Dog came to our house viewing

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Our estate agent brought a potential buyer round to view our house today who turned up with their dog. I saw them on the front door ring camera carry it in to our house but when I checked the back garden camera I could see it walking on our carpet!

We have a 5 year old and a 5 month old and it walked all over where the boys play (luckily most of their things were put away for the visit) and the estate agent knows this.

The dog also was carried into their bedroom and held above our baby’s cot.

if this hadn’t annoyed me enough when asked about it the estate agent lied and said the dog was carried the whole time. When I told her we can see it on the ring she said she’d make a note that no pets would be allowed on future viewings and that’s it ok as the dog didn’t go to the toilet in our garden.

I don’t think I’m being unreasonable but just wanted to gauge opinions before I speak to the agent properly tomorrow and whether that’s normal behaviour or is as bizarre as I think it is.

It's not OK to bring a dog into your house without permission. If a viewer needs to bring one for some good reason, they should ask first and see what can be worked out, eg for a service dog. There may be allergies or other reasons that the estate agent doesn't know about it.

What prospective buyer brings a dog, wtf?! Equally wtf to the estate agent. I’d be fuming OP.

I'd have assumed that no dogs at a house viewing (guide dogs with prior arrangement) was a societal norm.

Rather like no prostitutes at work, but in 2018 the House of Commons had to introduce a rule as some entitled people have no concept of societal norms.

Of the four properties I have seen recently, all
have been empty, the estate agent has been asked if it’s ok for dog to come. Not one estate agent had an issue with it. Perhaps it’s just more acceptable in the area I live in?

Why would a guide dog need prior arrangement? That is incredibly discriminatory?

@Nopenope99nope

its a few minutes... only if you're buying the house next door!!

Totally inappropriate for them to allow that and I’d also be extremely concerned about the estate agent lying. I’d argue that would be a breach of their contract since they’ve breached trust and take my business elsewhere.

The house owner may have an allergy.

If you can't afford a dog sitter, leave it in the car, or tie it up outside, like people used to do.

Shame about the blind person eh? Surely most people would have some level of compassion and understanding for a disabled person?

I was selling an apartment about 15 years ago, 3 bed, two reception rooms, in an excellent area.

This woman arrived, she didn't knock, sounded like she kicked the door off the wall. A really ignorant piece of work, complained that I didn't have a dishwasher then stalked out. I was furious. It was my home, I'd spent the entire morning making sure it looked well and put the dog in the car (it was winter don't worry & he had a bone).

As soon as she left I vowed she would not be living there, her rudeness, entitlement attitude put me off. I was close to my neighbours and there was no way I would've subjected them to that. She put in a pathetic offer and I took the apartment off the market and sold it for +£40k a few years later.

Sometimes money isn't everything, especially if you have a good relationship with your neighbours.

For another perspective - we live far from family and were moving 90 mins from where we lived (by public transport - longer by car). I was heavily pregnant during viewings and we had to do 5-6 per time. All of this took over 4 hours so we had to take our dog as nobody to pop in for her.

that being said, we just went in one by one unless an owner was keen to meet her (which did actually happen quite a lot, she was invited in) and then discussed the houses once we’d both looked separately. So I don’t think it makes you weird to take a dog but it’s quite odd not to ask, you’re right to flag it!

It’s a private property for sale and provided the owner isn’t preventing anyone with a protected characteristic from buying her house or not allowing reasonable adjustments for someone to view her house then she’s not being discriminatory in any way!

I wouldn’t say it’s reasonable to be holding a dog over someone’s cot or letting it run around a garden without permission. Fair enough it didn’t wee or poo but what would the agent have done if it did, magically appeared with a Tupperware to catch said wee or poo before it touched the grass, or worse carpet?

@Fanlover1122

I suspect you have a great fantasy life, but on the off chance you're legit, what you said just makes you sound like an Entitled Arse.

No matter what the property is valued at, the owners could have their own pets who wouldn't want your dig in their space or someone in the family could have allergies.

£££ does not buy you a life free if being told NO.

id rather have all the pets at Battersea come in than some people.

Totally agree

Eh - not permitting a blind person to bring a dog in…..is discriminatory. That is a reasonable adjustment.

Surely most people would also have some level of compassion and understanding for someone suffering severe allergies which could also constitute a disability no?

All of the properties I have viewed have been empty….and a request made of the estate agent to bring a dog. It’s genuinely totally acceptable in the small corner of London where I am looking to bring a dog!

I totally agree with you but dogs are allowed everywhere now, hadn’t you heard? I’m surprised they’re not in swimming pools or being brought into operations by surgeons.

Absolutely but it should be requested. Just as at a job interview reasonable adjustments would be requested (and should be approved). If the person had a severe allergy to dogs and it’s their home then it wouldn’t be reasonable. Unlikely but surely right for the agent to check first?

I guess it depends on how keen the seller is to sell the house then?

Completely out of order- you could have an allergy, it could have fleas, worms or dirty feet.
Request that no animals or people eating food consuming drinks or smoking/vaping be allowed in your house.
It’s staggering that we are at this point in society where we have to spell out the obvious in respecting other people’s property.
Given the agent lied to you, i’d question if they had my best interests in mind and would potentially change agents, paying them no fee as they’ve breached your trust by lying to you.
Do you think they’ll act and negotiate well on your behalf?

I would never take my dog to view a property. And I would expect smokers not to smoke in my property if viewing.

I would LOSE my shit! When we had our house listed for sale, every viewing I took our two dogs out with me. If we had have come home my dogs would have picked up the scent of the "intruder" and lost their shit!! especially my male as he would have tried to mark where he smelt the other dog, especially if it was a male!! Time to fire that agent and find a trustworthy one!

This is an interesting one.

I'd be surprised if the duty to make reasonable adjustments or not behave in a discriminatory manner applies to an individual householder, under equality law (from which you're using terminology).

Of course, it would be appropriate morally.

It also raises interesting questions about how a blind person might approach a house viewing: presumably bungalows only, smells important, accessible area.