Does this sound dodgy RE renting and new landlord

[IMWang]

I live in a rented property. It's let through an estate agents and I'm currently 5 months into a 12 month contract. I knew the landlord was selling the property and have known for a while. She was selling it with a sitting tenant.

I've not heard anything from the letting agents for ages and suddenly I get a text message this morning from some woman naked Becky who told me she'd bought the house and could I send the rent to bank details. No other information except the name of the lettings agents. A quick google has told me it's a new agency set up in January 2019. No website and no other information at all. I've got no contact numbers for it, just an address.

Phone my current estate agents who fobbed me off and told me they'd get back to me.

Does this sound dodgy to anyone because it does to me and now I'm so worried.

Does sound dodgy. Wait until the current agents get back to you. And if necessary ask this Becky to put her request in writing. You need to know things like what has happened to your deposit? Etc etc

Have you put the address into rightmove to see if it sold?

I would never pay rent to some random person who texted me their bank details!! Bloody hell. Maybe you could reply and ask them to call you? Or come round and say hi, with some formal paperwork? Contact your (ex) landlord or whoever is managing the property?

Dont pay anything unt

That bloody hell comment was aimed at 'Becky' btw op, not you!

Put your postcode in to the sold section on rightmove

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detail.html?locationIdentifier=POSTCODE%5E838443&searchLocation=SW1W+8JA

I would never pay rent to some random person who texted me their bank details!! Bloody hell.

This. She's loony. She can send you proper information in writing. Until then, just keep doing whatever you've been doing. It's their responsibility to make sure that you've been properly informed.

If it was a random person texting you in the latest scam, you'd have no recourse. So don't send money to people who text you account numbers, no matter who they say they are!

Becky indeed :-) It might have been me texting you, you'd have no idea.

Why not try google?

What is a sitting tenant

homelet.co.uk/tenants/blog/article/what-is-a-sitting-tenant-and-what-are-your-rights

“When the sale of the property is completed you should see an S3 notice to make you aware of the transfer of interest in the property. You’ll also see an S48 and/or S47 notice detailing who your new landlord is.

Upon taking ownership of the property, the new landlord will need to contact the deposit protection scheme your deposit is being held with and change the details. If the landlord doesn't confirm this with you it could be worth asking. What's more, if they transfer your deposit between schemes, make sure they provide you with the prescribed information as this is a legal requirement.“

Tell Becky you haven’t received her S48 and/or S47 and to please post it to you ASAP”