Possible buyer looking at an apartment - what are the rules?

[OneMoreFarang]

Currently I am renting an apartment. The owner just informed me that she has someone who wants to look at the apartment and possibly buy it.

She told me a date/time when the possible buyer wants to look. Ok, fair enough.

 

But what are the rules now?

I asked how many people will come. She told me three: an agent and two people. 

I don't want to have multiple people running around here independent from each other. Do I have to accept 3 people at the same time?

 

And how about pictures? I have lots of things in my apartment which are my private property. I don't want that anybody makes pictures of these things and maybe publishes them on the internet. What are my rights?

 

For the record: I visited occupied apartments before myself. I did it alone and I didn't take any pictures.

Maybe the possible buyers are nice people and there is no problem. But I want to be prepared in case they behave like they can do whatever they want.

[FriendlyFarang]

You are probably talking about a condo, not an apartment

The standard rental contracts usually have a clause saying something that the owner has a right to visit the property, but has to inform the renter in advance about this. Further details are usually not specified. Have a look at your rental contract.

Because it's not specified in detail, it all boils down what we consider as reasonable. The agent and the buyers (probably husband/wife) looking at the condo together would be considered reasonable by me, more people than this not.

Most people would probably ask for consent before taking pictures of other people's living space (and if you say no they should respect this), but in case you are afraid to end up in an awkward situation, you could just tell the agent (who will probably be in contact with you to make the appointment), that you don't want anybody to take pictures of your place, then that's clear.

You are currently the possessor of the condo, if you feel uncomfortable with anything you can tell them to leave, that's your right.

[richard_smith237]

Your concerns are perfectly reasonable. 

 

Obviously move any valuables out of the way. 

Ask that no photos are taken ( perfectly reasonable request ) - they don’t usually anyway. 

 

2 people plus an Agent is not excessive, especially if they are a couple etc.

Every place I have looked at in the last number of years has been with two of us and an Agent.

(agent usually hangs by the door playing candy-crush!).

I think you may have to let the 3 people thing slide. 

 

 

How big is the apartment ?(as an apartment, unless its 180sqm people cant really wonder out of sight), but ask them to be in the same room together. 

 

 

You should perhaps also set some ground rule with the owner / agent for a no show etc.

We we were selling / renting out we had our time wasted by a couple of agents and their buyers...  rushing back to our property in time etc only for no one to turn up. 

 

Thus, ask for phone confirmation 1 hour before hand etc... 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Hide valuables, that's about it, let them come, if seller has photos already not sure they will want to take more photos, if they do don't worry about it.

 

If you're too difficult and preventing him selling he'll just kick you out 

[FriendlyFarang]

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You should perhaps also set some ground rule with the owner / agent for a no show etc.

I wouldn't care much about this, he is the renter, his job isn't to allow potential buyers look at the condo. The purpose of the "right to visit" in rental contracts is actually to allow the owner to inspect if there are damages or similar, not to allow buyers to look at the condo.

If there are multiple appointments (either because reschedule, or multiple potential buyers), I would probably accept 2 or maybe 3 appointments out of good will, and after this I would tell the owner that I don't have time, or if he pays me 1k per appointment I can make time. Of course he might cancel your contract to the next possible date, but looking at all the empty condos, probably not a big deal...

[Captain Monday]

You are overthinking it people are looking at the unit not "casing the joint."

I would expect them to take pictures, to jog memory after seeing many Condos.

Just put away your gold bars and the 1958 Stratocaster. And maybe clean up for them. I would worry if some Karen refused to remove her shoes

 

When I looked for my condo in the US I was taken to a filthy room occupied by a young man who never left his desk during the visit and looked like he had been coding nonstop for two weeks. There was about that much dung in his cat litter-box, which was in the shower he obviously hardly used!    Disgusting and an embarrassment,

 

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[The Hammer2021]

I would be pleased if people took pics of my home. I have nothing  to be ashamed off - in view!  I'm trying to think what the OP has that he can't hide in a bedroom draw...The mind boggles.

Also I'm a tad confused because  this OP is frequently  posting about renovation,  building  construction,  household  furniture  options so I assumed  he owned his own place, a condo not an apartment- Hhmmm very mysterious!

[richard_smith237]

37 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I would be pleased if people took pics of my home. I have nothing  to be ashamed off - in view!  I'm trying to think what the OP has that he can't hide in a bedroom draw...The mind boggles.

Also I'm a tad confused because  this OP is frequently  posting about renovation,  building  construction,  household  furniture  options so I assumed  he owned his own place, a condo not an apartment- Hhmmm very mysterious!

Some responses I read in this forum highlight that some folk just really aren’t with it.

 

Why assume he may have something to be ashamed off ?... he just doesn’t want people taking photos in his apartment. I don’t want strangers taking photos in my house either !

 

 

The Op is clearly living in this place while getting his new place renovated - thats not really that difficult to comprehend is it ????

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Some responses I read in this forum highlight that some folk just really aren’t with it.

 

Why assume he may have something to be ashamed off ?... he just doesn’t want people taking photos in his apartment. I don’t want strangers taking photos in my house either !

 

 

The Op is clearly living in this place while getting his new place renovated - thats not really that difficult to comprehend is it ????

 

 

Now that you have explained  he has two places, one he is living in that is rented and one  he owns that he is renovating- that is perfectly  clear except you explained  it to me not the OP. 

Regarding not wanting to have things photographed- no I don't get it- I have had photographers ask to do photo  shoots at my places in the past and lent stuff  to film and photography  shoots  so no I can not imagine any reason why anyone  would object to having their belongings photographed unless they are illegal,  obscene or very valuable.  In my case I just deflate the doll, hide the  sex toys  and stash the collection of Philipe Pateks in my underpants  draw. To be honest in these days of zooming it kinda normal.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

6 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

You are overthinking it people are looking at the unit not "casing the joint."

I would expect them to take pictures, to jog memory after seeing many Condos.

Just put away your gold bars and the 1958 Stratocaster. And maybe clean up for them. I would worry if some Karen refused to remove her shoes

 

When I looked for my condo in the US I was taken to a filthy room occupied by a young man who never left his desk during the visit and looked like he had been coding nonstop for two weeks. There was about that much dung in his cat litter-box, which was in the shower he obviously hardly used!    Disgusting and an embarrassment,

I have no gold bars so I don't have to worry about those.

My apartment is clean. But I am sure someone with OCD will find something to complain.

I am working in my apartment including electronics and other projects for my new apartment. There are lots of boxes and this and that here and there. I am not in the mood to change any of that to make it look nicer for a visitor who I don't care about. He/she can see the walls and windows and bathrooms and kitchen and that should be enough for them to make a decision if they want to buy it.

I will move anyhow out of that place in the foreseeable future. I will do what is necessary - and not more.

 

I like my privacy. That is why I don't like that anybody takes pictures. It has nothing to do with hiding anything.

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I would be pleased if people took pics of my home. I have nothing  to be ashamed off - in view!  I'm trying to think what the OP has that he can't hide in a bedroom draw...The mind boggles.

Also I'm a tad confused because  this OP is frequently  posting about renovation,  building  construction,  household  furniture  options so I assumed  he owned his own place, a condo not an apartment- Hhmmm very mysterious!

To help you with the mystery.

I bought a new condominium and I am currently renovating that from scratch.

And while that is happening I still live in another condominium which I rent.

And for me the names condominium and apartment are somehow interchangeable. I know the official term is condominium but I and many other people also use the word apartment for the same thing.

I hope that solves the mystery for you.

 

And when you write: "I'm trying to think what the OP has that he can't hide in a bedroom draw...The mind boggles." that is a sign of your strange mind. Are you one of those fb and instagram users who post everything about themselves all the time so that everybody can see it? I am not. I prefer privacy, even if there are no dead dogs to hide.

[warrima]

I had a similar situation in Malaysia before i left. Was in a townhouse that the owners told me they were selling when my contract expired. Same thing as you they asked if some people could come and look around one Saturday morning. I had assumed maybe a couple.

 

About 3 car loads of people arrived - Grandparents, Aunties , Uncles , Family with kids, agent - unbelievable. Looked around for about an hour, even seen one of the older ones open the fridge. After they left the owners called to ask if next weekend was ok also - they received a long string of expletive's. No more viewings after that.

[Henryford]

Presumably the agent already has pictures in his ad. Apart from maybe hiding any valuables (which you would do anyway with strangers in the condo) i don't see a problem with them taking a few more. Highly unlikely they are casing the joint.

[Captain Monday]

34 minutes ago, warrima said:

I had a similar situation in Malaysia before i left. Was in a townhouse that the owners told me they were selling when my contract expired. Same thing as you they asked if some people could come and look around one Saturday morning. I had assumed maybe a couple.

 

About 3 car loads of people arrived - Grandparents, Aunties , Uncles , Family with kids, agent - unbelievable. Looked around for about an hour, even seen one of the older ones open the fridge. After they left the owners called to ask if next weekend was ok also - they received a long string of expletive's. No more viewings after that.

That sounds like a "date"  I once went on expecting her alone. A hole  family shows up aunties and kids,  even the father for in depth questioning. . I  had been suckered into an arranged marriage meeting.????

 

Never had a problem with lookers but one rental agency (the owner was golden actually) CONSTANTLY instructed me to be there to do one inspection or another. Once three years in a row for the  same required emergency speaker. Two years before that, in succession they had the buildings fire inspector company check,  BROKEN and BROKEN, no audible fire alarm or PA. The third year these goons told me to be there I flat refused. I told them I would not cooperate with anymore checking but I would happily be there if they were going to FIX it.

 

They sent a nasty email then nothing happened.

 

Can't remember if it ever got fixed, but it got checked every year.

 

There were emergency escape ladders/hatches on the balcony I swear they checked that 3 times a year. So many people refused the building sent a notice these inspectors would be climbing down the balconies on their own.

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

My apartment is clean. But I am sure someone with OCD will find something to complain

I'm a landlord and peoples standard of "clean" varies, my last 2 tenancies were doctors and i had to get it professionally cleaned after they left, not to mention the damage caused due to their heavy handedness 

[daveAustin]

Had this happen in the UK. While a massive invasion of privacy, it’ll be written into the contract and you’ll be obliged. I’d contact them and state no more than three at a time and that you will follow them around. Also request no photos be taken. If you want to be awkward, tell them you’ve got covid. 

[OneMoreFarang]

16 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

If you want to be awkward, tell them you’ve got covid. 

I thought they will find out after they visited me. ???? 

[The Hammer2021]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

To help you with the mystery.

I bought a new condominium and I am currently renovating that from scratch.

And while that is happening I still live in another condominium which I rent.

And for me the names condominium and apartment are somehow interchangeable. I know the official term is condominium but I and many other people also use the word apartment for the same thing.

I hope that solves the mystery for you.

 

And when you write: "I'm trying to think what the OP has that he can't hide in a bedroom draw...The mind boggles." that is a sign of your strange mind. Are you one of those fb and instagram users who post everything about themselves all the time so that everybody can see it? I am not. I prefer privacy, even if there are no dead dogs to hide.

I have no FB account- no Instagram account and no worry about visitors  photographing  my walls, boxes or items. If my place was untidy with work projects I would not be ashamed but I might be concerned about my landlord  seekng 'work projects' scattered around for obvious reasons.

[richard_smith237]

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Now that you have explained  he has two places, one he is living in that is rented and one  he owns that he is renovating- that is perfectly  clear except you explained  it to me not the OP. 

This perhaps serves as a reminder for the Op and all other posters on this forum to spell out the obvious for Hammer !!!!!....  

 

It seems he struggles with the glaringly obvious ! ????

 

 

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Regarding not wanting to have things photographed- no I don't get it.

Thats ok... you can just leave it at that.... ‘You don’t get it’...    you don’t need to, the Op is not the same as you and doesn’t want people photographing his personal space... many people ‘do’ or ‘would’ understand that.... it doesn’t need to be justified to you... but you can accept that people think differently to you. 

 

 

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

 

I have had photographers ask to do photo  shoots at my places in the past and lent stuff  to film and photography  shoots  so no I can not imagine any reason why anyone  would object to having their belongings photographed unless they are illegal,  obscene or very valuable.  In my case I just deflate the doll, hide the  sex toys  and stash the collection of Philipe Pateks in my underpants  draw. To be honest in these days of zooming it kinda normal.

 

Each to their own but were not interested in what you might have in your place or what your imagination tells you is going on in everyone else’s apartment !!!  ????

 

 

 

Boomer zooming !!!  we don’t walk around the house showing everyone our things... 

Even my Son’s school during on online schooling (during covid) advised all student / parents to ‘blur the background’...