Daft.ie - do people not read the ads?

athtrasna

Placed an ad for a friend - they're abroad with work at the moment but will have a room for rent when they get back. Among the text/options, it says that room is available in October, non-smokers only, pets not accepted, and couples not accepted.

Have had lots of interest but all bar one either want to move in this weekend/have pets/smoke/or is in a couple looking to rent together.

I don't want to be rude and not reply but having typed "as it says in the ad" or variations of the same, twenty times already, it's driving me mad! How hard is it to read the stuff other than location and price?

Grolschevik

Many people are idiots. And/or have a sense of exceptionalism about themselves.


[EDIT: I just dipped into Facebook and After Hours there, so:]
Many Most people are idiots. And/or have a sense of And almost all have an unwarranted sense of exceptionalism about themselves.

The_Conductor

Personally- I think its an Irish thing.
I've done similar in Germany- and had no issues whatsoever- but actually gave up letting a room altogether as I didn't have time for all the people who couldn't read the add- or had the most bizarre of requests- such as exclusive kitchen rights, alongside detailed lists of when I'd be in the house (this was a girl who really wanted her own place, but had to share as she couldn't afford not to- but she was damned if she was going to acknowledge there were 2-3 other people living in the house too). As for smokers- seems to be the norm for people to think- 'ah, sure, I'll smoke out the window, then, I'm not a smoker'. Pets- well, its only a little dog, so it doesn't apply? Parking not available- why was my car clamped, its not like its there in the same spot every day (these were spaces that belonged to the local bank). My going away with work for a few days- queue- frantic calls from the Management Company about a suspected home invasion and lack of reply at the door- asking permission to break down the door. Bathroom usage- you know there are 3 other people in the house- the bathroom cabinet and shelves are not for your sole use. It doesn't matter that Kate has an en-suite- any guests to the house use the main bathroom. Kitchen- chorizo stew was probably very nice when you made it. It may even have been edible for a few days- but once you've left it sitting on the cooker for a week- its a science experiment- and no, I'm not interested in trying to identify the strain of mould on it. Elec Eng student- we have internet access- why did you see the need to hack our neighbours. He is a telecoms engineer you know- and is not very happy. Parking again- overnight parking is not leaving your car there for a month while you go on safari. Packages from abroad- the local pharmacy is not a drop-off point for when you're not at home. They do not appreciate it. Visitors- I don't mind the occasional visitors- but if you feel sorry for the local chapter of Jehovah's Witness- please meet with them elsewhere. I live here too- I don't appreciate nasty looks at me in my own home. And yes- I do understand French- muttering about me in French is not a way around saying things behind my back.

Finally- payment- its not optional. I have bills to pay too. I shouldn't have to chase you. Its due monthly, on the first of the month. Its not a difficult concept.

Grandpa Hassan

athtrasna wrote: »

Placed an ad for a friend - they're abroad with work at the moment but will have a room for rent when they get back. Among the text/options, it says that room is available in October, non-smokers only, pets not accepted, and couples not accepted.

Have had lots of interest but all bar one either want to move in this weekend/have pets/smoke/or is in a couple looking to rent together.

I don't want to be rude and not reply but having typed "as it says in the ad" or variations of the same, twenty times already, it's driving me mad! How hard is it to read the stuff other than location and price?

Same story here in London on spareroom.co.uk. After moving here I rented my spare room Monday to Friday, stated in BLOCK CAPITALS that it was not available full time. Guess what 80% of the respondents were looking for?

My only conclusion is that a lot of people are simply stupid

Pawwed Rig

It is not just limited to property. When selling stuff on adverts I have clearly stated that if it needs to be mailed I only accept payment through paypal. All of the people so far that wanted the item mailed wanted to send cash in the post.
Also I spend time to write out a list of everything for sale and get queries about items I don't own.
I think people know what they want and try to fit it into your ad rather than the other way around

The_Morrigan

OP people rarely read the fine print in anything, just the highlights.
Chances are you're getting a copy and paste enquiry, the same as every other landlord with aroom in their price range.

Santa Cruz

athtrasna wrote: »

Placed an ad for a friend - they're abroad with work at the moment but will have a room for rent when they get back. Among the text/options, it says that room is available in October, non-smokers only, pets not accepted, and couples not accepted.

Have had lots of interest but all bar one either want to move in this weekend/have pets/smoke/or is in a couple looking to rent together.

I don't want to be rude and not reply but having typed "as it says in the ad" or variations of the same, twenty times already, it's driving me mad! How hard is it to read the stuff other than location and price?

Is the room available from tomorrow? Do you allow pets? My baby crocodile loves the odd smoke. Is that ok?

hfallada

My mother had an ad up for a whole house and she had "THIS HOUSE IS FOR 6 PEOPLE AND ONLY CALL IF YOU HAVE SIX PEOPLE". Still about 80% of her calls were about renting a single room.

It's just the Irish that do it. Very rarely non nationals phone up about a house without reading an ad

dory

I know!! I have a room up for rent at the moment and the amount of smokers/couples who call is incredible. And a few times I've had people in their 50s calling when I state that the house has housemates who are 20s/30s and looking for same.

jmayo

The_Conductor wrote: »

Personally- I think its an Irish thing.
I've done similar in Germany- and had no issues whatsoever- but actually gave up letting a room altogether as I didn't have time for all the people who couldn't read the add- or had the most bizarre of requests- such as exclusive kitchen rights, alongside detailed lists of when I'd be in the house (this was a girl who really wanted her own place, but had to share as she couldn't afford not to- but she was damned if she was going to acknowledge there were 2-3 other people living in the house too). As for smokers- seems to be the norm for people to think- 'ah, sure, I'll smoke out the window, then, I'm not a smoker'. Pets- well, its only a little dog, so it doesn't apply? Parking not available- why was my car clamped, its not like its there in the same spot every day (these were spaces that belonged to the local bank). My going away with work for a few days- queue- frantic calls from the Management Company about a suspected home invasion and lack of reply at the door- asking permission to break down the door. Bathroom usage- you know there are 3 other people in the house- the bathroom cabinet and shelves are not for your sole use. It doesn't matter that Kate has an en-suite- any guests to the house use the main bathroom. Kitchen- chorizo stew was probably very nice when you made it. It may even have been edible for a few days- but once you've left it sitting on the cooker for a week- its a science experiment- and no, I'm not interested in trying to identify the strain of mould on it. Elec Eng student- we have internet access- why did you see the need to hack our neighbours. He is a telecoms engineer you know- and is not very happy. Parking again- overnight parking is not leaving your car there for a month while you go on safari. Packages from abroad- the local pharmacy is not a drop-off point for when you're not at home. They do not appreciate it. Visitors- I don't mind the occasional visitors- but if you feel sorry for the local chapter of Jehovah's Witness- please meet with them elsewhere. I live here too- I don't appreciate nasty looks at me in my own home. And yes- I do understand French- muttering about me in French is not a way around saying things behind my back.

Finally- payment- its not optional. I have bills to pay too. I shouldn't have to chase you. Its due monthly, on the first of the month. Its not a difficult concept.

You know that post could start a brilliant thread in After Hours ?

I house shared for good few years and never had anyone ask for sole use of the kitchen.
Mind you I do know of occasion where renting students moved out and one left his pet rat for the new renting students.
Thankfully he hadn't left any of his other exotic pets.
What was even more bizarre was that they went to the effort to return it and the landlady had never thought about doing anything about it before they moved in.
Renting in Ireland can be strange indeed.

gaius c

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

Same story here in London on spareroom.co.uk. After moving here I rented my spare room Monday to Friday, stated in BLOCK CAPITALS that it was not available full time. Guess what 80% of the respondents were looking for?

My only conclusion is that a lot of people are simply stupid

Guess what London & Dublin have in common?
There's a scramble for accommodation because supply is very tight.

Mrs OBumble

This is a country with 20% adult illiteracy, a huge chancer culture, and in lots of cities a shortage of rentals at the moment.

So what you're seeing is not surprising at all.

athtrasna

hfallada wrote: »

It's just the Irish that do it. Very rarely non nationals phone up about a house without reading an ad

Actually in this case, all but one of the respondents concerned were foreign nationals.

rener

why do landlords get upset with questions about there own property?

athtrasna

rener wrote: »

why do landlords get upset with questions about theretheir own property?

There were no questions? My point is that the vast majority of the replies were from people the ad states the room can't be let to - wasting both parties' time. If they read the ad that would be avoided. Simples

Pawwed Rig

rener wrote: »

why do landlords get upset with questions about there own property?

See post #1

The_Conductor

rener wrote: »

why do landlords get upset with questions about there own property?

Landlords are only too happy to answer questions about their own property. They get annoyed- when people don't bother to read the advertisement- or assume that they somehow don't have to abide by rules that the landlord is setting- such as no smoking, no pets, no nighttime parties, no business conducted from the dwelling etc etc. In a lot of cases- esp. where there is a Management Company involved- these rules are not in the landlord's giving to waive- they are spelt out in the long leases on the property- in other cases, the landlord may have had experience of having their furniture eaten by pets- or the bill for thousands to replace curtains, carpets and other fixtures- after a smoker- and have wholly legitimate reasons for not wanting a rerun of these events.

The issue being discussed in this thread- is people deliberately ignoring specific instructions in ads- such as a 5 bedroomed house for let- eliciting responses for people looking to let a bedroom- and not the house- etc etc etc

When its spelt out in black and white- its spelt out for a reason- and no, the landlord does not consider everyone an exception to the rules- us Irish seem to think we are somehow exceptional, and as a massive generalisation- that the rules don't apply to us.

Landlord's do not get upset with questions about their property. They get upset at being asked to ignore all the stipulations they've gone to a lot of trouble to specify in their advertisement. If the person can't be arsed reading the sodding advertisement- they're hardly going to read the lease either..........

Greenmachine

Some of the examples of landlord request in this thread are priceless. "Only Reply if you have six people" What if I wanted to rent the six bed and had the means to pay the rent by myself.
On the Contrary I do understand a landlords frustration if someone is only asking about renting a single.

The_Conductor

Greenmachine wrote: »

Some of the examples of landlord request in this thread are priceless. "Only Reply if you have six people" What if I wanted to rent the six bed and had the means to pay the rent by myself.
On the Contrary I do understand a landlords frustration if someone is only asking about renting a single.

You're being pedantic. What the landlord meant is he (or she) doesn't want to let the bedrooms separately- they want to let the whole house. They could have worded it differently- but the intent was clear.

Greenmachine

The_Conductor wrote: »

You're being pedantic. What the landlord meant is he (or she) doesn't want to let the bedrooms separately- they want to let the whole house. They could have worded it differently- but the intent was clear.

I already acknowledge why a landlord would prefer not to rent rooms individually. The point is some landlord ask things thinthey are not strictly enforced. I have been guilty of chancing my arm. I am smoker but smoke outdoors. I have rented rooms where it specified no smokers. I informed them of the fact I smoke but I do it outdoors. So I have rented place where the ad, indicated I wasn't wanted on the basis that I smoke. Likewise I have been hit with a flat refusal on the basis that my clothes would smell of smoke. Oh well no skin off my nose in cases like that.

Mrs OBumble

The_Conductor wrote: »

You're being pedantic. What the landlord meant is he (or she) doesn't want to let the bedrooms separately- they want to let the whole house. They could have worded it differently- but the intent was clear.

In fairness, I did look at one place where the landlord was quite surprised when I turned up on my own to see it: he thought that advertising it as a double meant that only couple would look at it, and he really didn't like the idea of renting it to only one person.

Didn't worry me - I decided within about 30 second of meeting him that no matter how good the place was, I didn't want him as a LL.

But it was quite odd that a he wasn't willing to consider only 1 person for a 1brm, especially since it was one working professional who could easily afford the rent.

Alias G

If you are a prospective tenant and you see a property you like, of course some are going to chance their arm even if there are criteria which they don't strictly fit. Annoying perhaps but hardly surprising. Hardly worthy of a thread.