Question about looking for flatmates

Saaron

Hi guys, I recently put one of my rooms up on Daft.ie and that was yesterday.
Since then we've been bombarded with people phoning, emailing, texting us and I can't get back to them all in time.

I was wondering how people organise viewings? Do you just set a time for everyone to come around and look or do you have a time for each individual person to come around and look?

Victor

Two strategies.

1. Be somewhat selective. If people appear somewhat appealling to you, e.g. you like a quiet life and so do they, similar interests, etc. then give them a specific time.

2. Scatter gun. Tell everyone / most people that you are having an open house and arrive at X time. Potentially tell each person a different time, e.g. 6.30pm, 6.40pm, 6.50pm, 7.00pm, or tell a few people to come at each time.

Put all valuables out of sight.

Saaron

Thank you for the reply! That makes a lot of sense and I'll most likely do something along those lines. It gets a bit overwhelming when too many people want to see the place immediately.


Thanks again!

the_syco

If they demand an answer if they'll get the place or not, tell them that you have other bookings. Even if they're the last one, tell them that you have other bookings. It'll avoid any possible nastiness.

ebixa82

I only give a viewing to less than half of people who reply to my add. Once you read what they have written it is easy to filter many replies as not suitable.

I always specify no couples/room sharing and minimum 6 months on the add. 20-30% would be people who ignore this and ask if I accept couples etc. Wasting my time and theirs, they don't even get a reply from me.

Also I would never give my telephone number. EVERYONE has access to the internet now (they saw your add on daft after all) so I would avoid the headache of a hopping phone and use your e-mail only. I set up a specific e-mail for renting so it doesn't flood my own personal inbox.

conorhal

ebixa82 wrote: »

I only give a viewing to less than half of people who reply to my add. Once you read what they have written it is easy to filter many replies as not suitable.

I always specify no couples/room sharing and minimum 6 months on the add. 20-30% would be people who ignore this and ask if I accept couples etc. Wasting my time and theirs, they don't even get a reply from me.

Also I would never give my telephone number. EVERYONE has access to the internet now (they saw your add on daft after all) so I would avoid the headache of a hopping phone and use your e-mail only. I set up a specific e-mail for renting so it doesn't flood my own personal inbox.

This.

I always use a generic e-mail address to receive enquiries to any ad I put up on the internet, also, whenever I put up an ad I specifically request that people replying give some details about themselves, in fairness most people will reply saying that they are a single professional, or a student or whatever but it’s a good idea to get some information about the people enquiring to help you filter out any oddballs.

Then I tend to selectively reply to a few e-mails that seem like they might be a good candidate, and only then would I give them a phone number when arranging a time and day for them to view the room. Usually I'd pick a couple of days, a weekday and a weekend and stack up about a dozen or so people to come and see the place staggered throughout the day. Typically I’d offer them a cup of tea or coffee, it’s nice to be welcoming and it also affords you a chance to have a chat with them and sus them out.

I tell most of them the same thing after the viewing, I’ve more people coming to view the flat and I’ll be in touch with them one way or another once everybody that has arranged to see the place has had a chance to do so.

BTW, it is a reasonable courtesy, once you let the room, to mail all those people back to tell them if the room is gone, I’d be irritated of I went to view a place and never heard back.