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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think its a bit effing cheeky for a random estate agent to write to the property I'm living in...

52 replies

Bummocks123 · 16/07/2021 13:53

... basically inciting my landlord to put up my rent!

I'll admit that I may be a bit touchy about this today having spent another evening trawling Rightmove to be reminded that this year has priced me off the property ladder, but my lord this letter has got my back up!

I mean really, is it good manners to be sending a letter to someone's home basically saying "hey, rental market is on fire, your landlord could charge up to an extra £250 a month provided they were willing to kick you, a perfectly reasonable tenant who always pays their rent on time, out of their property"? (caveat: This is paraphrased and the extra £250 is based on an average rental price not the actual extra rental our tiny flat, in need of some serious maintenance, could achieve.)

I probably am being unreasonable, its a capitalist market after all. But its just served as a really sobering reminder that the cost of living is going to increase yet again for those of us trying to scrimp and save to get a home of our own while we pay off our landlords mortgage (who's costs wont have increased). Sigh.

OP posts:
onlyhereforthecake · 16/07/2021 13:58

Sending the letter to the property sounds pretty pointless when it's already rented. It's obvious the tenant will just bin it.

Lepetitpiggy · 16/07/2021 13:58

I don't understand this! What is the reasoning behind it?? Why are they writing to you and not the landlord. Just baffling me

Wombat36 · 16/07/2021 13:59

I'm a landlord, this would wind me up. I treasure my good tenants & a few extra quid a month is not worth the risk of a change.

People who rent should have both more security & also keep the ability to be mobile, which is a key positive to renting over buying. All this transient profit-chasing is counterproductive. Renting is so badly managed in the UK.

Merryoldgoat · 16/07/2021 14:01

How would sending it to a home that’s already rented be helpful?

It’s clearly aimed at people who are thinking about renting out their house. Your landlord would never see it.

Original poster
Bummocks123 · 16/07/2021 14:13

I'll probably get roasted for this, but it was addressed to "The Homeowner" so technically I should have passed it straight on to my landlord without opening it Blush.

I had assumed it would be one of those letters asking if people were looking to sell their home as demand is high at the moment. I was honestly taken aback to find out they were fishing for rentals in a property that was already rented out!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bummocks123 · 16/07/2021 14:16

@Wombat36 I think (and hope) that my landlord is of that mindset!

But there is always that little niggle in the back of my mind that as you say, we lack security in our home and this was just a bit of a scary reminder of it!

OP posts:
bloodyhell19 · 16/07/2021 14:17

YABU - as you said, but it is understandable. It's standard practice for EA, especially if there's been a rake of new listings or lettings in that area lately. We got one letter from an EA to consider selling our property as the area was in demand etc etc .. except we had already sold and were under contract at the time!

TheUndoingProject · 16/07/2021 14:19

Yeah I do think the bigger issue is that you shouldn’t be opening other people’s post. Of course you run the risk of seeing things you don’t want to!

ChicChaos · 16/07/2021 14:19

So it's a standard letter the agent has probably sent to everyone in the street? Nothing there to take offence at!

FawnFrenchieMum · 16/07/2021 14:19

I’m guessing they have no idea that your home is already rented out and are trying to entice people into being a landlord.

onlyhereforthecake · 16/07/2021 14:20

@TheUndoingProject

Yeah I do think the bigger issue is that you shouldn’t be opening other people’s post. Of course you run the risk of seeing things you don’t want to!
to "the homeowner" is obviously some random advert, not post addressed to the actual landlord.
OneRingToRuleThemAll · 16/07/2021 14:23

It sounds like a phishing for business letter. I get them all the time both for sales and lettings. They are addressed to the homeowner.

My house is on the market though so it has spiked the interest of other agents. Is yours advertised for sale or let online at all?

Travellor · 16/07/2021 14:26

Had the same thing; house is on Rightmove for sale, and got an unsolicited letter from an EA offering to sell the property. This was addressed to the Homeowner.

Samcro · 16/07/2021 14:26

we get them and we live in SH, makes me laugh.

TheUndoingProject · 16/07/2021 14:28

@onlyhereforthecake I just think it’s a bit much to open other people’s post and complain about not liking the contents!

I don’t think it’s only the estate agent who’s being a bit cheeky in that scenario…

SirenSays · 16/07/2021 14:29

I always get these, or letters begging them to sell the house. I promptly bin them but they do annoy me. They're never addressed to my landlord by name, I think every house in my area gets them.

idontlikealdi · 16/07/2021 14:30

We get letters all the time from agents and we own our home, it's just marketing.

StarryStarrySocks · 16/07/2021 14:35

It was junk mail. You are massively overthinking this.

NannyAndJohn · 16/07/2021 14:38

YABU for opening your landlord's post.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 16/07/2021 14:45

..it was addressed to "The Homeowner" so technically I should have passed it straight on to my landlord without opening it

When I was a tenant, I'd have opened anything like that which was clearly an unsolicited marketing thing.

I'd also have put it in the recycling as, oh dear, it must have got caught up with some other junk mail.

Emmelina · 16/07/2021 14:48

It sounds like they’re just phishing for business, to be honest, and don’t have a clue whether you’re an owner, landlord or tenant.
My landlord is of the same mindset as Wombat above - they could increase in line with market rents and price me and my children out, or, they could keep it affordable as they don’t ‘need’ the extra income and keep us secure. There’s too much greed in the world as it is and rental prices at the moment are insane!

ClawedButler · 16/07/2021 14:55

Cheeky gets!

A good tenant is worth more to us than the extra £100 or so we might squeeze out of them. Good tenants are reliable and look after the place, basically caretaking our asset. So we charge going rate as it was 2-3 years ago, and are in no hurry to increase to chase a few extra quid that we might never get because no-one else will pay it!

FAQs · 16/07/2021 15:05

Send it to the letting agent, they probably haven’t even seen it, most tend to use mail out companies who send out campaigns every quarter or so based on RM stats.

me4real · 16/07/2021 15:09

It's just some sort of advert.

I used to get some with estate agents offering to help a landlord sell the flat I was renting. I had anxiety at the time so it somehow unnerved me.

But these are just spam, nothing more- no different to a pizza menu.

flowery · 16/07/2021 15:09

”I was honestly taken aback to find out they were fishing for rentals in a property that was already rented out!”

What makes you think they know it’s rented?