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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give honest feedback to estate agent?

101 replies

Apricotily · 17/08/2025 14:25

Do you give truthful negative feedback when viewing a house with an estate agent? I'm autistic but can mask what I feel and say, when I know that saying the truth might offend someone. To me, looking at a house with an estate agent isn't this sort of situation. Hope that makes sense.

We've viewed a few houses this week with estate agents. One seemed incredibly offended when I share my thoughts, e.g. she was saying how wonderful the kitchen was, I said that it was clearly 20 years old and even then wasn't a great kitchen. She asked what I meant, so I explained that it was a cheap, plastic kitchen, which it was! It was wood effect laminate and blue plastic worktop. She made me repeat what I had said, presumably to embarass me. What's the point of this?

There were other features that I liked and said so, e.g. the garden was small and mostly pebbles, I said how nice it looked and that we wanted a low maintenance garden. Other people might well have been put off and said they would prefer a larger garden, or a lawn. Surely they need to give genuine feedback to their clients? I've had other estate agents say that it is "refreshing" to hear genuine feedback, which I think is probably indicative that they aren't used to it.

When we sold our house, any feedback was useful. Some of it we could do something about, some not, e.g. people who thought our garden was too small, it's a fair point but nothing we could do. People who thought the kitchen was dated, we could do something about, e.g. new cupboard doors in a more fashionable colour.

OP posts:
Clairey1986 · 17/08/2025 14:30

Yanbu, that’s the point of an estate agent that you can say something to them vs the owner. A good estate agent would have responded by confirming how functional the kitchen was which would allow you to keep it until it could be upgraded, or/and note this was reflected in the price of the house.

Not everyone will be as direct so it probably is a shock but you’re not doing anything wrong.

Unverified · 17/08/2025 14:31

Well yes I do
it for any other purpose aside from the EA understanding more about what I’m looking for and what I don’t like in a property - so that the search is more tailored to my requirements

and if that means saying… I absolutely hated the layout and the cost of making the interior remotely decent would be too much, then happy to say it

Riverswims · 17/08/2025 14:32

yeah you don’t need to talk like that

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 14:33

The one time you should be over honest is when house hunting. Their job is to sell you the house you want. No point sugar coating it. You hated the kitchen it was old and cheap. You don’t want an old cheap kitchen. Estate agent should then take this into account when pushing other houses for viewings.

Arlanymor · 17/08/2025 14:33

I agree with you - the estate agents don't live in the home and so shouldn't take any feedback - positive or negative - personally. And, if they really want to do a good job for their clients, then they should be open to feedback so that they can pass this on to the client so that changes/improvements can be made if needed.

If ten people visit a house and eight of them say: "I hate the red feature wall in the dining room" then that's an easy thing to change and could make all the difference to how other potential buyers view the house. As long as you are not plain rude - which I am sure you are not - then there is nothing wrong with constructive feedback - it also works both ways, if certain things are a red line for you they can apply that to your preferences when seeking other potential properties to show you.

When I was looking for my current place (albeit I rent until I win the lottery and can afford to buy where I live!) having a parking space was vital for me. I'm not leaving my car on the street - I need a dedicated space - the amount of agents who didn't pay attention to that make or break preference was staggering. Luckily the agents who found me this place got the point from the start and never once tried to show me something without dedicated parking. Same for the bathroom - at least one needs to have an exterior window - not the ensuite necessarily, but certainly the main bathroom. That's my preference, it's not rude.

InSpainTheRain · 17/08/2025 14:35

YANBU it's valid feedback and should help the EA understand what you are searching for and why the property is not selling. I also had similar a few years ago and said for that price is expect a much better kitchen. But the EA took issue with it when I was just being objective. I just reminded her in a nice way it wasn't personal and she had asked for thr feedback.

OnAMissionToLoseWeight · 17/08/2025 14:40

I gave honest feedback about a house and stated that:

  • there was an overwhelming smell of pets (numerous cats and dogs lived there)
  • it lacked light (dark furniture/wallpaper and paint colours).
  • kitchen was crammed full of stuff(tumble dryer was on worktop next to sink!).

The EA was clearly offended by my remarks and couldn’t get me off the call quick enough which I found baffling. IF i was an EA I’d use feedback to inform changes were possible!

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 14:40

I remember viewing somewhere with my newborn and the house had been smoked in for over 40 years was a sale after they died. Walked in and walked out. I did ask them what they thought the point in that was, I had a newborn I was certainly not wanting to move into a place that needed stripping back plasterboard removing to even try and remove the smell. Told them I certainly did not want to view houses with yellow smoker stain and stale smell.

My red lines. Must have a drive, large garden, shower, kitchen must be safely useable and not have something like bright blue cupboards. Don’t show me houses with baths only going you could put in a shower, because I just cannot bath so no good. Don’t want to be walking half a mile in the rain with shopping because it’s a fight for parking spaces, no postage stamp gardens because no thank you.

Apricotily · 17/08/2025 14:49

The house was absolutely top price for the size and location, so the dated kitchen and bathroom were not reflected in the price. There were other features that were similarly done on the cheap too, e.g. thick UPVC bars on the patio doors that obscured the amazing view. Again she pretended not to understand what we meant when we commented on this.

I'm sure she won't have given the vendor our real feedback. She decided herself that the house was too small for us, which wasn't our issue with it, and kept telling us that. Which was also unhelpful. We are looking for a 3 bedroom house for 4 adults, 2 of whom won't be there most of the time (adult children working away or studying). Don't think this is unusual, although in the area we are looking at we can find much bigger houses for our money, but given that we haven't found one we love, we are trying to look at anything vaguely suitable.

OP posts:
Unverified · 17/08/2025 14:50

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 14:40

I remember viewing somewhere with my newborn and the house had been smoked in for over 40 years was a sale after they died. Walked in and walked out. I did ask them what they thought the point in that was, I had a newborn I was certainly not wanting to move into a place that needed stripping back plasterboard removing to even try and remove the smell. Told them I certainly did not want to view houses with yellow smoker stain and stale smell.

My red lines. Must have a drive, large garden, shower, kitchen must be safely useable and not have something like bright blue cupboards. Don’t show me houses with baths only going you could put in a shower, because I just cannot bath so no good. Don’t want to be walking half a mile in the rain with shopping because it’s a fight for parking spaces, no postage stamp gardens because no thank you.

So a property that ticks every other box but only has shower over bath…. You wouldn’t bother viewing? @BettysRoasties

Arlanymor · 17/08/2025 14:50

Apricotily · 17/08/2025 14:49

The house was absolutely top price for the size and location, so the dated kitchen and bathroom were not reflected in the price. There were other features that were similarly done on the cheap too, e.g. thick UPVC bars on the patio doors that obscured the amazing view. Again she pretended not to understand what we meant when we commented on this.

I'm sure she won't have given the vendor our real feedback. She decided herself that the house was too small for us, which wasn't our issue with it, and kept telling us that. Which was also unhelpful. We are looking for a 3 bedroom house for 4 adults, 2 of whom won't be there most of the time (adult children working away or studying). Don't think this is unusual, although in the area we are looking at we can find much bigger houses for our money, but given that we haven't found one we love, we are trying to look at anything vaguely suitable.

Could just be an estate agent who isn't terribly good at the 'viewing' part of their job?

HostaCentral · 17/08/2025 14:55

I've walked out of a house with the overwhelming smell of dog. The vendors were there as well. I was honest and said I just couldn't cope with the smell. Rude, but honest.

Digdongdoo · 17/08/2025 15:04

I don't get why the estate agent would be offended. It isn't their house.

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 15:05

Unverified · 17/08/2025 14:50

So a property that ticks every other box but only has shower over bath…. You wouldn’t bother viewing? @BettysRoasties

A proper shower over the bath I could live with, not one of those from the taps types. I mean no shower at all, just baths. Last time our shower broke we actually went away while it was getting replaced, I just cannot sit in a bath of my dead skin cells and pretend I’m clean after.

Our bath only gets used to clean large items like the massive cooking pot and suitcases things like that.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 17/08/2025 15:07

I viewed a house where the owner insisted on showing me around, so the EA wasn’t there. They had ripped out the fireplace ‘to take to the next house’ and left a huge gaping hole, the cream carpet in the living room had a massive stain (it looked like a paint spill), the kitchen was sticky with grease and I wasn’t allowed to open any of the built in wardrobe doors to see whether they had shelves/rails, etc as ‘they’d promised their young daughter that they wouldn’t let anyone look in her wardrobe. I gave all this feedback to the EA and he just said ‘yeah, that’s what everyone else has said about that house’. So why didn’t EA tell me what I was walking into or tell the vendor to sort the issues? I think you’re right to give honest feedback OP, but it more often then not falls on deaf ears.

Apricotily · 17/08/2025 15:09

Arlanymor · 17/08/2025 14:50

Could just be an estate agent who isn't terribly good at the 'viewing' part of their job?

It was the manager of the Estate Agents. We viewed some houses with her previously, she was helpful and said she would send printed details by post, as she didn't have them with her. Never received anything. TBH most estate agents seem to be pretty poor at many aspects of their basic job, but trying to shame a prime purchaser (we have sold our house and are renting whilst looking for a new house) for not liking an over-priced property doesn't seem the way to make a sale.

We viewed another house later with the vendor. I didn't tell him how much I disliked the customised radiators that he'd spent a small fortune on, as I felt that would be rude. I will feedback to the estate agent that the price seemed to have been inflated by how much he'd spent on expensive features that weren't to everyone's taste.

However I do think people should decorate, furnish and use their own homes exactly how they like. Just don't expect other people to like it as much as you do, if you are hoping to sell within 4 years of purchase at a massive price increase. He was telling me that the chandeliers cost £11k each! I quite liked them but not as much as a new car. But each to their own.

OP posts:
Digdongdoo · 17/08/2025 15:09

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 15:05

A proper shower over the bath I could live with, not one of those from the taps types. I mean no shower at all, just baths. Last time our shower broke we actually went away while it was getting replaced, I just cannot sit in a bath of my dead skin cells and pretend I’m clean after.

Our bath only gets used to clean large items like the massive cooking pot and suitcases things like that.

Hah. We thought we bought a house with a shower. Moving day came around and they'd taken the bloody thing with them 😂there's no guarantees with these things

Arlanymor · 17/08/2025 15:11

Apricotily · 17/08/2025 15:09

It was the manager of the Estate Agents. We viewed some houses with her previously, she was helpful and said she would send printed details by post, as she didn't have them with her. Never received anything. TBH most estate agents seem to be pretty poor at many aspects of their basic job, but trying to shame a prime purchaser (we have sold our house and are renting whilst looking for a new house) for not liking an over-priced property doesn't seem the way to make a sale.

We viewed another house later with the vendor. I didn't tell him how much I disliked the customised radiators that he'd spent a small fortune on, as I felt that would be rude. I will feedback to the estate agent that the price seemed to have been inflated by how much he'd spent on expensive features that weren't to everyone's taste.

However I do think people should decorate, furnish and use their own homes exactly how they like. Just don't expect other people to like it as much as you do, if you are hoping to sell within 4 years of purchase at a massive price increase. He was telling me that the chandeliers cost £11k each! I quite liked them but not as much as a new car. But each to their own.

Totally agree with you.

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 15:13

Digdongdoo · 17/08/2025 15:09

Hah. We thought we bought a house with a shower. Moving day came around and they'd taken the bloody thing with them 😂there's no guarantees with these things

The cheeky shits. I think I’d genuinely cry. After a long day moving and cleaning I want a take away, Prosecco and a long relaxing shower.

Even camping has showers 😅

Laxoverhols · 17/08/2025 15:17

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 15:05

A proper shower over the bath I could live with, not one of those from the taps types. I mean no shower at all, just baths. Last time our shower broke we actually went away while it was getting replaced, I just cannot sit in a bath of my dead skin cells and pretend I’m clean after.

Our bath only gets used to clean large items like the massive cooking pot and suitcases things like that.

So you’d rule out an otherwise perfect property because of a shower over bath

rather than…. Rip out and install a shower?

Laxoverhols · 17/08/2025 15:19

Digdongdoo · 17/08/2025 15:09

Hah. We thought we bought a house with a shower. Moving day came around and they'd taken the bloody thing with them 😂there's no guarantees with these things

What? They must have pulled out all the fittings and left a gaping hole in the wall

Laxoverhols · 17/08/2025 15:20

Op I think you have simply misread the situation

the EA didn’t “make you repeat” yourself in order to “embarrass” you.

stichguru · 17/08/2025 15:23

Currently trying to sell my parents' property. Please do give honest feedback, I can't try to change anything if I don't know why it isn't selling. Also it's not like you are actually asking the vendor to change something for YOU. I mean our first viewer said the house needs too much work. I am not going to pay to re-paint and paper everything just because one person doesn't want it for that reason, when the next might not care because they want to gut it, but IF down the line I am struggling to sell (we'll have been on the market 1 week as of tomorrow) and LOTS of people have rejected the house for that reason, knowing might make me change stuff.

BettysRoasties · 17/08/2025 15:24

Laxoverhols · 17/08/2025 15:17

So you’d rule out an otherwise perfect property because of a shower over bath

rather than…. Rip out and install a shower?

If I needed to move in same day and there was no shower, I’d have no time to rip out and install a shower. Unless I put everything in storage and go on holiday for a few weeks.

Baths leaves me feeling dirty, I can’t really change that.

I want a shower it’s not exactly a huge thing to require. Im more shocked when I come across a house with zero showers.

Digdongdoo · 17/08/2025 15:25

Laxoverhols · 17/08/2025 15:19

What? They must have pulled out all the fittings and left a gaping hole in the wall

Indeed they did.

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