How often agent can bring buyers see my apartments?

[whttodolah]

  I have 2 years lease contract, after 8 month LL ask permission for agent bring some buyers to see apartments, how often per week or month usually its common in Singapore? Ist here any common law or rules?

[book swapper]

Check your lease.  In our's there was a clause saying that we only had to allow them through in the 2 months preceeding the end of the lease (i.e. months 23 and 24). 

We ended up allowing them through at month 7, and the 1st people to inspect the place (and the only people to inspect it) bought it!!!!!

LL promised them vacant possession, and now we are having to move out (after an uncomfortable negotiation with LL - we had to get him to agree to pay some compensation because he clearly breached the contract).

If there's nothing in your lease specifically on allowing people through to inspect for either prospective sale or rent, then there may be some other clause about "peace and quiet" so you should be able to actually set up what you feel is reasonable for yourself.

Maybe you are OK with 1 day per month, within a 2hr period only? That way, they would have to schedule any buyers all to come at that particular time only.

[landlord]

I think maximum 9 visits per day would be reasonable. (only 7 on Sundays)

[Try This]

First, read your lease. If the lease states that viewing must be pre-arranged with the tenant, then set a timetable for viewings. I stipulated Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 to 1pm. I work from home, so this was more convenient for me.  The landlord's agents tried to bully me, but I simply quoted the lease, said I was busy, had to go and ended the conversation every time.

[our way]

We had a similar period while the landlord was trying to sell our place. He tried to get us to move but we refused, which you can also do unless you want to settle compensation. Anyway agreed to have buyers look at the place on one day of the weekend for about 3 hours during which time we went out with my daughter (it upset her a lot having strangers traipse through what was 'her house') or just one of us stayed back. Long story short, it didn't sell as he was asking for too much money and we got to stay till the end of our contract.

[arteybuffety]

I always include in any new contract 'inspection at a mutually convenient time' then when the time comes, I always stipulate a time that is convenient to me i.e 11am-1pm on Mon, Wed, Fri.

[Same Same]

Depends what your lease says.  Mine says "reasonable access"  which Landlord wants to interpret as whenever her agents wants.

Be firm but reasonable, set specific times and minimum amount and notice i.e. two days advance notice.

Be prepared for the agent to ring or text morning noon and night.  You may also want to stipulate that they cannot photograph...

[And!!!!]

Do NOT go out while there are people viewing your home. The agents will not look out for your possessions. Next thing you know, there will be photos of your home and all your belongings on the internet. Happened to a friend of mine...

[annoyed as hell]

This is happening to us now:

LL Agent expects to come every fortnight and is acting like she is doing us a favour by apparently sending away any prospectives who want to view outside this sched.

We never said fortnightly was alright with us.  Have declined weekends and want appointments in day time only but they are insisting that's not possible and want to bring only at evening.

What should we do?

[SAE]

This is happening to us now:

LL Agent expects to come every fortnight and is acting like she is doing us a favour by apparently sending away any prospectives who want to view outside this sched.

We never said fortnightly was alright with us.  Have declined weekends and want appointments in day time only but they are insisting that's not possible and want to bring only at evening.

What should we do?

I am having exactly this problem.  My LL wants weekends and after 7 at night as she says that the buyers cant get off work - but we normally eat dinner at about 6:30 and then have some quiet time with the kids and then its bath and bed.  The last thing I want is a load of strangers wandering my house after 7pm whilst we are eating etc.  My theory is that if they can afford to pay a small fortune for an apartment that would get them mansion in the UK then they can well afford to take 30 minutes off work, if not then tough - the LL did not stipulate that they were selling when we took the apartment and yet 1 month into the lease they started asking for buyers to come around.  I also do not have a maid so every time buyers come around I have to run around and make sure the place is neat and tidy and all the laundery is put away - its just a major pain in the ass.  I even had a buyer ask if the furniture was included, when the agent said no, he said good as its terrible - I was so angry as I was standing right there.  I have had potential buyers take photos, opening cupboard doors and taking photos - I freaked out and now there are no cameras allowed - again if you can afford that price for an apartment you can damn well remember what you saw.   

[PoppyC]

Happening to us too!
What really annoys me is that they say a time and then anything between 15 to 30 mins before they either cancel or say they will be an hour late. I had one potential buyer cancel 3 times I feel I have been really accomodating and like pp we do not have a maid so I make sure the place is tidy and looks good.
I have also felt that we have had a fairly good relationship with l/lord in saying that though we had never asked or complained about anything recently,  we had trouble with the  air con and all of a sudden l/lord demands to see contract for air con servicing never asked to see it before !

[don't tidy up]

Why do you need to tidy up? You're not selling the place and you're already being accommodating. Maybe you should instead be really messy so that viewers get turned off and tell the agent as much.

The lease has no requirement for your place to be in showroom condition so don't encourage more viewings!

[JR8]

An interesting and useful discussion as our tenancy comes up in a couple of months, and we are moving. Viewings potentially start in 10 days time!

SAE, your position, and others, sounds like a bit of a nightmare. You should read your Tenancy Agreement (TA)*. It should include a clause under 'Landlords agreements/obligations' entitling you to Peaceful Enjoyment (known as Quiet Enjoyment in UK Landlord & Tenant statute). Yes TA's usually allow that the landlord/agent can show the flat in the last 2 months of a lease, but your situation sounds far from peaceful and is hence probably (depending on your TA) breaching the terms of your TA.


*PoppyC, same applies to you re: air-con servicing. Read your Tenancy Agreement. If it has a clause requiring an air-con servicing contract, I don't think it unreasonable of the landlord to want to see a copy of it.

[JR8]

Why do you need to tidy up? You're not selling the place and you're already being accommodating. Maybe you should instead be really messy so that viewers get turned off and tell the agent as much.

The lease has no requirement for your place to be in showroom condition so don't encourage more viewings!

Haha! 

I was going to say similar as a ps to my post and then forgot.

I don't know why you're tidying up. Is personal pride in front of strangers worth the hassle? This applies doubly if the landlord/agent are denying you Peaceful Enjoyment.

[$Pripps]

Happening to us too!
What really annoys me is that they say a time and then anything between 15 to 30 mins before they either cancel or say they will be an hour late. I had one potential buyer cancel 3 times I feel I have been really accomodating and like pp we do not have a maid so I make sure the place is tidy and looks good.

One of the most annoying practices here in Singapore, people almost never are punctual. Bloody arrogant and annoying.