Estate agent - would you report?

[Milesawaay]

I’ve viewed a few different houses this week as I am divorcing my husband, with different agents.

The one yesterday I was accompanied by a man (probably late 20’s) from what is regarded the main and most popular local estate agent.

He made a couple of comments which really didn’t sit well with me. Firstly, the house has a cellar, and when I said I’m not sure what I’d use it for, he said that he’d make it a ‘sex dungeon’.

The house is terraced but also has a loft conversion, which the neighbours don’t. When we were looking at this part, he said something about having no neighbours means there’s no need to worry about noise which is ‘always good if you get carried away’ followed by a laugh.

Maybe I’m a bit sensitive at the moment, but that is wholly unprofessional surely? My friends suggested I raise it with the estate agents to make them aware…

Yes that's a bit grim. Not sure..I'd be inclined to chalk it down to his inexperience. Would have been best if you'd made an odd face when he talked about a sex dungeon. Yes it's a joke, but it's not in good taste if you were on your own with this guy. On balance I can't say..have to do what you think is right .

I think seeing as you’re a woman, alone in a house with a strange man, and he’s in a professional role and staying stuff like that….. I’d 100% report - he can’t be intimidating women like that, joke or not it’s wholly inappropriate to do.

That's really inappropriate and childish, silly comments like that will lose sales so I'd speak to the partner.

I'd report that. He's in a public facing role and needs to learn not to be such a creepy bastard.

Eww. Completely inappropriate in a professional environment while talking to a stranger. I'd give feedback and ask for a different staff member if you use the company for any future viewings.

Yes. Id feed that back. And decline to be on my own with him on any future viewings.

Grotty little bastard. Would he have said that if you'd had your husband with you I wonder?

I'd flag it with the manager, it's revolting and inappropriate in a professional situation.

He isn't down the pub with his mates, he's at work. He can be crass and unpleasant on his own time.

I would report this also. I’d feel bad about the possible impact on the young man’s career, but I’d also think about how his behaviour could affect some other women viewing a house with him on their own. Maybe you could word it gently, presenting it as feedback … saying you knew he was joking but others might not see it that way, and he just needed more training.

Just when you thought Estate Agents couldn’t possibly get any lower. Obviously he has a one track mind.

email the manager and make a complaint, what happens if you want to view another property with this company?

That is grim.

He is making comments to you but also likely to male buyers who may go on to be shown houses by women on their own.

Its unprofessional from both the buyer and the agent positions.

Being reprimanded by his boss is a gentler outcome than his carrying on like this and getting fired. He cannot do his job and behave like this.

If you think a bloke who says these things is going to respond with an apology and self reflection when a female customer says she doesn't like it, you have more faith in misogynistic idiots than I do

I would definitely be making a complaint. Maybe he was joking maybe he wasn't but as a single woman alone in a house with a stranger his comments are totally unacceptable. Has he not heard of Suzy Lamplugh?

Also, a side issue but if I was the vendor I'd also very angry by someone commenting about my property in this way. He absolutely deserves to be reported and hopefully lose his job!

Interesting dilemma. I would report by email so that other women don't have to put up with such nonsense but make clear I was doing so so that he could be taught better behaviour. That's because I wouldn't want to be responsible for someone losing their job over something that's wrong but can be rectified.

it may have been ‘banter’ but it is also possible that he was testing the waters with a single woman viewing a house, which is sinister, in either case it’s so unprofessional it’s beyond belief and his manager should definitely be informed, it could be that it has happened before.

Thats disgusting of him.
Immature and creepy

Report and leave a scathing review of him online.

It's not a dilemma in my book. He is fully responsible for any consequences to his actions.

It's a dilemma in the sense of deciding which course of action is best. There's no dilemma for me either that what he did was wrong.

It was his way of flirting. Yanbu.

That’s disgusting. If I were the vendor I’d be deeply unimpressed that this person might be putting potential buyers off!

Totally unprofessional and nasty. Definitely report to the head office of estate agent.

Remember Suzie Lamplugh who was showing a client round a house. In the 70s I think. Never seen again. No body discovered. Her mother set up a charity the Suzie Lamplugh Trust, still going.

I'd think he was just an inexperienced imbecile. I don't think I would say anything to his employer unless the comments made me feel unsafe, but I probably wouldn't buy property from someone who consistently behaved like a twit around me either.

I mean it’s a bit weird, how to totally misread your audience!

Is he the main agent you deal with? If not, I would just “whisper” it in the ear of who is when he asks for feedback, no need to ale a song and dance about it. I imaging they’ll figure out he’s not that good at his job pretty quickly, estate agency is pretty cutthroat and offending buyers isn’t going to help you.

That's pretty lame. He needs to up his game and reduce the porn consumption. A well worded feedback email to his manager will help dampen his spirits

I'd chalk it up to being young and inexperienced, it doesn't sound like it was said with malice.

I worked as an estate agent when I was much younger and there are NO qualifications required or training given, you're just handed keys to a house and told to get on with it. On one of my first viewings, terribly nervous, I dissolved into uncontrollable giggles at the sight of the vendors MASSIVE size 14 shoes lined up neatly on the shoe rack. Wholly unprofessional, but I was young and daft, and thankfully the couple viewing saw the funny side.

Just be wary of alienating that agency, if you're still looking to buy. In an ideal world if you complain the agent will be reprimanded but realistically they will probably just have a laugh about it back at the office and write you off as highly strung. At least wait until you've purchased, and then complain. You'll need them on your side if you want to purchase with them.