Viewing Cancellations & No Shows
Introduction
Selling your property can feel stressful, especially when viewings are cancelled or people don’t show up.
To make things easier, we’ve put a process in place to encourage people to let us know if they need to cancel, helping to avoid no-shows.
Here’s how it works and what you can expect.
Encouraging Viewer to Notify Us
We understand that potential viewers’ plans sometimes change. To make it easy for them to manage their viewings, we use emails and messages to encourage updates. Here's how it works:
Booking Confirmation Email
What happens immediately after booking:
Once someone books a viewing, they’ll receive an email directing them to create a portal or download our app. Through these platforms, they can easily reschedule or cancel their booking if needed.
Reminder Email & SMS on Viewing Day
What happens on the day of the viewing:
On the morning of their viewing, we send an email reminder along with an SMS. These messages include details about the viewing and highlight how simple it is to make any last-minute changes.
By providing clear, accessible options, we encourage buyers to let us know if they need to cancel instead of simply not showing up.
What Happens If a Buyer Cancels?
When a cancellation occurs, we make sure to notify you right away.
Here’s how we communicate the cancellation:
App Notification
You’ll receive a notification via our app (be sure to enable notifications for updates).
We’ll also send you an email. If the buyer provided a reason for cancelling, we’ll include that in the message.
SMS or WhatsApp
You’ll receive a text alert, which will soon transition to WhatsApp for more seamless communication.
Rescheduling
Viewers who genuinely need to cancel usually rebook quickly, especially if we prompt them. That’s exactly what the email below is designed to do.
Sometimes, a buyer might say, “I’ll call you back when I’m available.” This can mean they’ve lost interest but don’t want to say so directly. While this can be disappointing, it’s a normal part of the process.
Interestingly, we’ve noticed that the politest viewers often use this phrase simply because they don’t want to feel like they've wasted people's time.
No Shows
We know how frustrating no-shows can be.
You’ve taken the time to prepare your property and made arrangements for the viewing, and our team has made the trip to open up and get everything ready. No one wants that effort to go to waste!
Here’s what we do to try tackle this problem:
Flagging Repeat No Shows
If a person fails to show up for a scheduled viewing, we document this in our system.
Should they try to rebook in the future, we’ll have the opportunity to discuss and ensure the situation doesn’t repeat.
No Show Email
When someone misses a viewing without notifying us, we send them an email. This email serves as a follow-up and a gentle reminder about the importance of attending booked appointments.
While we aim to minimise these occurrences, it’s important to remember that no-shows do happen occasionally, and they’re often beyond anyone’s control.
Final message from the team.
We understand that cancellations and no shows can be frustrating during the process of selling your property, but we’re doing our best to minimise them.
To encourage potential buyers to notify us if their plans change, they’ll receive two key emails – one immediately after booking to guide them on how to reschedule or cancel via our app, and another on the day of their viewing as a reminder, along with an SMS. This helps make the process as smooth as possible.
If a buyer cancels, we’ll notify you right away through our app, email (with the reason for cancellation if provided), and an SMS (soon to be replaced with WhatsApp). Many buyers who genuinely need to cancel often rebook promptly, though some may avoid admitting they’ve lost interest.
No shows are disappointing for everyone involved. When this happens, we flag the person in our system so we can address it if they rebook in the future. We also follow up with an email reminding them of the importance of attending.
While cancellations and no shows are part of the property-selling experience, our team is here to support you and take steps to encourage better communication from buyers.
Thank you for reading.
The Sheldon Bosley Knight Team
Disclaimer
The information in this guide is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, mortgage, tax, or professional advice.
While we aim to keep the information accurate and up to date, Sheldon Bosley Knight Limited makes no guarantees or warranties regarding its accuracy or completeness.
You should always seek advice from a qualified solicitor, financial adviser, mortgage broker, accountant, or other relevant professional before making any decisions based on this information.
Sheldon Bosley Knight Limited accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this guide.
