What are 'reasonable' times to allow viewings?

marliepanda

As part of my ongoing joy with my letting agents and landlord with regards to viewings. (short version at the bottom....)

I am trying to keep this as civil and friendly as possible as ideally I wouldnt mind if the house sold to an investment landlord and we could stay on, purely to avoid the hassle of moving and the fact we do like this property.

There have been a few hiccups with regards to the LA getting access, (demanding to come in to value property at a very inconvenient time, demanding to view when it suited the viewers, not me etc)

I sent a message a few weeks ago saying that 'suitable viewing times' are every weekday morning, alternate friday afternoons, and alternate saturday afternoons. I did suggest evening appointments but they said they no longer do those due to 'danger' issues.

After a few weeks of 9am appointments during the week (and MANY more I agreed to which were then cancelled) I have started to feel a bit like I am living in a show home. I hate to portray myself as lazy but sometimes it would be nice to be able to throw my old clothes on the floor and deal with them later rather than worrying someone is coming round.

I have also started a new job which is very different in working hours to my old job, and is now 9-5. Now I can no longer offer 'working hour' viewings during the week, but will continue the saturday appointments.

So basically my question is:

How many viewings a week are considered reasonable, considering the landlord has flat out refused ANY rent reduction for viewings.

As I now work during the agents working hours, and they refuse to do evening appointments, is this a stalemate (I am being 'awkward' about working hours, they are being awkward about evenings, neither is 'right' etc?

Can I say you can have evening and weekend viewings, which means that they either choose to do evening or choose not to view during the week (ball in their court etc)

You would think most perspective buyers will be workers who would also not be able to view during their work hours, seems not to be the case!

dimbo61

Are you on notice to leave ? or moving out yourself ?
Its much easier to sell a property which is vacant rather than have a sitting tenant.
He/she wants his/her cake and eat it
IE receive rent off you and sell the property whicle you live there and pay the mortgage.
Tell the letting agent that you work 9-5 and will allow evening viewings ( the safety issue is there problem not yours )

breadlinebetty

Why don't you agree to the estate agent having a key and showing viewers round while you're at work? Easier for you - easier for them - and perfectly safe too.

You can't expect the landlord to give you a reduction in rent......he could actually give you notice if he wanted to......if I were you I'd suggest they look round while you're at work.:)

marliepanda

Dimbo- I am not on notice no, ideally the house may sell to a landlord and I would like to stay on if this is the case.

The safety issue they mentioned regarded a LA giving a guy a lift home?? Or something very odd I thought. This is a very safe area with low crime, good lighting and especially now the nights are pulling out, no safety issue at all as far as I am concerned, no more than anything else. Just dont give dodgy blokes a lift which is what it sounded like...

There hasn't been a viewing for the last week and none booked in for next week so I will just broach the subject when they ask for the next one.


Breadlinebetty - I do not want people looking around my house whilst I am not there. That is out of the question. It may be 'safe' in your eyes but I have no interest with people being in my home when I am no there.

paddedjohn

reasonable times are what suits you. if it was me i would tell them one evening a week and maybe 10-12 on saturdays, dont put yourself out on their behalf.

G_M

Wht is 'reasonable ' for me is not the same as 'reasonable' for you.

What would YOU find acceptable? That is what is reasonable.

Put it in writing.

breadlinebetty

marliepanda wrote: »

Dimbo- I am not on notice no, ideally the house may sell to a landlord and I would like to stay on if this is the case.

The safety issue they mentioned regarded a LA giving a guy a lift home?? Or something very odd I thought. This is a very safe area with low crime, good lighting and especially now the nights are pulling out, no safety issue at all as far as I am concerned, no more than anything else. Just dont give dodgy blokes a lift which is what it sounded like...

There hasn't been a viewing for the last week and none booked in for next week so I will just broach the subject when they ask for the next one.


Breadlinebetty - I do not want people looking around my house whilst I am not there. That is out of the question. It may be 'safe' in your eyes but I have no interest with people being in my home when I am no there.

The 'people' will be accompanied by the estate agent, and you can be rest assured NOTHING will get stolen - if that's what you're implying? The estate agent won't take their eyes off the viewers .....more than his job's worth!!!!!!! Millions of homeowners allow agents and viewers round while they're out the house (some even go out the house on purpose!) so I don't know why on earth you're being so precious about everything.

marliepanda

I'm not being precious. I don't think anything would be stolen, I didnt imply that.

I dont want people in my home whilst I am not there. Its a privacy issue. I have offered a LOT of viewing times, and I now want to reduce this and want to be fair. There is no way I am allowing people to just come in as and when they please, and I have seen many people on this forum also insist on being present during viewings.

Can I come round your home whilst you're out and have a look around?

InMyDreams

breadlinebetty wrote: »

The 'people' will be accompanied by the estate agent, and you can be rest assured NOTHING will get stolen - if that's what you're implying? The estate agent won't take their eyes off the viewers .....more than his job's worth!!!!!!! Millions of homeowners allow agents and viewers round while they're out the house (some even go out the house on purpose!) so I don't know why on earth you're being so precious about everything.

I think that's missing the point. I wouldn't want anyone in my house while I wasn't there either. That's my prerogative to feel that way, whether or not you feel it's 'precious'. If I was selling my own house then I might be prepared to compromise my feelings. Don't see why I should put myself out like that for anyone else though. That would depend how strongly *I* felt, not how strongly someone else felt that I should feel.

nathand_2

If you're not already on notice then don't worry, tell them exactly when they can view and make it perfectly clear. The owner needs to make it look as attractive as possible so they aren't going to tell a BTL investor that you're being awkward. It's your home while you're renting. Play the right angle and you could have a healthy payment coming your way.

missile

Seems like it is the EA who is being difficult. They want to arrange viewings during THEIR office hours and don't give a hoot what suits you or the prospective buyers.