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.

There is a huge interest in family history and house histories. Quite often you will see a "celeb" on programmes like the One Show being taken back to their childhood home and sitting in their old bedroom or something. People on shows like Who Do You Think You Are will be taken to places where their ancestors lived and the present occupants are clearly more than happy to let them in.

There is a bit of a difference when an big broadcasting company contacts you and pays you money so that they can film an insert where Paul McCartney visits his childhood home in Liverpool. Compared to random dude called Jim showing up and asking to see his old bedroom..

speakout
*Even if genuine it seems very needy and overstepping boundaries.
I have a couple of times driven past places we have lived as a family, I slow down and the kids make remarks- " Oh a big fence" or " they have cut the tree", It would never be appropriate to contact the residents.
Once you leave a place it belongs to the new residents.*

Wow couldn't disagree with you more.

I've had people contact at me at my current and previous homes.

I invited a man in who had grown up in my house before emigrating to South Africa as a child. It was lovely to hear his stories.

Someone who lived in our current home wrote explaining how he had been born there and how his now 90yr old mother had described it to him. Could I send her some photographs of the place now? Of course we did. And had a lovely reply.

A few years later I looked on a family history site and yes she was on the 1911 Census. I was so glad I'd taken him at his word.

I'm very glad you've checked on this, op. Like my dad says, you aren't paranoid if you're right.

I don't think it's a scam. I have no interest in.seeing the house we lived in where I was born as I have no memory of it, but if I had the chance to look around the various houses I lived in subsequently I'd take it - simply out of curiosity and a degree of nostalgia. But obviously if you don't want to allow this, you don't have to.

😂😂😂😂 what a ridiculous level of projection. Nothing in the OP suggests her position is anything like yours. Of course people can have whatever boundaries they want and other people can judge them for it. I wouldn’t post personal information about my relatives like you just have but each to their own eh!

I’d love to go and look around my childhood homes but unfortunately this is inappropriate and a massive infringement on your privacy. It’s a NO from me.

It isn't up to others to judge our personal boundaries

In which case why post on MN? If you ask other people’s opinions you’re literally asking them to judge you.

If you’re not comfortable with the request, just ignore it. Bin the note and go about your life as normal.

I currently live across the road from the house I grew up in. One time, between rentals on that house, I saw people in doing up the house ready for the next renters. I asked politely if I could have a quick look, and why. Was so nice to see the changes, as my dad had sold the house with some planning permissions, and they'd done a good job in doing it up.

No one was living there one that day, and if they'd said no, I wouldn't have been an idiot and try to push it.

And the house I'm currently in was my friend's house when we were kids, that felt weird initially when I realised.

The op was asking if this was a scam.

I would absolutely love to go and look inside the two houses where I grew up. I'd also like to show my dc the house where they were born.

Can however completely understand why you wouldn't want strangers in your home.

My home is my sanctuary, I don't like letting people in who I don't know. The only reason I asked to look in my childhood home was because I knew no-one was actually living there and the house was empty of all furniture.

I'd personally have no problem with this, but if you're not, just text the number and say you'd prefer them not to come round. They'll get it once they turn their mobile on.

Otherwise you'll risk them just turning up on your doorstep having not heard from you to the contrary.

@SpittinKitten I'm seeing my mum tomorrow so I'll ask her if I've misremembered- which is highly likely

Could be genuine but if you’re not comfortable with it then fair enough. You’ve tried the number and it doesn’t work. So is just ignore. Or send a text to say you have covid so house will not be available!

Op just goes to show your instinct was right that it could be a scam. Quite worrying how trusting so many people are off complete strangers. Glad you checked it out with the neighbour.

Is the house particularly interesting or significant?

Years ago, somebody knocked on
Our door saying they lived there as a child

The house was old. The house ajd surrounding area had Undergone significant change over the course of time and the previous owner told us a lot about the history of the the house

So you were right to be suspicious, OP. Clearly there are more gullible people out there who the scam has worked on 🙄

Being wary isn’t a failing. It’s common-sense. You knew the dates these people had given you didn’t add up, and you were uneasy about letting strangers into your house. Quite right.

We had someone do this-they were the first people in our house when it was built in the 1940’s (tied cottage). Her mum had dementia and they were sparking memories. It was fascinating hearing how it used to be and their stories. They only stayed downstairs and looked round-though we have changed the layout inside so it wasn’t much help for her mum.

She wasn't asking to be judged. She was asking whether people thought it could be a scam or not, if you read her post.

It could well be a scam, and a way of trying to con their way into the house. People have been robbed this way before. My DH's grandma was. It isn't a new tactic.

Surely you can text them to say no?

If you dont want people in your house you don't have to!

I personally did allow it once. An old couple were standing outside my house, holding photos taken inside and in the garden in the 1950s. They were so obviously genuine I invited them in for tea and scanned their old pics so I had copies.

I feel it's not up to me to text the couple and get further involved with them so decided to report the note and visit to the police. I filled in an online form last night to the non urgent 101 website and have heard this morning that they will be following my report up. I doubt I will hear anything else but who knows.

For those who asked the house/cottage is quite old, as far as I know there is nothing of great interest about the property itself. There is however quite a lot of interesting local history attached to the immediate area which would be attractive to historians and researchers. I would expect them to make a proper appointment if they wanted to see the property.

Were the other couple resident in the house during the years the letter says? Are you 100% sure?

Otherwise being reported to the police for happening to be born in a house OP owns. Seems harsh but ok.