BristolUK

I don't know if this is a problem with people or kijiji users.

In my early days as a landlord advertising vacancies, I found about a third of those with viewing appointments didn't keep them. In my final 2 or 3 years it rose to half.

Of those keeping appointments maybe a third would come up with questions, the answer to which were very clearly in the listing.

There were other issues which, while nothing to do with kijiji, result from advertising with them and would result in re-advertising with them so many frustrations were associated with the kijiji experience.

Fast forward and I'm no longer a landlord but we want a change of 'look' at home, buying some new things and reorganising.

It means disposing of some things - give-aways, try to sell or just dump.

General enquiries aside I've had five parties making positive arrangements to look.

The first couple said the sofa needed a lot of cleaning. It didn't. It already had been and that was the reason why I decided to try to sell rather than get nothing for it. He wanted it, she didn't. She won.

The second couple were actually looking for a three-seater, not the two-seater advertised. So why come then? As it happened, she liked it and wanted it, him less so but she was going to return with her brother and his truck later. They didn't return.

I then had a guy who was in for some give-aways. I was actually going to throw in the sofa (and he knew this, it being what he was most interested in to begin with) along with the two things he asked for from my list of available free stuff. I asked him three times when he might be able to collect. He answered OK, then Okay and then he disappeared. After we'd brought things down and made it convenient to collect but not inconvenient to us as it was in the way.

Someone advertised wanting a free mattress although she was willing to pay up to $25. We had a bed to dispose of it was an alternative way of freeing some space. But there was no point in just offering the mattress if we were still left with the box spring, so I offered her the set free, if she could take it all.

She jumped at the chance and sounded very excited and grateful. But when they came to collect, it seemed unlikely their vehicle was big enough. She said we only need the mattress (actually, I had also seen her other ad wanting the whole bed) but hubby pointed out I was willing to give it away because it was the whole thing and it wouldn't be fair to agree that and just take part. Hooray, at last, for someone fair minded. They managed to get it in and drove off with the back door open.

By now I was well fed up with memories of previous kijiji experiences. I was about to say sod it, we'll just throw everything out. The only thing that pulled me back was that when people were letting me down by not showing up at the rental property, or showing up but wasting my time, I wasn't actually inconvenienced by having to go over there to meet them. Or if I'd had, say, a 12.00pm viewing and a 2.00pm one to follow waiting there rather than come home and go back...and then it was all in vain because they wouldn't turn up.

So onto today. A new day. Someone interested in the sofa again. There was still interest from others even after it fell to page 4. Although I could be available any time today there were things I had to do and wanted to do. But I let her choose the time and I worked around that.

I missed watching the footie because I went to buy some needed provisions. At least I could watch the final game instead. Even if she was late, she could have looked, decided and gone leaving me time for kick off.

I also had to arrange the stuff that was in the way thanks to the other guy so she could have an unobstructed look at the sofa even though arranging it meant other stuff was more in the way for us.

She didn't show

So, is this people or kijiji users? What rants do you have?

dave_j

It's all about responsibility and how you were brought up.
My father was like me, if you said you'd do something then you moved heaven and earth to make it so. I suppose it's why I'm reluctant to promise anything unless I'm sure that I can see it through. It can make decision making sound a bit wooly sometimes.
Like you, it riles me when it's so easy to let someone know if you can't make it, smacks of me first - you don't matter attitude.

scrubbedexpat091

When I did hiring at a previous job, I would maybe have 50% of those who scheduled an interview actually show up.

Heck some of the 20 somethings I have worked with don't show up for work when scheduled and tend to not call.

Dorothy

Our local community has a Facebook page with over 1000 members. Over the past few months there's been an increase in the amount of people bitching about rising crime and what can someone do to sort it out? So , I register and start a neighbourhood watch group. I advertise it on the page, I tell people about it and say tell others. First meeting had a grand total of 18 people show. Ok, so we'll try again at a time that's more convenient. Second meeting had 20. 3 people volunteer to actually get involved.

Me? I told them good luck with it, I'm out.