complained. We had just had the very light carpets cleaned, the house was pristine , and the agent was fussier than I was.
I loved him !
Definitely complain.

Foobydoo · 09/08/2021 09:42

Are you sure someone hasn't held a party at your house? I would ask your neighbours if they notice anything.

HoikingUpMyBigGirlPantss · 09/08/2021 09:48

We had someone viewing our old house who asked to use the bathroom whilst being shown round and he did the stinkiest shit ever (and didnt flush). Was NOT impressed!

Balgoresboy · 09/08/2021 09:50

A bit different but reminds me once when I was a tenant in a house share and the landlord asked me to show rooms. I was doing so to a girl who wanted the room and her bf was there.

We were in the upstairs bedroom that was for rent and boyfriend(both around early-mid 20s) just takes himself off to the bathroom and has a dump and stinks the toilet out. He left me and the gf just standing there talking without asking permission or anything. I thought it was the height of rudeness.

starrynight87 · 09/08/2021 09:51

The agent should be looking after all of this, photograph everything and make a formal complaint.

Badgersdrift · 09/08/2021 09:55

I'd be straight on to the agents to complain. With the high-up gouge and a broken dressing table, it sounds as though someone has used your house for a weekend away. I'd check your valuables too.

HunterAngel · 09/08/2021 10:05

Wow that’s terrible. Definitely complain to the agent, I complained when they left my lights on all day, I’d have exploded if they’d damaged the place!

Sparklesocks · 09/08/2021 10:12

That’s ridiculous, and who even takes juice into a house viewing?
If anything I’m overly cautious at viewings, it’s someone else’s home. It feels awkward to be having a nose around sometimes, surely most people wouldn’t dream of pawing at the furniture.

Definitely complain to your agent.

VictoriousPlum · 09/08/2021 10:19

It's the agent's fault. We viewed one recently and were given instructions about beig careful in the flat e.g. taking shoes off, not bringing in drinks.

VictoriousPlum · 09/08/2021 10:21

TBH most agents I meet are fussy types, you can tell from the way they dress and that's a good thing from the point of view of looking after other people's houses. You have had a sloppy one. Weekend staff?

starfishmummy · 09/08/2021 10:25

What have the agents said??

Thehop · 09/08/2021 10:26

Not okay at all! Have you complained to the agents?

honeylulu · 09/08/2021 10:33

Definitely complain, that is shocking. In my experience agents are usually much more scrupulous, accompanying people round and asking for shoes to be removed, no food/drink/buggies to be brought in.

We looked at several doer uppers last time and I sometimes wanted to try opening windows, turning taps and flushing toilets to check how habitable the house actually was but I always asked the agent before doing so and had the impression this was expected.

bananafruitcake · 09/08/2021 10:37

@Woobeedoo

So house is on the market. It’s taken a lot of work (decorating, decluttering etc) to get it to how it is and I’m really proud of how it looks now to how it did.

DH, child and I went away for a long weekend Friday am, dropping keys at agents on the way. They had block viewings for Friday and Saturday so we thought we’d just let them get on with it.

We got back a short while ago and immediately I spot a big red juice spill on my previously clean doormat. Going through the house I discover dirty/greasy hand drags on almost every wall, a gouge out of the wall 7ft high (how?!), a cracked dressing table where someone has either sat or leant heavily on it, scuffs on one bedroom wall and the most filthy bannister hand rail - when I wiped it, it came away grey. Don’t people wash their flipping hands?

I’m not asking for people to wear silk slippers, cotton gloves and tip toe through the house not daring to even breathe but a little bit of respect for someone else’s home is a given surely? As the home owner I shouldn’t be expected to have to fix furniture and re-paint walls after just 10 house viewings.

Urgh. I probably need to be more zen during this process but I’m not impressed right now.

I sympathise with you. Someone ripped an iron bannister off the wall when we were selling our house
SarahAndQuack · 09/08/2021 10:47

The agents should definitely be taking responsibility there.

I stayed in when the house I rent was put on the market - I just sat in a corner working quietly as I needed to work and there was nowhere else I could be - and it amazed me how rude some people were. A couple of blokes just opened the door and walked in off the street without knocking or waiting for the agent to come and let them in, which really pissed me off.