House hunters - no shows!!

[Chouette]

Apologies in advance but I'm afraid I'm in need of a rant and to get something off my chest!!

My other half is a hardworking, honest, agent commercial who does all he can to help people find their dream in home in France.  It is not an easy way to make a living and he only makes money if he makes a sale, but we count our blessings all the same as it is a job that enables us to live in the country we love, France.  But what really makes me mad is the increasing number of inconsiderate people who make appointments to view houses and then don't show up without having the common courtesy or decency to pick up a phone to cancel the appointment!

Today is the second day this week that my husband has hauled himself out of his warm and cosy bed at 7.00am to make the 50 minute drive to his office, prepare the paperwork, put the coffee on in readiness to welcome his clients only to discover that they're not going to bother to turn up   It's not only inconvenient and a total waste of time for him, but due to current demand the agency he works for is having to turn appointments away, so these inconsiderate people that make appointments and then don't show up are depriving other house hunters the chance of an appointment too!

So here is a heartfelt plea to all you house hunters out there - please, if you make an appointment with an agent but for whatever reason you are unable to keep it, spare a thought for the bloke who will take time out to do his best for you, who is trying to earn an honest crust and just take a few seconds out of your time to let him know that you can't make it.  Thank you.

There rant over

 

[Deimos]

I agree very rude and inconsiderate. Out of interest, do the “no shows” ever try to set-up another appointment again ?

Ian

[Chouette]

Thanks Deimos - no, as far as I know they never contact the agency again.  They'd probably get a flea in their ear if they did

[Renaud]

These no show house hunters all have mobiles. Maybe Mr Chouette could make it a rule that all house hunters re-confirm their appointment the evening before.

[Creusois]

I know exactly how you feel - I had a client make an appointment to meet at the office at 3pm to view a nearby property that he was so keen on seeing.   He rang my wife at home at 4.30 pm to say he was still in Paris, which, on a good day, is over three hours away.   He then left a mesasage on my mobile at 8.30 pm that same evening to ask where I was  - as he was waiting in town for me!   Needless to say, I have not heard from him since.

And I regret to say that people still think that they can come to France with five pounds, buy a house, three bottles of wine and a bit of smelly cheese and still go back to the UK with two pounds in their pockets.   Hey ho, such fun being an agent commercial!

[letrangere]

I have a friend in 24 who complains about this bitterly. What really gets her is that people want to see as many places as possible so she sets aside half or even a whole day for them.  She may well have put other people off to fit them in, people who have in the meantime gone elsewhere.  She now prefers it if the potential house hunters also ask her for recommended accommodation.  She gives them the addresses of a couple of local B&Bs so she knows where they're staying and can drive round and confront them if necessary.  Taking mobile numbers and ringing them doesn't work apparently, people are quite brazen and she often gets, "oh, we've changed our minds about buying a place" or "it was too a nice a day to go house hunting".  Why on earth they didn't think to ring is completely beyond her.  You are quite right to rant.  M

[opas]

It is not all one way traffic!

When we were house hunting there were quite a few instances when arrangements were made to meet agents, they either were not there or they have you follow them for miles to show a property which is not in the criterea ie either price bracket /location/state of property.

Also immo`s both here and on UK websites advertise houses which are sold but will not tell you this so they can get you through the door to try and flog something else.

Mrs O