AIBU to think shoes off and bare feet at a house viewing is odd?

[Duckrabbit]

I went to view a house today and the estate agent told me to remove my shoes, so I ended up walking around the house in bare feet, which felt very uncomfortable. My shoes were not visibly dirty, btw.

I am shoes off at home, and prefer visitors to do the same, but AIBU to think this is weird for a viewing? I wouldn't want people walking around my house bare foot.

Totally normal. It wouldn't have bothered me but I do recall viewimg one house that was so dirty that I wouldn't have taken off my shoes if asked.

Perhaps we need to carry flipflops/slippers when viewing.

I find it poor manners if people don’t offer to take their shoes off. What makes you think I want dirty shoes on my carpet?

Not weird. Do people expect to traipse around people's houses including their bedrooms with their shoes on?! 🤢

When I went to view a new build house I was about to remove my shoes as I walked in (as I’ve been brought up to do) but was given those blue thingies to put over my shoes instead. I would never walk into a house unprepared to remove my shoes. Because socks are a thing. Do you go shoe shopping wearing no socks? Outside shoes or bare feet should not be walking around a house you’re viewing. It’s common decency in a home you don’t own. Being hot isn’t an excuse, it’s hygiene!

We haven’t had a “shooz off” thread for ages! Pass the popcorn.

As for those blue shoe cover thingies: won’t someone think of the single-use plastic waste?

Least you can find out how likely you are to need all new carpets if you buy the house . If your socks are filthy after the viewing then imagine what other cleanliness issues you're gonna be left with 🙃

They probably don't really want your naked feet on their carpets either, but they had to go for a blanket request for shoes off or not. Seems relatively new but now common to ask for shoes off. I guess we have reached a tipping point now that so many households are shoe free.

Either wear socks in future or stash some socks or slippers in your bag, and give it no more thought.

Are you in a minority? I don't think you are (except perhaps on MN!) & agree that it's rather poor manners to insist on it.

I find it weird that people are happy walking around in flip flops but not barefoot. What's the difference? And surely the bottom of your feet are not filthier than the bottom of your shoes?!

agree, it’s only on MN, surely. Shoe free house was never a thing (if it even is now, because it’s ridiculous!) until recently

the very idea that you ask supposed guests if they will partially undress and feel uncomfortable is beyond rude, as a host and it’s just bonkers as a seller. You’re literally selling the house, the carpet won’t be yours soon. Why would you care so much that you’d risk putting a buyer off?

no bloody way am I de-shoeing to view a house and if asked, I would refuse as it’s a massive red flag for the sellers to be a total pita. So there

Shoes off house here...
We have shoe covers.
When we sell, people will be offered shoe covers.

Indeed. And isn't that what doormats are for - ensuring your footwear is clean before you enter someone's house ...?

I tutor in my student's homes. I always remove my shoes as a matter of politeness and respect.
The soles of shoes are not clean if they've been outside but my feet/socks most definitely are!

Grew up in a shoes on house, now have shoes off home

Would prefer bare feet to shoes around the house

I wear socks maybe five times a year. A large proportion of people wear sandals during the summer, and of course they wouldn’t be wearing socks with them. Weve viewed around 30 houses over the last six months and I can only think of a handful of viewings where we haven’t been expected to remove our shoes.

Shoes always off in my house. Shoes indoors is a horrible habit.

Maybe they didn’t want the floors scuffed up?

A woman came to view my house and she socks in her bag. I thought that was ingenious. You should really expect to take shoes off. We did it all viewing and people automatically did the same at our house.

I think since we now know that dog poo can cause blindness, is a good enough reason to ask for shoes off.

As well as the obvious reasons that cleaning carpets is a pain, replacing them is expensive, and removing shoes harms nobody.

That’s what I did a few years ago when we were house hunting in summer (not in UK). I was always wearing Birkenstocks or similar and I’m not a fan of walking around barefoot in strange houses so after the first time, I started taking socks in my bag.

I was born in the 80s, the majority of homes I visited in my childhood (which was a lot, between my friends, and visiting people with my parents because my dad was a vicar and did that a lot) were shoes off. Some of the shoes on houses were so dirty I was glad to keep my shoes on! (Usually find it really uncomfortable wearing shoes indoors)

When we sold a couple of years ago I did the house viewings rather than an estate agent, everyone that came to view offered to take their shoes off and I happily accepted the offer.
Before each viewing I spent hours cleaning and generally making the place as welcoming as possible! I would have (internally) raged if someone wanted to walk through in shoes, especially if it was a wet day outside.
When we viewed the house we eventually bought we automatically took our shoes off at the door because I could tell the family had made the same effort I had to make things clean and welcoming.
I would like to caveat this by saying if floors are visibly dirty or dangerous no one should be expected to take their shoes off so in OPs case I would probably have politely refused.

It’s a relatively recent thing In Britain, asking guests to remove shoes; before that, the stock phrase was “wipe your feet!”. When Hyacinth Bucket was demanding that tradesmen (and policemen, and the vicar) remove their alien shoes to protect her herringbone wood block and grade one Axminster, in the early 90s, many people fell about laughing.

How awful, especially if they have dogs or cats, revolting

A lot of people have dirty dogs in the house that scotch their bums on the floor and walk in dog shit