I’ve been blasted in a Facebook group 😂 PLEASE tell me this wasn’t my fault??

[Everythingsgrey]

I’m currently in the middle of selling my house and renting a new place. I’m getting rid of some furniture and other stuff. I’ve managed to sell quite a bit and have explained to people that I don’t live at the property right now and asked them to arrange a time as I don’t want to be waiting around for hours. I’ve told them I’ll be coming up especially for it (so basically, don’t show up too early or too late without checking first because I won’t be there, and I won’t hang around for ages either).

I thought I was pretty clear about that tbh, but I guess not. So many people have shown up 20 minutes early, which has been really awkward when I’ve arrived and found them just standing there knocking on the door. Anyway, this morning a woman messaged me about an item. Again, I explained that I don’t live there and asked if 7pm would work for her. She agreed, but then at 6:10, she messaged me saying she was outside and asked where I was. I replied 10 minutes later, saying I wasn’t there yet (clearly) and reminded her we agreed on 7. She ignored that part and then asked if I could drop it off at her house instead as she’d gone home. No please or offer to pay extra for the trouble. I told her no, it’s collection only, and tbh, why should I be out of pocket for her mistake (which I don’t even think was a mistake as she didn’t acknowledge it). I might have come off a bit rude, but the cheekiness of it really pissed me off. She then bombarded me with a load of messages, which I ignored.

Now she’s gone and posted my name and a picture of me in the group, calling me a time waster and rude 😂

AIBU? Why don’t people listen?

Very briefly using Facebook marketplace a few years ago opened my eyes to the fact that there are masses of utter cretins that walk among us. I'd sooner take something to the tip these days.

When I last moved house I had to get rid of an immaculate nearly new washing machine. New house had one they were leaving.
New owners wanted to bring their own.
Washing machines are massively heavy and a pain to move. I think I paid £700 for it a few months before.
Put it on Facebook for £50. Collection. Said you would need appropriate transport and bring enough people to carry it out.
Massive interest. Everyone needs a washing machine. Agree to sell to first responder who said she was desperate for new machine.

An elderly and frail woman turned up in an ancient tiny car. By herself.

By calling in neighbours to help and giving her a load of bungee cords we managed to wedge the thing in her boot with the door open. Before she drove off I asked for the £50. She looked sad and said she thought I wouldn’t mind giving it away and she had no money.

She paid. And scraped off down the road with her knackered suspension and a machine that I have no idea how she was going to remove at the other end.

YANBU yeah I went through this when I was selling a house I wasn't living in. I've waited for ages before after turning up pretty much on time. One did not simply turn up at all and gave me a weak excuse as to why. I've never had them turn up early, but even if you did live there, you could be in the shower or still working, so its pretty rude of them to turn up early and expect you to be there.

I used to give stuff away on fb marketplace, but there were so many rude buggers that seemed to lack basic reading comprehension that it all just goes to the recycling place at the tip now! The council chap there can deal with ‘em!

The problem is that a lot of people can't read properly and/or are stupid about arrangements. I stopped using Freecycle after a number of incidents like this.

Was selling a large three seater sofa on Gumtree. Excellent condition, very reasonable price. Always put measurements in advert. Couple messaged they wanted it and turned up to collect it. In a MINI. We explained it wouldn’t fit in their car to which they were very surprised. Then they had the cheek to ask if we could deliver it to them. JUST NO!!

I’ve sold a lot on fb marketplace but sadly a very high proportion of people on there are chancers or time wasters

it remains however the best way to get rid of lots of stuff
post a factual calm reply “you arrived an hour earlier than agreed”

Me too but with big stuff like furniture which doesn’t fit in the car, marketplace is still the best way to get rid, even taking into account the fact that people can’t read

I did have one who tried to message me for address details when its clear with Ebay you have to buy the item before it'll let you share the details. I had put my town as an approximate location, so they would have had a good idea of where I lived.

And another one. Clearing elderly relatives house. There was no internet or phone reception. We were there for the weekend.

In nearby town for the day. Went on Freecycle and as clearly as possible listed several very good things for free BUT YOU HAVE TO RESPOND IN NEXT 3 HOURS WHILE I HAD PHONE RECEPTION So I could confirm they could have it and could give address to collect that evening or the next day. It was in capitals like that.

One of the items was a huge collection of matching China. About 70+ pieces. Desirable Denby stuff.

I had quick offers for collecting most items. Spent an hour in a cafe messaging everyone. Clear directions on address and timing. Then updated post to say I was no longer contactable. Marked unclaimed items as unavailable. I thought I was so organised.

Everyone turned up. Except China lady. We finished clearing the house. Took remaining items including China to charity shop. Went home. When I got reception I saw I had loads of missed calls.

The China lady got in touch. So sorry she missed the date. She had tried to call me but I didn’t pick up.
Can she come now?
No. It’s gone.
I’ll pay you
It’s gone. Im not there.
I really need it.
Still gone. Still not there
Where is it?
Gave name of charity shop in local town

Several days later. She gets back in touch. They’re charging £200! Can you speak to them. You were giving it away.

@Everythingsgrey the woman is clearly an idiot and has made herself look ridiculous.

Just respond to the message thanking her for posting, then say as per the messages you do not live at the property, so would be travelling there at the agreed time, so it was disappointing she chose to turn up far earlier than agreed then not wait which was a wasted journey for you. Perhaps she would like to pay for your wasted time and petrol?

Good god, the charity shops usually charge 50p per china items, I'm surprised they were as much as that.

Exactly this. Don't give too much info OP because too many words = reader won't be able to pick out key info. It's concerning for society but unfortnately often true. And not related in any way to education level - I've dealt with many final year university students who can't do this!

Keep any communication brief e.g. two lines max "I won't be there until 7pm, item must be collected then."

we have a local Freecycle just for our small area. Gave something away, failed to turn up twice, third time she was going to be late as ‘she needed petrol’ so clearly wasn’t in area we live if she couldn’t get here without (there’s 2 petrol stations within 3 minutes drive of where I live so could go after).
I left it outside. Thing is I couldn’t find the instructions and I said I’d let her know when I did. DD had them. I can’t be bothered to contact her now for them and deal with her so she’ll have to do without.

I sympathize. Not reading messages properly is such a common problem these days. It's especially annoying when people phone and ask you for information that you have already sent them twice, but they can't be bothered to go and check. It's ok to expect YOU to do it, of course.

I wouldn't be telling all and sundry on Facebook nobodies living there. You're inviting burglars!

Report the post to admin and ask for it to be removed. Failing that, screen shot the bit where you state 7pm.

she will get slated for it.

We would rather bin/leave stuff out on the street for people to take than use Facebook marketplace. Every time we've put something up it's like a homing beacon for cretins.

I put a perfectly good, year old office chair on there (worth hundreds) for a fiver to save me taking it to a charity shop and someone offered £3.

My partner once tried to sell some rare Funko Pop collectibles he'd forgotten about in storage that had ended up being worth about a grand. Guy agreed to buy, said he lived around the corner so he'd be round at 7 after work with cash (this was ten years back).

7pm comes and partner calls him, he's clearly in a car and has a thick accent from somewhere about two hours away. Alarm bells. Tells us he lives on a street 5 mins away, doesn't turn up for another hour.

Partner (former semi-pro combat sports athlete, built like a brick shit house) goes out to meet him with our neighbor (one of his training partners, 6'4, 18 stone, absolute teddy bear but looks like he chews rocks to pass the time) and the guy absolutely flaps it.

Says he forgot the cash and only had 90 quid on him, but he could transfer the rest. Can't do it on his phone though, only a laptop. Partner, trying not to laugh as the bloke panics, offers to jump in his car as he only lives around the corner. Guy says he's decided he doesn't want them after all thank-you-very-much and drives off.

There were two of them in the car, clearly expecting my partner (who had a locked down Facebook profile with no pictures at the time) to be a kid/nerd who they could rob/threaten/con.

He's not used MarketPlace since 😅

Definitely reply to her post.

It’s just people on FB 😂 got to laugh despite it being so infuriating.
I had similar although I had people not turning up at all. I’d message on my way over - are you still on for today at 6pm? They would reply yes of course then something between that 1 hour, they wouldn’t turn up or message. Id never do this, but it happened so many times it seems to be a thing!
YANBU at all.

Facebook marketplace is full of some nutters. Have you seen that Australian comedian who does ‘Facebook market place the musical’ ? It is hilarious and will hopefully make you feel better about the situation.

Exactly this.
Same with Vinted .

Just post something like “ Op seems to be forgetting the part where they turned up over half an hour earlier and then wanted me to deliver it. If that makes me a time waster, so be it.”

Just post something like “ Op seems to be forgetting the part where they turned up over half an hour earlier and then wanted me to deliver it. If that makes me a time waster, so be it.”

Just post something like “ Op seems to be forgetting the part where they turned up over half an hour earlier and then wanted me to deliver it. If that makes me a time waster, so be it.”