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AIBU?

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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:
Stirner · 06/08/2018 23:43

I'd be pissed off and remind the agent who was paying who.

OftenHangry · 06/08/2018 23:45

Why would you remind agent that the landlord is paying them?

Stirner · 06/08/2018 23:50

@OftenHangry. Don't be obtuse. If I was paying that amount of rent and I got an email like that I'd go nuclear.

Powerless · 06/08/2018 23:57

@amicissimma Short, polite & factual? Erm no did you not read OP's posts??? It was rude & assuming! Nothing factual or polite about it from what OP has said!

Joe66 · 06/08/2018 23:58

I find it quite helpful for neighbours to let me know of potential issues. For example the 'crappy grass area' to which you are referring might be crappy because people keep parking on it and ruin the grass.

Stirner · 07/08/2018 00:00

Frankly op, whoever shouts loudest gets appeased. Make sure it's you next time.

howrudeforme · 07/08/2018 00:02

Whyohsky - that would piss me off as a new neighbour. Wrong assumptions were made which means you were contacted with a complaint by agents. Wasted your time (and agent’s).

Crap (and I’m a landlord).

OftenHangry · 07/08/2018 00:10

@Stirner I guess you are one of the people who are rude to shop assistants as well, aren't you...

Op overeacted. It was simple and to a point email.

HolyPieter · 07/08/2018 00:23

YABU.

You need to remember that you are occupying someone else's home, you can't just do whatever you like with it.

BearsDontDigOnDancing · 07/08/2018 00:40

No, she is occupying her home, that she is paying for.

Joe66 · 07/08/2018 01:03

Absolutely it's op's home, but where we live we like a nice environment and if one of the occupiers is parking on the grass they'll be asked politely not to, whether they own their home or are renting. It destroys the grass and looks scruffy, ending up with ruts, bald patches and damaged kerbs. Same way we pick up litter and sweep the gutters.

BearsDontDigOnDancing · 07/08/2018 01:41

Yes, you would ask the person doing it directly surely though?

If it was me I would have less problem with them coming to the door, and asking me, so I can have a proper grown up discussion with them, regardless if I was the "offender" or not.

I would have an issue with an anonymous neighbour "telling on me" to the letting agent, as if I am a naughty child.

I would not really care one bit about the tone of the email, if it was polite or not. I would be bothered I had been emailed in the first place.

The first action should be to have directly talked to OP. If she owned the home what would they have done?

tessieandoz · 07/08/2018 02:21

I am with you. I don't think you are BU.
I have always been the " good girl " and one of the things that can push my button is being accused of something unreasonably.
A snippy email, at my stage of life, is all it would take . . .

FeralBeryl · 07/08/2018 02:47

I'm Switzerland here.

I'd be pissed off to receive that letter, but, try and look at it objectively, residents in the area may well have had trouble with previous tenants/yoofs hanging around if the property was empty at any point, and the letting agent may have received complaints.
Some well meaning person at said letting agency may have suggested ' if you ever have any issues with our property, just give us a call'
Rather than being confrontational, they've taken the cowards way and done just that.

However I feel the letter was perfectly respectful, you are free to respond and let them know it wasn't you, but please don't see it that the whole area has got pitchforks ready for you.
Maybe there were real car issues years before you moved there?

Also, the shitty bit of grass you refer to may mean more than that to others.
We have little grass verges on our street and the collective gasp if anyone's visitors park on them can be heard for miles Grin
There was a flurry of wooden peg bollard placements last year after the grass got shitted up by a van.
Don't let this spoil your enjoyment of your home.

Homebird8 · 07/08/2018 03:11

a new neighbour knocked on the door and asked for the landlord's address

I’d have asked them for pen and paper and then written down my address. They probably wouldn’t have noticed until they got home.

RainySeptember · 07/08/2018 05:10

Powerless, op posted the letter for us and it was polite imo

annastasiabeaverhausen · 07/08/2018 05:28

Agent was very polite. It's a 2 minute email in what's probably a busy day for them. They may have even asked the neighbour how they knew it was yours and neighbour has just made some shit up. I would ignore neighbours and not get worked up over it.

NotAgainYoda · 07/08/2018 05:53

When someone's as upset about something as you, OP, I tend to wonder whether it's actually not about whatever happened but about something else.

In this case you are pains to talk about your London house. Were you really upset about not selling it? Are things going not so well where you've relocated?

Forgive my amateur psychology but it sometimes helps me when other people are sure I'm over-reacting

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/08/2018 06:10

HolyPieter
YABU

You need to remember that you are occupying someone else’s home, you can’t just do whatever you like with it.

No HP you are being bloody unreasonable. Op is occupying someone else’s house.

This is ops home. That said it sounds as though she has a chip on her shoulder. All this bollocks about my house is worth double yours bla bla bla. I’ve both rented and owned in this country and various others and have never been treated as less than by the neighbours - apart from the one time the owners sil got PA about trimming the roses too much 😂. Yes, there are some batshit people out there, who would complain in any case. Were ops house owned the difference being they’d have complained directly to her instead of to the LA. They’re trying to use the letting agents as a go between and figure of authority over her. None of it is very nice. But batshit people often aren’t.

Iknowwhoyouare123 · 07/08/2018 06:18

So many narcissists on MN. How dare they send ME a carefully worded and totally non offensive email? This is so important I must share it and totally ignore anyone that doesn't agree with ME. Because I am RIGHT and a minor thing has happened which is now important because it's ME.

londonrach · 07/08/2018 06:19

You are over reacting. One letter telling you something. You respond saying not hing to do with you. End of story. You sound like youve a chip on your shoulder re renting which i understand. We rented for ten years till two years when we bought. Renting was great, no maintenance and able to move around as job required. There are benefits. Having bought now weve less money as doing house up and less time as all spare time is spent in homebase etc. Enjoy the freedom of renting op. Saying that i do enjoy our own house the bank and opus enjoy but do miss free time.

NotAgainYoda · 07/08/2018 06:25

and OP you have ignored anyone who doesn't agree with you. And any post that suggests seeing it from the side of your new neighbours

Stirner · 07/08/2018 06:32

@OftenHangry absolutely not.

Op didn't over react. Firstly the letting agent was clearly taking the part of a busy body neighbour. The neighbour isn't paying the £2,000 a month rent. Secondly, parking on the green isn't against the law or the contract. Op can park there if she likes.

The reason the letting agent sent the email was to appease the neighbour. Why? Probably because the neighbour shouted loudest. Nothing wrong with stamping down on this.

Stirner · 07/08/2018 06:36

@Joe66 - if I lived in your area and you tried to tell me to do anything I'd be tell you to fuck off and do the opposite.

AnyFucker · 07/08/2018 06:38

It must be difficult to walk with that huge chip on your shoulder....