Estate agent dilemma.

user1977

Do the insurers literally insist on there being a notebook in the house (with its own special pen)? If there was ever a need for evidence of visits being made, the EA will have their own records.

It would be a bit odd to sack your EA without even discussing these points with them, if they really bother you.

Jonboy_1984

I think you are being slightly OTT for one persons actions, if it was a trend of several I would start to reconsider.

I was present for our photo’s and the photographer had me move a number of items such as chairs in and out of a few rooms to give a bigger sense of space, and enhance the Selling points/de-emphasis the d less desirable and the photos really presented the property well. I can see them forgetting to move to something back if on their own…

I can personally also see some logic in cameras inside in this empty house scenario, as we had a couple of incidents at work where people had obviously sussed out dead spots of external cameras in advance and got away with things. More than a couple on the ground floor would have put me off however, as would more than a couple of external cameras.

bobster2

slackgarry said:

Ok some good points there. Let me try to address them for you.
Notebook is a requirement by the Insurance that needs to be signed once a week to say someone has checked the house. Water leaks damage etc. This was also mentioned by the solicitor.

The cameras are also a requirement as the house is in quite a sheltered spot, No other Neighbor's close by.
Hope that answers your questions.
Thanks

Who's meant to be signing the book then? Have you employed the agent to check your house?

I've heard of insurance companies requiring professionally installed and monitored alarm and/or camera systems. But I've never heard of an insurance company being interested in whether you have small webcam-like security cameras around the place that can be picked up and put away in a cupboard.

sheramber

My insurance states that someone calling and checking round an empty house is not sufficient. 

We lived in a rural area and my husband had firearms, securely locked in a safe inside a cupboard.  We had cctv on the outside of the house for security when the house was left.
Police knew and were happy that it could help them check who had passed down the road , if necessary.

CCTV was also handy for checking if couriers had called as they claimed.

One  potential buyer spotted them and asked why we had them.

elsien

Which is fair enough.

But that’s the outside. The OP appears to have them on the inside as well and that’s why were querying whether that really is an insurance necessity.

GixerKate

You could look at this another way, the Estate Agent is doing their best to sell your house and have moved the cameras to make your house more desirable.  Yes they forgot to put them back but in the scheme of things its really not a big deal.

Would you rather they didn't move the cameras and put off potential buyers?  I, along with others, would definitely not consider a house that was filled with cameras!  Not only would it make me feel very awkward at the time I realised I was being monitored, it would make me assume the area was not safe.

Dave_6

GixerKate said:

You could look at this another way, the Estate Agent is doing their best to sell your house and have moved the cameras to make your house more desirable.  Yes they forgot to put them back but in the scheme of things its really not a big deal.

Would you rather they didn't move the cameras and put off potential buyers?  I, along with others, would definitely not consider a house that was filled with cameras!  Not only would it make me feel very awkward at the time I realised I was being monitored, it would make me assume the area was not safe.

I agree with GixerKate, the agent has tried to present the pictures in the best possible way and put some thought into it that maybe others wouldn't.  Yes they could have put things back but maybe ran out of time. You could have always met them there for the photo's to be taken and talked through any idea's.