Shoes off for a viewing?

[HollyLollyMolly]

My house went on the market today and I have a couple of viewings booked in for tomorrow.

I have cream carpet throughout my house, that I've kept immaculate with a strict shoes off in the house rule.

Would I be unreasonable to ask people viewing the house to remove their shoes?

Me too!

Been viewing bungalows with my mum. I’m disabled and can’t take shoes off easily. My mum is elderly and again unable to take off easily so we had to leave a couple of viewings when asked to remove shoes.

One agent had a brilliant idea got us a chair to facilitate which made it possible so we now ask for one when asked to remove shoes.

Did you expect to walk around a house with shoes on? That's both dirty and disrespectful. People work hard to keep their houses clean, and spend good money on carpets and rugs. No way would I allow a stranger to walk around my house with shoes on.

Depends on the culture doesn’t it whether dirty and disrespectful?

In mine it’s seen as rude and disrespectful to walk barefoot or even to be wearing slippers when people visit! It has to be shoes.

I have an ‘indoor pair’ when people visit rather than slippers. It’s a complete no no for a guest to remove their shoes or to ask them to.

When we sold our flat, the stupid agent took the viewers into our wet muddy garden and then traipsed all through my flat with its pale coloured carpets and left muddy footprints throughout.

I was not happy. The carpet had been kept clean over several years with a shoes off policy and was trashed within half an hour through the sheer thoughtlessness of not taking their shoes off.

I have taken shoes off for viewings. In fact the EA said - there are light carpets in this house, would you mind removing your shoes?
No issues at all with the request

I have a similar issue. I am at high risk for falling when I am barefoot, especially in an unfamiliar environment. So far in viewing houses, when asked to remove shoes, when I explain this, it's been okay for me to keep them on.

I went to one viewing, I'd been walking the dog first, so naturally at the door I paused, and offered to take my shoes off.
" I wouldn't bother", the esate agent drily replied.

I went in, and saw what she meant. Was glad I wasn't in my socks.
Nothing horrific.
But doubt any cleaning had been done in the last year.

Interestingly, there was a workshop outside, which hadn't been in the rightmove photos. It was probably bigger than the house, was obviously the workplace of a talented and incredibly well equipped woodworker. And was clean.

I think it’s a buyers market at the moment, at least round here. Don’t piss your buyers off. I wouldn’t massively object to taking my shoes off, even though I think it’s precious, but shoe covers are totally unnecessary single use plastic and I would judge you hard for that one.

Get some shoe covers. I would want to take shoes off to be nice and polite but can't walk barefoot because of plantar fascitis. Actually when I decide to view houses I will get some shoe covers myself.

I'd always take off my shoes and then put them on again to go in the garden. And same for my kids if we came together. Cannot imagine going into smb's bedroom in boots. So rude.

That's interesting. What culture is that?

Thanks god you still had your shoes on, eh?

Are you taking the carpets with you when you move?

There was a viewing at my elderly DF house yesterday. When we returned there were two muddy footprints on the kitchen floor, near the back door. The upstairs bedroom has a cream carpet and I also thought I could make out darker looking patches on that!

Same - I hate not wearing something on my feet. I guess I'd bring my own indoor sandals if I was viewing anywhere.
Similarly though, I would hate people wandering around my house with stinky shoeless feet!

Greek Cypriot. I’m trying to think of a time I’ve been asked to remove shoes in a Cypriot home and I can’t think of one.

Were at family on Saturday- around 30 of us and everyone kept shoes on and BIL & SIL (the hosts) also had shoes on.

Im sure there are exceptions and I would take my shoes off in homes if asked. As long as I had somewhere to sit! Getting old and disabled.

TBH a cream carpet would put me off. I have dyspraxia and there's no way I wouldn't spill something on it.

I agree on this. I work as a Community Nurse and have patients who are Chinese, they supply sliders at the door for us or shoe protectors. Same with a lot of my Indian patients. Very rarely get asked from white British people.

I’ve moved at least 20 times and not once have I been asked to remove my shoes, or asked viewers to remove theirs.
I’d rather visitors were made to feel welcome and wipe up the odd spot on a carpet. If they want to take their shoes off, they will.

It would annoy me to have to remove my shoes.

Provide a box of disposable overshoes by the door instead.

Maybe the areas you have lived in have been predominantly White British as it can be a cultural thing as @OhshutupDerek notes.

I have been asked to remove shoes or cover them with protectors which I’m happy to do as long as they are supplied.

In summer though you can’t assume people will be wearing socks @HollyLollyMolly which makes it more awkward to expect people to remove their sandals. If you feel strongly about this issue you need to provide shoe protectors.

I’ve lived all over - I absolutely accept sometimes it’s cultural and would happily comply. I haven’t said I wouldn’t remove shoes, I just wouldn’t ask any visitors ( not even builders! ) to do it.

Really? Surely it doesn't hurt to show redirect for someone's house?

I like that agent 😆