No More Master Bedrooms …

[naomi24]

//Estate agents across the UK are banning the use of the term master bedroom due to its links with slavery and sexism.//

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/estate-agents-banned-master-bedrooms-slavery-a4488896.html

I wonder what will happen to master plans, ships’ Masters, Master’s degrees - and - heaven forbid - Masterchef?

It’s all becoming worse than daft now.

[ToraToraTora]

I wear the trousers in my house, as long as it's alright with the mrs!

[vulcan42]

It seems to me that Political Correctness has achieved the same status as Health & Safety. A lot of things are carried out in its name, not because it's right but because it's convenient.

[Ellipsis]

> Is the term used anyway? ... Just looked up the particulars of a couple of propertis we sold 3 years or so ago. Both said Bed 1.

I agree, ymb. Obviously some agents like Wetherell in Mayfair must still use the term, and have decided to use a different one instead. Smart move because nobody will notice if they use "Bedroom 1" or "Principal Bedroom", but I suppose from what they're saying that a few may take offence if they use "Master Bedroom" so why put them off?

Not such a smart move making a news story of it!

[Ken4155]

Ellipsis; "These changes are being driven by political correctness..."
"... and the dramatic transformations in the buyer demographic across prime central London."
So it's mainly a 'southern thing'. Don't think we're posh/pretentious enough to have master bedrooms oop north. "This is the main bedroom, this is the kid's bedroom, and this is the box-room."

[Ellipsis]

Ken, you forget we're dealing with estate agents here ...

Manchester: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71463336.html

Aberdeen: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-71682603.html

[woofgang]

Ships' masters have been known as Class One certificate holders for years. They are addressed as "Captain" which is a non gender specific title.

[Old_Geezer]

Oh no. What title shall we now give to our young sons ? Perhaps we can call them Miss instead. (Or is that short for mistress ? :-O)

[naomi24]

Indeed - but the Yachtmaster qualification still exists.

[andy-hughes]

Ken - // If they do away with Master Bates, Seaman Staines won't be very happy. (Yes, I do know that Richard Digance invented the characters). //

No he didn't.

The 'characters' first appeared in the Sunday Correspondent newspaper, and cartoonist John Ryan sued that paper, and the Guardian for printing the names and alluding to them as being his characters.

[Ellipsis]

The term at issue is not "master", which has several meanings - some noun, some adjective, some verb. It's "master bedroom", which has a historic meaning that these days very few people know or care about - but some do, and that's what is prompting the agents to take action in their best interests.

If the same £4M London property is listed with two agents, one who uses "Master Bedroom" and the other who uses "Principal Bedroom", and the eventual buyer is put off the first agent because of their language, that's a problem that first agent could easily do without.

[vulcan42]

OG I have a friend and when her youngest daughter misbehaved she was referred to as miss take.

[Apc2604]

The world has gone mad. I cannot master any of this.

[Ken4155]

Andy H; That case was won in 1991 yet the article I read also alludes to the characters being referred to by "Seventies folkie-comic' Richard Digance as well as a "1970s rag mag." ??

[jno]

Digance and Victor Lewis-Smith also claimed to have invented the Pugwash names.

But seriously, "master bedroom"? Does anyone anywhere ever refer to the master bedroom in their house? It sounds as though an estate agent is leaping forward into the 20th century at last.

[Prudie]

People might not use the phrase to describe their own room but every single property programme, be it here or abroad, always refers to the the master (bedroom) - in this century to boot.

[jno]

well, let's see if the change causes the bottom to fall out of the market as buyers no longer know where the main bedroom is.

(My guess is house prices will be taking a hit, but not for that reason.)

[Apc2604]

not taking a hit here Jno!

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/norfolk-property/covid-19-lockdown-causes-increase-in-norfolk-property-buyers-1-6731484

[jno]

that's abnormal for Norfolk ... it's different elsewhere, though - this is today's report:

https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/uk-house-prices-fall-fourth-month-coronavirus-a139166.html

[Ellipsis]

> But seriously, "master bedroom"? Does anyone anywhere ever refer to the master bedroom in their house? It sounds as though an estate agent is leaping forward into the 20th century at last.

About 1 in 6 of the properties listed for sale on Rightmove use "master bedroom" somewhere in their description. A few others use "master suite".

[jackthehat]

'Master' Bedroom is still very much used by Architects on their plans. I think it is more by habit than any belief/understanding what may be inferred by the term.

But as Estate Agents are (generally) prize-plums, in any case, I don't think we need detain ourselves too much over the workings of their tiny minds.... ;o)