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AIBU?

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Original poster

To text landlord?

33 replies

Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 09:25

Lighthearted but when would you follow up?

We emailed our LL in Wednesday evening to ask if he would consider selling us the house. We’ve had nothing back at all to acknowledge.

Would send a quick text casually checking he received it? and …
Think it could be positive that he’s thinking about it and checking details?
Think don’t be daft, it’s a no and he doesn’t want to tell you?

OP posts:
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Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 26/01/2026 06:53

reversegear · 26/01/2026 00:11

Sorry I assumed from your title you texted, let’s hope he gets back to you this week. We rented from age 25-40 across 4 long term tenancies I would have loved to buy one of them but they decided to sell just as I was expecting so we couldn’t have done it as my income was about to drop.

With hindsight now we have moved on to much bigger and better things and discovered a whole new area and my boys schools were fantastic as a result, so they did us a favour!! But at the time I was so upset with the timing and having to move.

just wanted to say whatever he decides it be ok, but I do full understand how it feels to want to own your rental space.

Show quote history

Thanks! 🤞

We are pretty tied to the area as DD starts her GCSEs in Sept so definitely don’t want to moving schools. We did weigh up waiting another 2 years so we could look in a much wider area but DH is a bit older then me and would reduce our potential mortgage term even further.

OP posts:
reversegear · 26/01/2026 00:11

Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 17:47

We did email him, not text him for that very reason.

We’ve did say we don’t expect an immediate response and outlined we had a deposit saved and a DIP ready to go, also thanked him for our long standing tenancy which ever way the conversation goes.

I think I just though I would get a thanks for you email. I need some time to consider or thanks for your email. This isn’t something I would be interested in (either by text or email).

Show quote history

Sorry I assumed from your title you texted, let’s hope he gets back to you this week. We rented from age 25-40 across 4 long term tenancies I would have loved to buy one of them but they decided to sell just as I was expecting so we couldn’t have done it as my income was about to drop.

With hindsight now we have moved on to much bigger and better things and discovered a whole new area and my boys schools were fantastic as a result, so they did us a favour!! But at the time I was so upset with the timing and having to move.

just wanted to say whatever he decides it be ok, but I do full understand how it feels to want to own your rental space.

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 18:52

CraftyMintHedgehog · 25/01/2026 18:44

@Futurethinking2026 he is probably busy looking for a new tenant if he thinks you're gonna be buying and moving out!!!

Also possible, but I suspect he would want to do some work in between tenancies given we’ve lived here 10 years and haven’t asked for much in that time.

Also why we wanted to make sure we had a DIP ready in case he gives us notice and we need to buy more quickly. However given we said we would like to discuss with him before we start looking on the open market, I’d hope he would at least say no before looking for a tenant given neither party has given notice at this stage.

OP posts:
CraftyMintHedgehog · 25/01/2026 18:44

@Futurethinking2026 he is probably busy looking for a new tenant if he thinks you're gonna be buying and moving out!!!

Netcurtainnelly · 25/01/2026 18:38

Nessiesfoodprovider · 25/01/2026 14:37

If you were my tenant and you'd emailed me asking this question, I would have been overjoyed.
Like you, my tenant has been in situ for a decade (and a bit). I would have sold by now if he had moved out.
It is a big ask though and yours sounds to be a career landlord, whereas I couldn't sell when I needed to move because of negative equity :-(
I would give it a week and then follow up.
Good luck!

Exactly, text him tomorrow OP. He's probably glad to get shot if it. Alot of landlords are selling up.

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 18:36

7238SM · 25/01/2026 18:27

Is the LL planning to sell, or this was a just a random, cold call type email coming from you and offering to buy their house???

-He might be away
-Might have read the email and forgot all about it, or thought it was a joke
-Might be checking online to get an idea of value etc
-May have absolutely no interest in selling and just hasn't emailed you back.

I wouldn't chase this at all. He has only had 2 working days to read the email and look into it! Leave it a week or 2 at least.

Cold call, he hasn’t expressed a wish to sell it.
Doubt he thought it was a joke given we told him we had a deposit and DIP organised. We thanked him for our long tenancy which ever way the conversation went etc.

Definitely could be away etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 18:34

LumpyandBumps · 25/01/2026 18:02

Even if he is open to the idea of selling it will probably take him a while to get advice about costs, etc.
He will almost certainly be liable for CGT, and if he wishes to purchase a replacement property will need to pay 5% Stamp Duty, so it’s not the easy, straightforward transaction that it might initially appear to be.

Yes I realise all this.

OP posts:
7238SM · 25/01/2026 18:27

Is the LL planning to sell, or this was a just a random, cold call type email coming from you and offering to buy their house???

-He might be away
-Might have read the email and forgot all about it, or thought it was a joke
-Might be checking online to get an idea of value etc
-May have absolutely no interest in selling and just hasn't emailed you back.

I wouldn't chase this at all. He has only had 2 working days to read the email and look into it! Leave it a week or 2 at least.

LumpyandBumps · 25/01/2026 18:02

Even if he is open to the idea of selling it will probably take him a while to get advice about costs, etc.
He will almost certainly be liable for CGT, and if he wishes to purchase a replacement property will need to pay 5% Stamp Duty, so it’s not the easy, straightforward transaction that it might initially appear to be.

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 17:47

reversegear · 25/01/2026 11:02

To be fair email would have been better, it’s a big ask a text feels flippant. I’d follow up next week with an email maybe and a price you’d be willing to offer. Lots are selling up so good luck.

We did email him, not text him for that very reason.

We’ve did say we don’t expect an immediate response and outlined we had a deposit saved and a DIP ready to go, also thanked him for our long standing tenancy which ever way the conversation goes.

I think I just though I would get a thanks for you email. I need some time to consider or thanks for your email. This isn’t something I would be interested in (either by text or email).

OP posts:
Crochetandtea · 25/01/2026 17:32

Call him tomorrow morning after 9am. Good luck !

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 17:30

@BruFord thank you!

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BruFord · 25/01/2026 17:26

I hope it all works out for you @Futurethinking2026. 🤞

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 17:22

BruFord · 25/01/2026 16:31

I wouldn’t text him again now, but what about drafting an email outlining your intentions and your desired timeline. Have you approached lenders about a mortgage yet, for example?
Would you like to complete within six months?

I’d send the email tomorrow at the earliest, it’s not an emergency situation.

Yes we have an agreement in principle, we got this first before approaching him to make sure we could pay it and also in the off chance he decided to give us notice knowing we were planning on moving anyway.

We’ve been to look at new builds today which would probably be our plan B if he says no to this.

OP posts:
BruFord · 25/01/2026 16:31

I wouldn’t text him again now, but what about drafting an email outlining your intentions and your desired timeline. Have you approached lenders about a mortgage yet, for example?
Would you like to complete within six months?

I’d send the email tomorrow at the earliest, it’s not an emergency situation.

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 16:25

Nessiesfoodprovider · 25/01/2026 14:37

If you were my tenant and you'd emailed me asking this question, I would have been overjoyed.
Like you, my tenant has been in situ for a decade (and a bit). I would have sold by now if he had moved out.
It is a big ask though and yours sounds to be a career landlord, whereas I couldn't sell when I needed to move because of negative equity :-(
I would give it a week and then follow up.
Good luck!

Hopefully he feels the same and is just digging out his paperwork to see what costs etc would be involved for him.

He does own a few houses now, but this was his original property which he owned and lived in. He then moved away with work, I suspect also couldn’t sell originally but now has bought a few more.

OP posts:
Nessiesfoodprovider · 25/01/2026 14:37

If you were my tenant and you'd emailed me asking this question, I would have been overjoyed.
Like you, my tenant has been in situ for a decade (and a bit). I would have sold by now if he had moved out.
It is a big ask though and yours sounds to be a career landlord, whereas I couldn't sell when I needed to move because of negative equity :-(
I would give it a week and then follow up.
Good luck!

Original poster
Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 11:02

Generally very good at replying. Although we generally talk by text rather than email. Only use email for things like rent increases etc.

Officially fully managed via a letting agent but after a couple of years in the property he asked if we were comfortable having direct contact after a big misunderstanding re the boiler via the agency.

We’ve lived in the property 10 years, he has multiple other properties but all in the area where he now lives. Not local to us.

OP posts:
reversegear · 25/01/2026 11:02

To be fair email would have been better, it’s a big ask a text feels flippant. I’d follow up next week with an email maybe and a price you’d be willing to offer. Lots are selling up so good luck.

singthing · 25/01/2026 10:57

By all means follow up but don't ask if he received it. Of course he received it*. Asking a non-question like that is a way to force an irritated answer of "yes I did", but you are still no further forward.

Ask an actual question, like "is it something you'd be willing to consider?". But also I echo the pp who said to call him, in business hours. Be a real person talking to another real person.

(*cue a whole barrage of posters angrily telling me they have not received hundreds of messages)

ParmaVioletTea · 25/01/2026 10:38

Futurethinking2026 · 25/01/2026 10:03

Not needing to move out but would like to start planning / looking elsewhere etc.

I know I’m being impatient but such a huge thing for us.

But that doesn't mean it's a huge thing for anybody else.

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 25/01/2026 10:37

Definitely don't pester him over the weekend! It's a big complex decision - you've had plenty of time to consider it at your own pace, I think he's more likely to consider it seriously if you give him some space to think it through properly.

PragmaticIsh · 25/01/2026 10:33

I'd back off for a couple of weeks.

shouldofgotamortage · 25/01/2026 10:31

It is a huge decision for him. He’s probably not even considered selling and he would loose his rental income, give him at least a week to consider it.
Pester him and he’ll probably tell you no & get angry.

Wayk · 25/01/2026 10:24

it is a huge decision so please allow him time to think about it otherwise you will annoy him.