My plan to stop house-viewing time-wasters | Lou Hannan

Okay, maybe ‘revolutionise’ is a strong word. But from some recent experience with my Mum selling her place, this idea would definitely make a difference.

If you’ve ever had your house on the market, you’ll know how stressful it can be with the viewings.

You’re constantly living in hope that the phone will ring and the agent will tell you the ‘perfect, proceedable viewers’ have expressed an interest in your home.

You spend the next 24 hours frantically getting your house show home-ready, tidying anyway any evidence that you’re actually living there, dressing beds so they look like they’re in a Dreams advert, and hoovering to achieve those perfect just vacuumed lines.

The kitchen worktops are cleared of dirty dish clothes, toaster crumbs and mug marks and the cushions are plumped within an inch of their life.

A few scented candles later and the stage is set – only to find the viewers don’t turn up.

I didn’t realise this ever happened until last year when I experienced just that selling my own home.

Now, with my Mum going through the same process, she’s seen it a lot over the past few weeks.

I know things happen and people get called away but really?

You book a house viewing for the next day and then you don’t even bother to cancel?

The agent waits and waits, tries calling but nothing.

I know it’s not the end of the world but it’s extremely rude, not to mention very inconsiderate, especially when I think of my Mum who’s getting on in years and the whole house moving process is stressful enough.

So, do you want to hear my big idea?

A refundable deposit! If you book a house viewing, you leave the agent with, say, £4.

If you cancel within 12 hours, no problem.

But if you don’t, and you don’t show up, the agent and vendor keep the deposit for having their time wasted, or it goes to charity.

However, you obviously get your money back, as soon as you turn up for the viewing.

Do you reckon it could catch on?!