Vendor present at the viewing

lookstraightahead

RoisinDubh_2 said:

fiveacre said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

I don't understand why vendors don't see that this is going to make people far less likely to make an offer...

Well you weren't going to make an offer anyway were you? 

No serious buyer is going to decide to not make an offer on a property because of something that temporarily happened during the viewing that won't affect the property in the slightest.

nmight well have, yes, if I'd been able to look comfortably. at the very least I now need to do a second viewing, which wastes everyone's time again, compared to if he'd just been normal and gone out like everyone else does.

Most 'normal' (as you put it) people do two viewings so nothing lost there. 

This thread is a windup, surely. 

Sazzy1253

I went to viewing back in March and the vendor was working from home. I didn’t think it was appropriate as we weren’t allowed to see the room he was in as he was working. Slightly annoying as if never put an offer in if I hadn’t seen the whole place. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d let us have a look though 

RoisinDubh_2

Sazzy1253 said:

I went to viewing back in March and the vendor was working from home. I didn’t think it was appropriate as we weren’t allowed to see the room he was in as he was working. Slightly annoying as if never put an offer in if I hadn’t seen the whole place. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d let us have a look though 

Well, exactly! What even is the point? In this case, it was a one bed flat and he was in the living room, which was the main space! I got to stick in my head in walk around quickly with this guy making it very obvious he didn't really want me there, ...what goes on in these people's heads? Just ask viewers to come in the evening and pop out for 10 minutes?! 

RoisinDubh_2

lookstraightahead said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

fiveacre said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

I don't understand why vendors don't see that this is going to make people far less likely to make an offer...

Well you weren't going to make an offer anyway were you? 

No serious buyer is going to decide to not make an offer on a property because of something that temporarily happened during the viewing that won't affect the property in the slightest.

nmight well have, yes, if I'd been able to look comfortably. at the very least I now need to do a second viewing, which wastes everyone's time again, compared to if he'd just been normal and gone out like everyone else does.

Most 'normal' (as you put it) people do two viewings so nothing lost there. 

This thread is a windup, surely. 

I would probably only do a second one if I'd already made up my mind to offer. The second one would be getting someone else's opinion just in case there was some glaring issue I'd overlooked, but the decision would have already been made at the first viewing.

Not sure what's so challenging to understand here...I will probably now just move on and look at other flats because I don't particularly want to have to go back somewhere I wasn't able to view properly the first time. If you want someone to buy your flat, maybe don't make them feel super awkward and uncomfortable at the viewing and breach the agency's covid guidelines? Could be an idea?

london21

RoisinDubh_2 said:

Hi everyone,

I'm just wondering if I'm being unreasonable here. I went to a viewing today and to my surprise, the vendor was there, working from home during it. This really annoyed me immediately and I felt SO uncomfortable, especially given the Delta variant being on the rise! I think even there weren't a pandemic, it would have still been weird and uncomfortable because who wants the vendor sitting there looking at you when you're trying to look for damp and ask questions to the EA and whatever else? I considered just leaving and then decided to stay and look in case the place was nice, but my discomfort and anxiety meant I really just wanted to get out ASAP. 

The agent has asked me what I thought and I told her I have no interest because of the above. I felt awkward and uncomfortable and I felt I was put at risk. She said I could have asked the vendor to leave....really?? Was it really on me to ask someone to their face to leave their own home? I shouldn't have been put in that position, IMO.

Am I being unreasonable here or am I right?

It’s not unreasonable, very common for the vendor to be in or even be the one doing the viewing. 

Maybe you did not generally like the property.

lookstraightahead

RoisinDubh_2 said:

lookstraightahead said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

fiveacre said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

I don't understand why vendors don't see that this is going to make people far less likely to make an offer...

Well you weren't going to make an offer anyway were you? 

No serious buyer is going to decide to not make an offer on a property because of something that temporarily happened during the viewing that won't affect the property in the slightest.

nmight well have, yes, if I'd been able to look comfortably. at the very least I now need to do a second viewing, which wastes everyone's time again, compared to if he'd just been normal and gone out like everyone else does.

Most 'normal' (as you put it) people do two viewings so nothing lost there. 

This thread is a windup, surely. 

I would probably only do a second one if I'd already made up my mind to offer. The second one would be getting someone else's opinion just in case there was some glaring issue I'd overlooked, but the decision would have already been made at the first viewing.

Not sure what's so challenging to understand here...I will probably now just move on and look at other flats because I don't particularly want to have to go back somewhere I wasn't able to view properly the first time. If you want someone to buy your flat, maybe don't make them feel super awkward and uncomfortable at the viewing and breach the agency's covid guidelines? Could be an idea?

I've bought and sold about ten houses and never felt uncomfortable, so maybe it's you? Maybe it's challenging  for people to grasp your perspective, because on the one hand you're concerned about the pandemic, on the other you're quite happy to go into lots of houses.

Move on, forget this flat that is a waste of time and makes you feel awkward. Wait til the pandemic is over, and then start looking again.

TheProfessional

It wouldn't have bothered me. I can wear a mask and don't need to see the bit of sofa the vendor was sitting on. Would have said hi and carried on looking if they weren't chatty.

Davesnave

Can't be bothered to read the whole thread, but don't expect to buy a smallholding and not see the vendor, because they'll be the ones showing you around and answering the questions an EA wouldn't have a clue about!

nimbo

RoisinDubh_2 said:

Sazzy1253 said:

I went to viewing back in March and the vendor was working from home. I didn’t think it was appropriate as we weren’t allowed to see the room he was in as he was working. Slightly annoying as if never put an offer in if I hadn’t seen the whole place. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d let us have a look though 

Well, exactly! What even is the point? In this case, it was a one bed flat and he was in the living room, which was the main space! I got to stick in my head in walk around quickly with this guy making it very obvious he didn't really want me there, ...what goes on in these people's heads? Just ask viewers to come in the evening and pop out for 10 minutes?! 

Why would someone want to leave a total stranger in their house with all of their possessions entirely alone? Especially if their are 40 viewers per property…. 

That’s 8 hours minimum wandering round with knob all to do. Assuming that people really are only there 10 minutes each. 

lookstraightahead

nimbo said:

RoisinDubh_2 said:

Sazzy1253 said:

I went to viewing back in March and the vendor was working from home. I didn’t think it was appropriate as we weren’t allowed to see the room he was in as he was working. Slightly annoying as if never put an offer in if I hadn’t seen the whole place. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d let us have a look though 

Well, exactly! What even is the point? In this case, it was a one bed flat and he was in the living room, which was the main space! I got to stick in my head in walk around quickly with this guy making it very obvious he didn't really want me there, ...what goes on in these people's heads? Just ask viewers to come in the evening and pop out for 10 minutes?! 

Why would someone want to leave a total stranger in their house with all of their possessions entirely alone? Especially if their are 40 viewers per property…. 

That’s 8 hours minimum wandering round with knob all to do. Assuming that people really are only there 10 minutes each. 

This is true. It's like asking a shop keeper to go out of the shop so that customers can have a browse. 

I don't think I've ever seen such a strange perspective on a situation. Very unusual indeed. Very unusual.

my daughter who is 21 is looking for a house share in London. Each time not only the estate agent, but the tenants have been there. Which is perfectly normal. 

I don't think this op is ready to take the plunge into buying.