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AIBU?

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Original poster

Viewer stole from my house?

607 replies

Calcaata · 18/10/2025 20:29

I have a Diptique candle, 3 wick and cost £180. I’ve had two house viewings today, not done by myself but by the estate agent. I’ve come home and it’s missing.

Aibu to expect the estate agent to reimburse me?? I won’t be able to contact them now until Monday.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
MrsSkylerWhite · 19/10/2025 00:23

180 quid for a candle? Why?

Luna6 · 19/10/2025 00:26

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/10/2025 00:23

180 quid for a candle? Why?

Fiftieth person asking the same stupid question. Maybe read the thread.

Original poster
Calcaata · 19/10/2025 00:28

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/10/2025 00:23

180 quid for a candle? Why?

Because I wanted to use it as a teapot.

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 19/10/2025 00:28

Luna6 · 19/10/2025 00:26

Fiftieth person asking the same stupid question. Maybe read the thread.

Show quote history

It’s not a stupid question. No candle is worth that. Anyone who thinks it is is daft. No need to read the whole thread.

TeenLifeMum · 19/10/2025 00:32

Calcaata · 19/10/2025 00:21

Welcome to a world of people having different tastes then. Strange it took you this long to get here. My friend pays £120 for tracksuits from this particular brand, I wouldn’t pay £1.20 for them. But hey guess what, we spend our money differently because we’re not the same person - crazy concept.

No one is asking you to understand the benefit of anything.

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I’m genuinely asking, when you burn it does it last longer/smell more fragrant? How does it compare to cheaper versions. If people are willing to spend that much then I assume there’s a reason I’m not getting. Completely up to you how you spend your money and outrageous someone stole it so I’m truly sympathetic, but also curious about the item.

BashfulClam · 19/10/2025 00:34

It is sad when this happens as you have no proof. When my parents were selling their home a piece of jewellery went missing after the surveyors had come round (in Scotland the seller provides the survey so it’s done first), it wasn’t expensive but was sentimental to my mother. Absolutely no proof though but no one else had been in the rooms in the house at that point.

DH is also pretty sure he had £10 stolen by the guys who can to fix his sky dish in his first flat. It was a cottage style flat so no communal dish. The three at the beck of the property were disrupting his signal so it had to be moved from next to the kitchen windows to the roof and needed the ‘specialist height team’. Two wee neds turned up, the type of guy that if he fell onto his head there would be no real damage. My DH is 80% sure he had a £10 note in the dish in the living room where he kept all his ‘pocket gubbins’. There was no £10 note after they left. He’s not 100% sure but thinks it definitely happened.

Its horrible to think these people just walk in and do this!

reversegear · 19/10/2025 00:43

I would just bluff say you’ve got cameras and want it looking into.. my money would be on the agent swiping it.

Puppymom · 19/10/2025 00:45

ClassicBBQ · 18/10/2025 20:45

Definitely raise it with the agents, although I'm not sure they'll be able to reimburse you for it.

In 2020, my DSIS was selling her house and a viewer stole her toilet rolls!

As I recall toilet rolls were valuable back then….awful how low people can go!

JustCabbaggeLooking · 19/10/2025 00:56

SeaAndStars · 18/10/2025 21:24

I bet this would be the first insurance claim for theft of a candle.

Normally candles are damaged in a series of small fires.

😂

CoffeeCatsandBooks · 19/10/2025 00:59

Hahahs, loved this!

Nearly50omg · 19/10/2025 01:01

TeenLifeMum · 19/10/2025 00:10

Totally missing point of the post; do £180 candles burn differently to a Yankee candle or Asda own (which I find the same)? I just curious and will never own one to compare.

They don’t need burning they smell gorgeous just sitting with the lid off

TeaAndTattoos · 19/10/2025 01:03

The fact that it was a candle that biggest majority of people on here me included have never heard of tells me that whoever took it
knew exactly what it was and how expensive it
was because it’s a very random thing to steal unless you know the price of it.

JustCabbaggeLooking · 19/10/2025 01:08

Bellyblueboy · 18/10/2025 23:47

I came back to my house once after a family with two little girls had viewed my house to find my cat tucked into my bed, with my pjs around her as an extra blanket and the blinds and curtains closed😂.

not sure where the estate agent was when this little bed time routine was taking place!

😂❤

Friendlygingercat · 19/10/2025 01:34

Many years ago I was moving out of a rental where the agent wanted to do viewings. I demanded that they supply mw with a letter of indemnity promising to compensate me for anything lost of broken. They refused so no viewings.

Friendlygingercat · 19/10/2025 01:49

The above happened after a first viewing when an EA allowed a viewer to walk back into the house after the viewing was officially ended. Needless to say I ordered the viewer out in no uncertain terms. He had walked around the house making remarks about my personal possessions and I had already had to tick him off. I had a real go at the EA in front of the viewers. Next day I rang the office and told the EA there would be no more viewings without a letter of indemnity and a 30% discount on the rent. I left a very harsh review on their website after I left.

I would recommend leaving a very frank review on all the major sites and on the local network for your area. Also withold the cost of the item from any payment.

But then I am a bitch and I hate estate agents. They are reptiles and thats an insult to reptiles.

estrogone · 19/10/2025 01:50

This thread is about the theft of a valuable item In a situation that should not allow for that to happen.

Keep focussed people. The OP didn't ask for unsolicited comments about what they spend their very own money on. If they wanted to spend £1000 on a candle that's their choice and doesn't make theft ok because you don't see the value in a candle.

Sorry OP that this happened. Hope you get it replaced.

Thunderpants88 · 19/10/2025 02:20

@Calcaata I would go with a different approach.

I would tell the EA “an expensive candle has been stolen from my property, I would like you to contact the two viewers and tell them if they stole it it needs to be returned to the EA office by Monday 5pm. If it is returned I won’t report it to the police. If not I will be reporting it as a crime and moving forward officially.

That was you get the candle back and if it was the EA who took it they can return it and pretend one of the viewers brought it back. You allow them to save face, get your candle back and don’t have the hassle of police etc

doorbellringer2 · 19/10/2025 02:31

I’m an estate agent, with morals. Yes, we do exist Grin
I always ask my clients to remove anything valuable before I arrange viewings. I trust no one.
We usually only have a Rightmove enquiry form with their name, address, phone number and email address.
This has really resonated with me. In what other world would it be acceptable for a woman to meet a stranger in an empty property?
I am old enough to remember Suzie Lamplugh.
Should be the norm to ask for photo ID of viewers. Both to protect us and possibly deter thieves?
Definitely food for thought!

Sickleg · 19/10/2025 02:41

Can you provide names of all viewers to police and see if any have form for theft maybe ?
Also some people spend &180 a month on alcohol at bars etc , or >4£ a day on coffees.
If you want a beautiful luxury candle that’s your prerogative. A thing of beauty is a joy.

Trendyname · 19/10/2025 02:51

ClassicBBQ · 18/10/2025 20:45

Definitely raise it with the agents, although I'm not sure they'll be able to reimburse you for it.

In 2020, my DSIS was selling her house and a viewer stole her toilet rolls!

That was need based, not greed based 😅

Salvadoridory · 19/10/2025 03:02

Hatty65 · 18/10/2025 20:31

Good luck with that one! I'm not sure how you could possibly prove that a) you had the candle and b) they owe you that much for it.

Claim on your house insurance if it's that important.

Why is the first comment always so vile on AIBU. Theres just no need to be so horrible. Same type of poster calls for people who nick pint glasses or hotel towels to be jailed. Get a grip and stop being such a sour old piece of cheese.

spoonbillstretford · 19/10/2025 03:02

Kimura · 18/10/2025 23:22

You are being extremely unreasonable to say that you 'don't know how people can live with themselves', simply because they have more disposable income than you, yes.

Nobody is obligated to donate to charity, purely to morally offset their earnings. You seem to think that people who earn well should develop a sense of guilt over it.

And RE: Your charity comment, people in the highest income brackets are responsible for around three times the monetary amount donated to charity in the UK than everyone else. They're also taxed more, paying for things like the NHS and benefit systems they're unlikely to use. As it should be.

The number of people on this thread rich-shaming OP is awful. She's had something expensive stolen from her, that's all that matters.

Show quote history

In absolute terms they donate more. But less well off people actually donate a higher proportion of their income so they are more generous.

DoolallyDrifter · 19/10/2025 03:05

Blimey. I always feel I'm paranoid about leaving workmen etc unsupervised but this just shows some people cannot resist temptation despite knowing it can be narrowed down to a few suspects. What do these people think? That no one will miss the item? The owner will just think theyve mislaid a candle/vase or whatever! Bizarre.

When I bought my house I was allowed by estate agents to wander around alone,open cupboards etc ( I'm talking built in cupboards) I wasn't looking at contents but wanting to see how much storage space there was/could it be knocked out for more space in the room etc. But I was allowed and left to do that unsupervised. As a viewer id be mortified and pissed off if another viewer or the agent stole something and I ended up being under suspicion too. I think if I ever view/move I'll be asking to be supervised in future.

Ring cameras might be the way forward if I ever sell. Absolutely dreadful way to think.

I bet the OP is now dreading letting any more viewings happen. It's not just the theft its the horrible feeling it leaves you with.

Please let us know OP what the agent gas to say about this. I'd be inclined to report as a theft tomorrow to police and get a crime number to present to the agent so they know you're serious and someone to be fobbed off.

suburberphobe · 19/10/2025 03:06

You are a fool for paying that amount for a candle....
I get them for € 3 or so...

DenholmRussell · 19/10/2025 05:06

Calcaata · 18/10/2025 20:29

I have a Diptique candle, 3 wick and cost £180. I’ve had two house viewings today, not done by myself but by the estate agent. I’ve come home and it’s missing.

Aibu to expect the estate agent to reimburse me?? I won’t be able to contact them now until Monday.

Ypu could bluff it ny saying you had cameras