House sale & people not turning up for arranged viewings!

I had houses on the market moving in 1977, 1984 and 1998.
It happened then too.
I also remember never getting to see a house which, in hindsight might have been ideal because the vendors weren’t in at the arranged time. Maybe it was the EA ‘s fault?
(I wonder if you can guess why I haven’t moved since?)
But it is a buyer’s market these days I think and people can be very unthinking.

It happens.

Sadly it happens everywhere, doctors, hairdressers etc etc. Some people just never consider others.

I used to run a business that had an appointment system. If I was feeling very cross I would count up the DTU in the book over a week and get even crosser!
One client rang me once from an ambulance to let me know she wouldn’t be coming in. If she could find the time…….
We can all forget but some are more forgetful than others!

Regarding people not turning up - I need a new cleaner and a lady came and looked round, we agreed a time and price and she seemed very enthusiastic. On the day she texted to say she was with her mum in A&E and could she come the following week. I replied that of course I quite understood.
I later messaged her concerning her mum but heard nothing since.
I do wish that if she had changed her mind she could have said so. It seems some people have no consideration these days.

Unreliability seems to be quite "the thing" these days in pretty much any context. There isn't even an excuse for it in this day and age much of the time - ie now that so many people have mobile phones. How hard is it to spend two minutes ringing up and saying "Sorry - I can't (or won't) make it after all. X has come up I have to do". Even just a message saying "Not coming after all" - even without any social niceties and at least no-one is hanging around waiting for you fruitlessly.

The estate agent thing must be particularly galling if in an area where the EA expects the seller to do their viewing for them. I'm in one of those areas now - ie West Wales - and I was only shown a house here twice by an EA (ie and I could see it was a house I hadnt requested to view - and I could see they were trying to fob me off on a more "difficult" house and so that was the reason). Every other viewing here was done by the seller or a relative of theirs.

When I sold my city house in southern England - it was always the estate agent that did the viewings. Even if I was in at the time = I'd just deliberately go out to a nearby cafe I liked for a cup of coffee whilst the EA got on with it. I had 17 viewings, as I recollect, before that house sold and the EA did every one of them and everyone turned up as planned for every one of them.

So I guess it's a combination of living in times where many people don't understand their obligations to keep an appointment (of any description) or cancel it on the one hand. On the other hand - whether one lives in an area where the EA does their job properly (ie does the viewings - rather than foisting it off onto the seller themselves) or one where the sellers regard it as normal to do the EA's job for them.

This househole today was having the conversation of, is it a buyers market now?

That would increase no shows I would have thought.

dragonfly46

Regarding people not turning up - I need a new cleaner and a lady came and looked round, we agreed a time and price and she seemed very enthusiastic. On the day she texted to say she was with her mum in A&E and could she come the following week. I replied that of course I quite understood.
I later messaged her concerning her mum but heard nothing since.
I do wish that if she had changed her mind she could have said so. It seems some people have no consideration these days.

That old chestnut! People today are so unreliable, especially since Covid.
We had a guy coming to put in a new staircase, he was so keen, then, he would not respond to my texts for a starting date- can’t get anyone still & that was last year.

Rude and disrespectful

Estate agents always do the viewings here. We just tidy round and go out so no waiting around. If the person doesn’t turn up it’s the estate agents time that’s wasted more than ours.

Thanks for your replies, I’m feeling calmer today!
I’m up north & we tend to do our own viewings, I think accompanied viewings are more popular in the south or for empty properties..

Sadgrandma

Sadly it happens everywhere, doctors, hairdressers etc etc. Some people just never consider others.

Very true🤬

Believe me, viewers "not turning up" is the least worst form of timewasting. Some people are just socially incompetent on all fronts. You've dodged a bullet by not meeting idiots.
Far worse are the Time Wasters who DO turn up whose nosy hobby is looking at houses for sale, when they have no intention to move house at all.

A good estate agent will try to filter out the latter and prevent them making a view appt , but some hardcore TW's may get through.

I have always done all viewings of our properties myself; because I know my property (and neighbourhood) better than any agent . But also, because it's a chance to assess the viewers/potential buyers myself, very valuable. Especially if you're hoping to attract several bids (scottish system) so you can pick and choose the buyer who suits you best. I keep notes on all viewers.

By the time they've had a guided tour round my house I know more about them than they do about it . Any who fail their audition get the shortest possible tour and early doors.

I did all the viewings for our house and I made no value judgements on potential buyers. Ours is an old house, over 550 years, it has had allsorts living here in that time - and survived them.

All the viewers gave me doing the viewing a positive rating when they spoke to the estate agent. One of the things the reasons our buyers decided to buy our house was because of how much I was able to tell them about the history of the house and the village.

Unfortunately it is common practice these days, you will just need to suck it up. One can't force people to turn up.

Always been the same, probably more annoying now with mobiles and internet as it's so easy to send a quick 'can't make it' message, people just can't be bothered.

Went to doctor yesterday and saw 92 patients failed to keep their appointment without informing surgery in June so far. How rude disrespectful and no manners as you say -wasting NHS money.

My house is up for sale, this Friday evening and Saturday I have 11 viewings. So glad my Estate Agent does the viewings, I only do the 2nd viewings if any.
The whole process is exhausting and I am only at the start!

When I sell a house I always instruct the estate agents to only allow viewings from buyers who have already sold, subject to contract. I am very firm about this otherwise you get voyeurs who have house viewing as a hobby. When the EA, who always takes the potential buyers round, call to make an appointment, I get details from them on the position their buyers are in.

I recently made an appointment for my second shingles jab. On the day something I regularly did, which was due to happen before the appointment got cancelled and I thought to myself 'Great a free day'! The next morning I realised what I'd done. I went in person to the surgery to make profuse appologies and remake the appointment. I felt terrible but the receptionist was very understanding and insisted it wasn't a problem. However I guess most people don't even remember they've missed an appointment, let alone appologise! It seems lots of doctors' appointments are missed. Thankfully my jab was a short appointment with a practice nurse so probably didn't disrupt things much, but I still felt pretty guilty. People shoul feel bad for messing others around, intentionally or otherwise.

Yes, it happened to us recently. I was annoyed as I had spent all morning cleaning and making everywhere look nice. So disappointing, and very bad manners. There was no apology from the viewers, or the agent!

We’re in the south east and the EA do the viewings . They often have an open day and do the majority of the viewings then . However they do have people who don’t turn up. Which is so rude and annoying.
I’ve always worked in dentistry and in the nhs we get so many failed to attend , despite not many nhs surgeries in the area.
In private practice the numbers are much lower because we can take deposits or charge for non attendance.
As a hygienist who was booked up 4 months in advance, it’s so annoying when people fta . Because I have a long list of patients able to come at short notice .

Honestly it’s everywhere now. I run a small charity helping families. When they want something they constantly ring and email. When they no longer need us they often just stop coming and don’t reply to emails or respond to phone calls. Recently someone came with a view to being a volunteer. She was lovely, seemed really interested and said she’d be in touch. After a few weeks I tried to contact her and was met with silence. I think it’s really rude, but seems to be the way of the world now.

Sadgrandma

Sadly it happens everywhere, doctors, hairdressers etc etc. Some people just never consider others.

Big difference is the hairdresser can charge for no-shows. I think GPs and other medical services should be able to charge too. The NHS is free, but no-shows should not be (unless extremely good and proven reason).