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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:
Stirner · 07/08/2018 09:11

@RainySeptember - op could have the whole of Eddie Stobart parking on that verge and no one would be able to do a thing.

Needmoresleep · 07/08/2018 09:17

Oh, and get to know some neighbours. They will know if there is a Victor Meldrew living in the street. Complaints dont feel so bad (a recent one complained about a tenants brid feeder and the risk of bird flu..) if there is scope to swap stories.

FWIW I get very touchy about complaints/criticism. Pre-programmed from childhood. But its the neighbour not the letting agency. And when you work out who it is, you might just feel sorry for him/her.

And if it is the whole street, then there is a bigger problem. I manage property on behalf of my mum in a very affluent area: golf club memberships, personalised number plates etc. Some people there are really ghastly. But then some previous tenants have been busy pretending they are owners and have been equally ghastly/snobby. (Current ones are niceSmile)

freshstart24 · 07/08/2018 09:28

Rainy that's a bit unfair on the OP in my opinion.

Don't forget that it's perfectly legal for anyone to park on the grass area. The neighbours may not like it but it's tough.

Gazelda · 07/08/2018 09:36

I see no malice, bullying, snippiness.
I do however see plenty of overreaction on OP's part in response to a simple email passing on a neighbour' s unfounded complaint.
You've told the agent it's not your car. End of matter.

fruitshot · 07/08/2018 09:45

I think you feel awkward about being a renter OP compared to your neighbours, and have transferred this onto the query the agents have raised with you about your car.

Stirner · 07/08/2018 09:49

@Gazelda - it's the principle

Imbluedabadee · 07/08/2018 10:07

I get it and that would annoy me too, I would be tempted to add a line asking that in future the neighbours address any issues directly to me. A lot of people on here don't seem to understand that feeling of being mistrusted because of being a tenant, like you're not a proper adult because you pay someone else's mortgage instead of your own. Our previous neighbours used to "keep an eye" on us on behalf of our landlord and even though we are good honest people who paid our rent and looked after our home I never felt like I could relax knowing the neighbours felt they needed to check up on us. It's awful that you can pay such a lot of money and still have people think it's not your home

borlottibeans · 07/08/2018 10:19

I had one of these when someone decided my front lawn was about 0.3mm too long. Previously I'd thought we were getting on ok with the neighbours who seemed like a nice bunch. It wasn't nice to think of one of them going behind our back like this and "reporting" us as though the letting agency was some sort of higher authority to which we mere tenants should be held accountable.

Treasure114 · 07/08/2018 11:57

Totally agree with ImBlue re not being treated as an adult if you're paying someone else'a mortgate off and not your own.

Our previous neighbours used to "keep an eye" on us on behalf of our landlord is especially vile!!!

BearsDontDigOnDancing · 07/08/2018 12:27

Yep, as I have said also, my neighbours "keep an eye on us" for the landlord.

He pretty much thinks they are weirdos anyway, but I actually do resent the fact that just because I rent, they feel the have a right to "keep an eye on us".

And I know if they had an issue with us they would not come direct to us, they would go off straight to the landlord. Which I would find damn insulting.

I would be annoyed at receiving that email. I would not be annoyed if the neighbour came to me direct. It does actually feel like the difference between being treated like an equal and being treated like a naughty child you need someone in authority to tell you off.

As it is I have an awesome landlord. He has not increased our rent in 5 years, I happily accept 6 monthly inspections from letting agent, I see it as the price I pay to rent and have my oven replaced within half a day by LL when it broke down. All good.

But neighbours not having the balls to come to my door, running off to the LA, just because they can and avoid any actual confrontation themselves, nope - they can get lost.

Stirner · 07/08/2018 12:42

It's a running theme on mumsnet unfortunately- the well healed telling the less wealthy what they should accept.

Joe66 · 07/08/2018 13:35

Landlords are so awful aren't they. I mean they rent out a property, make money out of it, even using the rent money to pay a mortgage on the property. I've read about rental properties being stripped to put heat lamps in to grow marijuana, and manufacture other drugs, ive seen completely trashed properties, causing thousands of pounds of damage, human defecating and pissing in properties, allowing dog faeces to remain on the floor indoors everywhere, rats gnawing at wiring causing boilers to need completely replacing, that one was something to do with the tenants filthy habits of never emptying garbage, hoarding so bad that you can barely get into the property. Noise and all night parties every night, drug dealing and strangers turning up in communal areas and refusing to leave because their mates/dealer live there. Why on earth would anyone need to 'report' anything to an agent or landlord?

52FestiveRoad · 07/08/2018 13:47

''Thank you for your email. I can confirm that the car in question is nothing to do with me or any of my associates. I would ask you to thank the neighbour who reported this issue and hope that they will soon get to the bottom of it, since I am concerned that it is lowering the tone of the neighbourhood.''

BearsDontDigOnDancing · 07/08/2018 13:49

In those cases you would ring the police. The same as if owners were doing those things.

I just think if that a neighbour has a situation where if the person they had an issue with was an owner, then they would go round and talk to the owner, they should also have the courtesy to go round and talk to the renter. Not go straight to the LA. Especially as (in the OP's case) they are not even right.

I love my landlord. He is great. This house is probably getting is bit too small for us, but we stay for the landlord.

What I do not love is sending the kids outside to play in their own back garden, then worrying because they might make a bit much noise (and I do tell them to quiet down) and I know the neighbours will not come to us and have an adult to adult conversation, no they will go running to the landlord like we are the naughty younger sibling that needs a telling off.

RainySeptember · 07/08/2018 14:28

"@RainySeptember - op could have the whole of Eddie Stobart parking on that verge and no one would be able to do a thing."

Of course. I already said that upthread. But there are loads of things neighbours do to be considerate isn't there. And loads of things that they could legally do but don't, again because it's nice to be considerate.

She didn't get a police officer breaking her door down, she got a polite email from the letting agency.

Honflyr · 07/08/2018 14:34

My grandparents live somewhere with a bit of green out front and someone that lives on the opposite side of the road keeps parking their work company truck on it - alright in the summer I guess, but in the other seasons they churn up all the mud and make it an awful mess. I would complain in that case. Probably to the company the car belonged to.

Stirner · 07/08/2018 14:37

@RainySeptember - there are loads of things neighbours do to be considerate - yes, but it wasn't her parking in the first place, and the offensive thing is thr neighbour went bleating to the letting agent who quite frankly should have told her where to go. Or do you think renters should be treated like children?

Stirner · 07/08/2018 14:39

@Joe66 - you're obviously hard of thinking. It's a trivial accusation about verge parking, if the op was a owner then neighbour would have no recourse.

donajimena · 07/08/2018 14:55

Rainy your comments have pissed me off.
I bet you are a snitchy tattle tale with your curtains twitching. After all, you decided that the car was related to the OP so I'm deciding you are a spiteful busy body.

KoolAidPickle · 07/08/2018 15:04

What a drama llama you are? "Malicious allegations, accusations etc etc"...what the shite is up with you? Sounds like you have something to hide tbh.
Someone parked a car where it shouldn't be, someone mistakenly thought it was you. Polite email asks you not to do it again. All you need to do is a) email back politely saying the car is not yours and b) get over yourself and calm down!

Stirner · 07/08/2018 15:14

@koolaid - the point is:

  1. the op can park on the verge if she wants, it's not against the law and because it's not part of the property if won't be included in the tenancy agreement.

  2. she didn't park there anyway

  3. why should she, as a renter, be treated like a second class citizen?

  4. If the accusation was made to a owner then the neighbour wouldn't be able to go bleating to a letting agent. So why should op be treated differently?

Contrary to common belief on mumsnet one can object to something or stand up for themself without having "something to hide"

RainySeptember · 07/08/2018 15:15

"Or do you think renters should be treated like children?"

No. And nor should they act like children as is the case here. Grown adults should be able to cope with situations such as this in their stride. There's been good advice on here from landlords and agents, explanations and so on. Bleating on and on about the unfairness of a false accusation, about a parked car not a mass murder, is ridiculous.

RainySeptember · 07/08/2018 15:17

"After all, you decided that the car was related to the OP so I'm deciding you are a spiteful busy body."

Good for you. Why would I care what some random on the internet thinks?

Stirner · 07/08/2018 15:19

@RainySeptember - so why is it right that a letting agent gets involved with a dispute that isn't to do with the property?

If op owned the property neighbour would have to approach her directly and wouldn't be able to recourse to tattling to letting agent. So why should op have to take being treated like a second class citizen "in her stride"?

RainySeptember · 07/08/2018 15:19

"Contrary to common belief on mumsnet one can object to something or stand up for themself without having "something to hide"

OP doesn't have to stick up for herself. What bad thing is happening to her?

'Kindly refrain from parking your car on the verge.'

'It's not my car.'