AIBU to think this intimidating house buying letter should be reported to police?

If there's a phone number, with their consent and encouragement, I'd probably text or call and say they're definitely not interested and will consider any further correspondence to be harassment and will involve the police.

And obviously if someone does come round unannounced tell them not to answer it.

But try and reassure them it's just a chancer and there's likely no threat of immediate danger. They just want to buy the house but it's not for sale. End of.

The police won’t laugh at scared vulnerable old people that’s a really mean thing to say.

Generally I would agree, but this is an elderly couple and the person knows where they live. Similarly if it was someone disabled, or even a woman living alone, this could be very intimidating and also saying their house is too big for them sounds threatening. Someone might masquerade as a council employee or some such and try to claim they have to vacate because it’s “too big”. If it wasn’t a potentially vulnerable couple I’d say ignore it. But in this case I think it should be reported and other posters are wise to suggest the couple has other people at home with them if possible at the time this person has announced they will be visiting.

And who's to say it isn't a scam or someone who'd force their way in? If it was a genuine caller, they'd have left their contact details for a start. Too many crooks targeting elderly people.

I’d ask the couple if they will agree to you contacting the local PCSO if in the uk with them present. I’ve found them very helpful. They may well arrange to pass by at the stated time.

Definitely report it. My Grandmother got hounded by her then neighbours to sell her property to their friend. This came off the back of my Grandmother's diagnosis of terminal cancer. You can imagine how she felt. We didn't find out how bad it was until after she passed away and the neighbour hounded both myself and my parents about the house. When we said no she hurled abuse, blocked the driveway and threw dog poo into the garden where my child was supposed to play so yes report it!!

Jesus is this hysterical overreaction to a bit of junk mail still going on? Absolutely hillarious.

Absolutely do not do this it's evidence

Was it an Indian surname by any chance ? I have heard of this type of behavior before from the Indian / Pakkistani community

I'm glad they didn't come round. I'd still feel unsettled though. This is a good idea about putting it out on local social media/chat groups.

Your post sounds as if you think I'm the OP.

Was this letter obviously written from the perspective of an individual person making a speculative enquiry? Or was it letterheaded from a company and written to make it look official somehow? For example worded in such a way as 'government housing statistics show that your household is under-occupied and the government are encouraging the selling of family homes to make space for young families' yada yada.

Because if it's the second then it's a concerted campaign to put pressure on elderly owner-occupiers and to get them thinking about selling, before they then send round a team of door to door agents the following week. Those people will no doubt offer to do valuations on the spot (having already looked online in advance and come up with a low figure) with promises of hassle free, quick and easy sales with no chains, no risks and no estate agent fees etc. They'll be targeting specific addresses in the area with just one or two elderly occupants.

It's something I think trading standards should know about. It's also worth contacting the media, particularly consumer advice type TV programmes or journalists who have a special interest in companies who target and scam the elderly with underhand selling techniques. This the sort of thing they've love to do a piece on.

So glad to hear nobody came. What a nasty letter to receive.

I did suggest upthread that it might be a nasty joke. Do any of the neighbours post on any local group social media? Would one of them consider posting a general comment about a nasty joke letter going around?

Yes, it was supposedly 11am this morning.

@Blopi did anything happen in the end?

It would be a big mistake for them to sign a name, for reasons given in above answers, that they could be copied and used by scammers in future.

Your post isnt even 3rd party information, it's more distant.

You say it's neighbours of a friend that you've somehow involved yourself in. And you haven't posted the letter because presumably you don't have it but you've made a number of claims about it such as initially saying it was worrying because it included the friends neighbours names then later saying it made reference to them being elderly?

Sorry if I didn't think your vague post about people not even known to you warranted calling the Police.

Totally agree - they would call in my area & also where my elderly friend lives (Devon) & were very proactive in supporting them when a (not too dissimilar) situation occurred.

Are you being deliberately obtuse, or are you having a problem comprehending?
It's not about 'actioning' something as if there was a crime. It's about either a community officer coming round to be present when these people say they're going to call (and at least one poster on here has said that would happen where they live, before anyone scoffs about the police never doing that), or a reassuring conversation on the non-emergency number, in which they might recommend having a friend or neighbour come round, not answering the door or opening the curtains at that time, or anything else that might make the couple feel safer.

Yes, they'll thank you for the information then file it in the bin. Because there's nothing for them to action.

For the millionth time...
Most of the suggestions to call the police are to call either PCSOs, whose job is to work and be present in the community, or the non-emergency number, which is for advice and can be (was, in my own experience) very helpful and reassuring.

No don't report it to the Police. What crime do you think was committed?

Is today the day (for the visit)?

Who should she send it back to?

The original letter wasn't a matter for the police, but this would be!