Buyers - control your children

bloolagoon

My children are very respectful of others property and would not have dared to open a cupboard. Yet they were once young, sometimes cried, sometimes noisy etc. not disrespectful, just children. I remember one seller informing me that my child needed nappy changed (yep smell zone extreme during a viewing), I said I'd wait the 5 mins then do it later, she asked me to leave her home with the child.

I also remember when one was a toddler asking for the toilet. I told him to hang on (2 year old), seller took him to the toilet, found a step, got some soap (all hidden for the viewing), praises him and really didnt find it an issue.

Children are children but what excuse to adults have for being rude, obnoxious, opening cupboards. I'd say adults are just as capable of being badly behaved at times too on viewings.

Dan-Dan

An adult should be opening cupboards though...

MissE001

Interesting discussion....I've got my house on the market just now and hate the thought of anyone "rooting about in the cupboards" or allowing their children to do it. I totally understand that people need to look in cupboards etc but I haven't thought about moving knives or alcohol from places that I currently keep them. Or my crockery or glasses - yikes :eek:

OP - maybe they'll be your buyers and all will be well!

Errata

Why on earth do viewers want to look inside cupboards - all they will see are the contents, what's so fascinating about that?

moneyistooshorttomention

Now I had read all the comments on here about adults may open cupboards - but I think its not necessary to move things like alcohol, glasses, etc in case children do. If a child opened a cupboard and downed some booze or bleach or cut themselves on a glass - then that would be the parents' responsibility for not having "curbed their enthusiasm" and they would have no justifiable cause for complaint against the seller.

...and yep... Errata I'm with you re the cupboards. I noticed mine had been opened sometimes when I came back after viewings, though there hadn't been any good reason I could see for doing so. I did just look into a few cupboards in the houses I was seriously considering buying only (not the "one look and they're not that likely" ones...) and always asked permission first from the vendor and only requested it where I felt there was a genuine need to do so (eg "how much storage space is there in this cupboard?" or "what does the boiler look like?").

exarmydreamer

I have 4 children of which the three boys have ADHD and Autism, so every viewing I have been on have been DH and I (no children at all). We as the parents always look ahead at behaviors outside of our house and would not 'put stress on others'. I even shop and have food and clothes delivered instead of taking them, something as important as house buying is not for children. We are paying for a house not the kids, who would rather be at nan's anyway.

We will be house hunting shortly again, some 7 yrs after buying our present house and will be looking whilst kids are at school or babysat. It isn't fair on the seller or us as we need to view not be watching what they are doing. I hope viewers of my house are as considerate, as my children don't like their 'stuff', touched or moved.

Dan-Dan

I looked in cupboards (after asking first) just to see if there were any musty smells

googler

Errata wrote: »

Why on earth do viewers want to look inside cupboards - all they will see are the contents, what's so fascinating about that?

If it's a built-in cupboard or wardrobe, and hence included in the sale, wouldn't you want to see what size and shape it is, how it's shelved, etc.?

exarmydreamer

I can understand looking in built-in cupboards as my boiler lives in one in a bedroom. Some older houses have narrow cupboards which do not hold normal size adult hangers.

Tenyearstogo

Not house viewing but similar themes.

I used to be a ward nurse and the bad parents always used to say to their badly behaved children " the nurse will tell you off."

I always replied that it was not my job to discipline their children but to care for the patients and that if the children mishaved they would all have to leave.

The estate agents shouldn't have disciplined the children but dealt with the parent.