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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shitty email from rental agent

301 replies

Whyohsky · 06/08/2018 17:06

AIBU to be annoyed by this? Have rented our current house for a couple of months now and today I got an email from the agent saying they’d had a complaint from some neighbours about our car being parked on the ‘green’ (crappy grassy area in front of a few of the houses). Firstly, it wasn’t our car! And secondly, how dare they start accusing us of something on the word of an unnamed neighbour? Our landlord hasn’t been in touch, so it’s clearly not an issue they’re aware of (or at all Hmm) but how dare a neighbour go tittle tattling to the people we rent our house through, whether we’d done anything or not?

WWYD? So far I wrote back a one line email saying it wasn’t our car (which is always in the drive) but I’m appalled they’ve taken the word of a local busybody and essentially told me off for something I haven’t done. Even if I had done it, it’s not illegal! For context, it’s a very naice area, lots of retired people round a close and just a couple of families. It’s expensive (£2K/month) and I get the feeling the neighbours look down on us for renting (one came and asked if I was the new tenant when we moved in, very snooty). We’re just a boring family, 2.4 DC, both at work during the day and DC at school/holiday club. It’s really upset me!

OP posts:
KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:37

You're horrible.

Stirner · 08/08/2018 11:38

@Needmoresleep. Yes, but I don't see why "consideration" should be enforced on tenants more then owners.

Stirner · 08/08/2018 11:41

@KoolAidPickle - you're the one that thinks tenants should be treated like second class citizens. Pot and kettle comes to mind.

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:42

That’s ok I can live with that when it comes to letting agents

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:45

you're the one that thinks tenants should be treated like second class citizens

You must be confusing me with someone else. Especially since I am a tenant.
See, horrible, and you calling others stupid is the pot, kettle here.

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:45

2 different posters there kool. It was me who said they’re stupid

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Stirner · 08/08/2018 11:47

@KoolAidPickle - even worse that you're a tenant and think that of your fellow renters.

pollygreen7 · 08/08/2018 11:49

Could it be that the rental agent drove past and made an assumption? When we rented our old place we once found rental agents outside expecting bins...

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:50

But rental agents aren’t allowed to dictate your behaviour in the house. They’re not allowed to tell you where you can park or god forbid what you can put in your bin. It’s absolute fuck all to do with them

Stirner · 08/08/2018 11:51

lot of people on here love authority.

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:52

But rental agents aren’t allowed to dictate your behaviour in the house. They’re not allowed to tell you where you can park or god forbid what you can put in your bin. It’s absolute fuck all to do with them

Actually they can. on behalf of the LL. They can tell you not to park in other peoples spaces, for example. They can tell you not to put non recyclables in the recycle bin so no bins are collected, for example.
Most of us aren't anti social twatty tenants and so have no need to be told such things, but if you do that is your problem, not theirs!

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:53

even worse that you're a tenant and think that of your fellow renters

What is it you have imagined that I think of renters? Since I haven't given any opinion.....

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:53

They can’t tell you anything. All they can do is recommend eviction to the landlord.

pollygreen7 · 08/08/2018 11:53

Neighbours can also be odd. Someone on my parents street spread rumours my parents were setting off fireworks and burning rubbish and they even found the neighbour in their back garden 'investigating'. They were straight but reasonable with her. If people are making trouble, be straight forward but don't get into anything with them - some people are just lookign for a fight.

Also, if it is a retiree calling up complaining - try and have a little bit of understanding. I can imagine for some elderly people it isn't the best thing mentally sitting around all day with not very much to do and no-one to help put things in perspective.

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:54

I actually can’t believe you think a letting agent or land lord can tell you how to sort your recycling. Fuck me. I wish you were my tenant, you’ll swallow any old shit.

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:55

They can’t tell you anything. All they can do is recommend eviction to the landlord

You;re confused. Of course they can TELL you things. They generally can't enforce it other than to have you evicted.

KoolAidPickle · 08/08/2018 11:56

I actually can’t believe you think a letting agent or land lord can tell you how to sort your recycling

I can't believe you don't understand how life works at all. If you get your bins refused collection because you're too stupid to sort them and too chippy to take the advice of the LL/RA, that's a problem for more people than just you.

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:57

But them “telling” you is the same as any member of the public telling you. They hold no authority to do so (and you well know that’s what I meant)

glintandglide · 08/08/2018 11:58

Kool you’re wrong. None of these examples involve letting agents. There is no point arguing they do.

youarenotkiddingme · 08/08/2018 12:05

I know exactly the sort of set up you mean with private owners Vs tenants and ore conceived ideas.

I live in a new build estate and when I moved here 10 years ago half my phase was still to be finished and the next phase wasn't started. When it was all finished they changed the 'build site' into a park. Some children were vile on the street, vandalised park and were out in it until all hours etc.
One day chatting to another resident they were telling me all about "the new housing association tenants who are now mixing with the current ones and causing trouble. And how my ds and another 2 families had lovely polite children and they felt it unfair many were spoiling it for the few"

She was ShockBlush when I pointed out myself and the other 2 families are all HA and 7/8 families she'd mentioned with badly behaved children are private owners or tenants Grin

Yanbu to feel annoyed you got a letter/ email when it wasn't you or to feel your being watched.
However your reaction is OTT and a simple - "that's not our car and I'd appreciate you ascertaining facts before accusing emails in future" is quite enough. That way even if the eyes moan frequently it'll never affect you.

Needmoresleep · 08/08/2018 12:19

Stirner. Surely it depends. In a block of flats everyone is treated equally. Break the terms of the Head Lease and the Managing Agents will take action against the owner of the sub-lease whether they live there or not.

With street property it is a bit different. London certainly is moving fast towards pretty comprehensive licensing of rental property, save where a property is let to a single household. The terms of this Licence will often require the landlord to make sure that the tenant behaves in a not anti social manner. So yes, unequal to tenants but LAs should be in your firing line not landlords.

My experience is that tenants who are inconsiderate to neighbours will be inconsiderate when paying their rent/looking after the property. So I do want to know. But I am also finding that there is a huge difference between London, where people keep to themselves and tend only to complain when things are getting seriously out of hand, and elsewhere where complaints can be petty and offensive.

(Another one. Tenant moved in and unpacked. Did not know where the communal bin store was so left used packaging (cardboard) folded neatly in his parking space overnight and then put it in recycling next day. Someone took a photo of the rubbish and sent it to the managing agent. Arrgh.)

kes53 · 08/08/2018 14:06

"...that your car had been parked on the green outside number X...
"... that you not park on the green in the future."
Definite accusation. No foundation. Agent in wrong and should apologise.

RainySeptember · 08/08/2018 14:15

"if I was one of yours tenants and found out that you were encouraging the neighbours to snoop on me I'd be fining alternative accommodation sharpish."

Perfectly usual IME. You want a heads up before you find they've ripped the doors off or started growing marijuana in the attic.

RainySeptember · 08/08/2018 14:21

"Definite accusation. No foundation. Agent in wrong and should apologise."

I agree. Badly worded. Probably thrown together in ten seconds by a busy 20yo with a million things to do. I doubt he ever expected it to cause this level of outrage though.

I think if op had come on saying it'd upset her a bit I could by sympathetic. It's the references to sticking up for herself, refusing to be downtrodden, living in Gilead that made her sound a bit over sensitive.