Previous occupant of my house

[NoGoAway]

I have NC for this as don't want it linking to previous posts I have made.

I have just returned home and found a note from someone who says they used to live in my house. They are asking if I would allow them to show the house to their daughter who was born here. They are staying nearby for the next few days. They have given the years when they say they lived here which mean nothing to me. I know how long the previous couple owned the house but not whether they lived here the whole time or rented the property out. My initial reaction was to ignore the note as I thought it was probably a scam of some sort. I then thought even if they are genuine and staying locally, I don’t want them in my house. There was a mobile number at the top of the note which I tried ringing to say nope not convenient, but the phone is turned off with no facility to leave a message.

I know IANBU to not want random people wandering around my house but is this a scam I haven’t come across before now? I don’t want to spend the next few days on tenterhooks every time someone knocks at the door and nervous of opening it.

Burglars don't "case the joint" as often as you might think,when it comes to normal houses. They just break in. Also, if they were planning to burst in and assault you, its unusual to leave a note asking for an appointment.

If speaking to strangers worries you, just ignore the note. They can look from the outside.

The family home I grew up in was a grade 2 listed building. IIRC there's some kind of 'law' (maybe an unwritten rule?!) that states you have to let previous occupants of listed buildings in to loom around.

I could have of course just invented that, but I seem to recall a lady coming to look around it when I was about 10 years old and my mum explaining that it was fine, because one day we would be able to do the same.

It would never occur to me to say no. But then we’ve got nothing worth stealing.

I'm on my own for the Bank Holiday (partner is off doing an Iron Man thing) and the house is a tip. The thought of a mega tidy up when it's hot weather does not appeal.

Do you all really think that there are scammers who have run out of scams and have taken to hand writing notes and leaving their phone numbers for their victims?

I'm a bit sad for you that you live in such state of suspicion and fear of strangers.

I'd be quite interested in having a look round my childhood home, I know from the outside that it's changed quite a bit and it would be nice to see how it is now. I don't think that's so unusual.

It would be a flat no from me. Firstly my home is my private space and I don't want strangers traipsing through. 2ndly they could be burglars scouring houses for things to steal and what better way to know which houses to target than get a look around "legitimately" first so they know if its worth the risk and what security measures you have.

have you read the thread? Most saying they don’t think a scam.

i don’t

i just couldn’t be arsed to arrange

YANBU. They can show their daughter the house from the outside. I have taken my DD to the house I grew up in (when she was much younger,) and the primary school I went to. At NO point did I ask the new owner/occupiers to let me in to the house to mooch around. (Nor did I ask the school if I could look around.) What a bizarre request.

Feel free to politely say NO @NoGoAway Tell them (if they get in touch again,) they are free to look from the outside, but you are not comfortable letting people you don't know inside your home.

I'd love to do that! But it seems like an invasion of privacy so me and my brother just creepily walk past our old house once a year.

I haven't come across this scam. Doesn't mean that it isn't, but could easily be a genuine request. Totally understandable that you ignore it.

Sorry to be pedantic but how on Earth does a front garden stop the person knocking on your front door getting into your home?! Or a porch unless you lock the inner door behind you before you open the outer door!

We actually did this. I was visiting my DF birth country, he took us to his old home, where he grew up. We were outside on the pavement, owner came out, my DF explained he was just showing us his old house and they invited us in for tea and snacks. Turns out his old neighbor still lived next door, next generation though. They came over and it was a great afternoon of sharing memories. Owner was so welcoming and we were grateful for the afternoon with them.

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

Do you all really think that there are scammers who have run out of scams and have taken to hand writing notes and leaving their phone numbers for their victims? I'm a bit sad for you that you live in such state of suspicion and fear of strangers.

Don't be so ridiculous. The OP (and anyone else) has a right to worry about scams. More people are being scammed these days than ever before. Every day there is a programme on TV somewhere about scammers. Dismissing people fears like this is just bloody rude.

Also, I doubt the OP gives a shit that you are 'sad' for her. How patronising.

I doubt it's a scam but I wouldn't want to facilitate strangers looking around my home regardless. If you're worried about them just turning up you could always text explaining that it's not convenient.

Several years ago, a lady arrived at my house. Apparently she and her husband had the house built, I invited her in and showed her around the ground floor; it was really interesting to hear from her how much had changed since she moved out. Her husband had died recently, and she was revisiting the area. It was lovely to meet her.

Exactly. ^ IMO you'd have to have rocks in your head to let these strangers into your home. As you said, it would be a flat NO from me too. Not only because of the security aspect but also because it's just fucking cheeky. Just NO!

Send a text message to the number to say it is not convenient at the moment.

I did this years ago. An older lady (probably 70+) knocked at my door and asked if she could possibly look around as she was moving away and wanted to see the places she's lived in over the years. I was surprised but agreed and thoroughly enjoyed her telling me how the house configuration had changed over the 40yrs since she lived there as a newly qualified nurse, along with other local nurses from our local hospital. Was lovely hearing about the times they spent in our home.
Had she not had been an elderly lady I may well have thought otherwise though.

If it had been the couple I bought the house from I would agree if I could. I never met them but obviously knew their name. They sounded really nice and were very easy to deal with re the house purchase. It's the fact of it being a name I don't know saying they lived here when I know the other couple were the owners.

This is interesting because I would dearly love to see my grandma's house. I spent most of my life there until 2012 when she suddenly died and the house was sold.

Most of my dreams occur in that house. Its just "home" to me. I've felt unsettled ever since

But I'd never ask to view it. I have a rightmove property alert setup so if its ever for sale I can view it or maybe buy it! 🤣

But you didn’t write to them asking them to do it and provide a number that is not contactable on?! The owner came out and invited you in

Whilst I want to say it's probably real, it can also be a scam. My grandma saw a young woman in her back garden (open access through gate) and the girl told her she had live there as a child and was curious to see what it looked like now. The girl couldn't have been much over 21. Gran had lived there for over 20 years but for some reason she never clicked that the girl was bullshitting. The girl asked to have a quick look round and gran obliged. The girl ended up walking away with my cousin's £300 watch, jewellery and any cash laying around whilst gran was oblivious, telling her about the changes they'd made etc.

We had this. Lovely lady walked by and told us about living in the house, her mum etc. chatted outside a while then invited her in to look around.

Total regret! 😂 Turned out she was rather nuts, quickly got teary about how the place changed then increased to wailing. Every room had been ruined, things her dad had spent ages on (in the 1970s!) we had pulled out. Her ‘memories were cast aside’. Almost had to push her out in the end.

I would only do this for one house - most I’m not fussed about but my Nan and Grandad’s house was wonderful and holds a lot of memories for me.

if I was in the area - yes I’d drop them a note to see if it was possible. If they didn’t contact me that would be fine but I would love to see it again.

What a brilliant idea. I might refer them to RightMove to look at the photos on there if they get in touch again!

I wouldn't. And no one need 'feel sad for me'. I've been scammed twice, three times would make me a bit of a mug.