Shitty email from rental agent

[Whyohsky]

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 ) 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!

Sounds like somewhere we used to live... Horrid little cul-de-sac, full of curtain twitchers who looked down on us for renting I would be annoyed too! No need for baseless accusations and I think whoever contacted your agent is a massive twat!

Well you'll know what to do if any of your neighbours ask you for a favour!

Yanbu.

I wonder if the EA slapped an admin charge of £30 to the landlord for having to spend 5 minutes on an email to you. They respond to shit like this because either it justifies a monthly fee the landlord already pays or gives opportunity to slap on a new charge.

"Sorry, that's not our car."

Job done.

So I have to put up with malicious accusations because
I’m a tenant?

It's hardly a malicious accusation! You have a busy body neighbour who thought it was your car that parked on the green. Instead of moaning to you (probably via an anonymous note you wouldn't be able to reply to) they moaned to your letting agent. Literally no harm came of it it doesn't need to take up more than a 30 seconds of your time.

Wow, this kind of over-reaction reminds me of another recent thread, that OP felt judged about renting too. Very similar wording about feeling that the neighbours look down on them.

I don’t think your overacting tbh as it was just a bit unnecessary to complain to the agent. IF you had parked your car there why not just knock on the door and explain that they don’t do that in the close? Unless as a PP said that the previous tenants were a nightmare and they just would rather not get involved in anything confrontational. But personally I feel if it was a continuing thing and not a one off then fair enough maybe have a word but it’s silly and petty of the neighbour to complain about a one off event and certainly twatty to not even establish that it was even your car.

We rented for a while when we were waiting to sell our property in another area and I was stunned at how snooty people can be about you being a “tennant” some neighbours just blanked us completely and others moaned at us over the slightest thing that I’m sure would not have even been mentioned had we owned the place

IME there's always one neighbour in naice area who sees it as their job to police everyone else. Ignore. I worked in Lettings, they will already know the busybody & have sent the email to shut them up in case they know landlord personally & contact them too.(v common to contact both agent & LL for maximum drama). I wouldn't get upset, it's just a rather sad person with too much time on their hands: & your agent won't be fussed.

I'd be pissed off too. Renting is often seen as second rate. So if you're already feeling a bit looked down on by snooty neighbours I understand you feeling a bit sensitive to the agent policing your life!

I spent years renting in London. Letting agents are normally shit, rude and on the take. In my experience anyway. So I can imagine the tone of the email!

It’s not malicious and it’s not because you’re a tenant it’s because they thought it was your car

You've got an awful chip on your shoulder about renting OP.

I'd say there is a real assumption by agent that OP was in the wrong. Agent should have used phrases such as "...if this is your car it would be good if you could refrain..." if not your car then please let me know and i will inform complainant...sorry but had to follow up..."

Did you want a hugs on there as well? Do people need to use such flowery language just in case Precious Mrs Tenant gets offended?

So I have to put up with malicious accusations because I’m a tenant?

It’s not a malicious accusation. You sound bit like hard work Op. I am starting to feel a little sorry for your neighbours.

although if OP does have a "chip on her shoulder" about renting, it is hardly surprising. the way tenants get viewed/treated isn't great tbh.

I had one landlady shout at me that she 'had to rent to people like you who cant afford their own homes'..I nearly started laughing honestly..

reply to the agent stating the facts.
contact landlord advising situation.
move on with life.

Am I in a parralel Universe here?
How can posters not read that "They have kindly asked that you not park on the green in the future." Bears an element of presumption that the OP is responsible, or even, bears complacent acceptance that the OP is responsible?! Based on no substantiated information or enquiry.
I would tell the agent to jog on,in the most polite way possible!
It's a lazy,ill thought out communication from an agent,and speculation of their workload and the vast numbers of their tenancies does in no way excuse such incompetence! It should mitigate against it.
What stopped them for flagging,courteously,that they had a complaint they were obliged to pass on,that in case the OP was responsible,the request is that no one parks on that grassy area. Balanced,professional communication likely to solve any possible problem,not irritate the hell out of a tenant (a.k.a.paying customer,member of the human race)
The OP is right to seethe at such discourtesy.

In answer to what would happen if you owned instead of renting, we had a letter from our local council saying that there had been complaints about people parking on the strip of grass between our slip road and the main road, telling us that they owned the land and saying no-one should be parking there. I ignored the letter as I don’t drive, and dh parks on our drive. Perhaps I should have been outraged Instead?

Look the problem is snooty busybodies. So snooty that they would not even have a conversation with you or put a note through your letterbox. If you live in the kind of area you describe, you will get these types who have nothing to do with their time (and any family they have probably avoid them). There is a couple near me who go around looking for something petty like this to argue over because they have absolutely nothing to do and they are vindictive and mean. Their closest neighbour actually sold his house solely because of them.

The agent just had to deal with it, you shouldn’t be upset with them.

When I moved to my first rental the neighbour was getting work done and the builders would stand by my living room window smoking. It made me so cross and I was opening and closing windows all day long to stop my baby getting a lung full.
I then got an email from the landlords saying that the neighbours (that were getting the work done!) had found fag butts on the ground near my living room window and could they please remind me that it was a strictly no smoking property! It was the first in a very long line of crappy behaviour on their (the Landlords) part 😡 Renting really sucks sometimes.

I don’t know fishbiscuits about ignoring the letter. At least if you responded saying it wasn’t your car, the council could look into finding the actual owner.

I got a letter from Environmental Health about building noise from my house on a particular Sunday. There was no building on a Sunday. I was briefly upset about being accused of something I didn't do. Briefly a bit paranoid. Then I realised someone mistakenly complained in a legitimate way, and I got over it.

I do understand that their complaint seems more petty to you, but the reason they may not have approached you is that there's so much publicity about terrible neighbours that people are fearful of talking directly to other people.

Keep your powder dry. You may be right that they are snobbish, but you can't change that.

malicious accusations

Oh op, learn to let the little things go or you'll end up having a bloody heart attack.

Sorry OP, I was kind of with you until I reading the wording of the agent’s mail. It’s perfectly civil, and in no way “shitty”.

As for 'taking the word of a local busybody' - they probably don't give much of s shit. They're probably not there in the office being appalled at you parking on the green yourself. They are just passing on a message

ScattyCharly we actually had a car abandoned out there and reported it to the council (after we had the letter about parking), they wouldn’t even do anything about it until the tax ran out on it. Bloody thing was there for months!