AIBU to think this intimidating house buying letter should be reported to police?

[Blopi]

Friend’s elderly neighbours came back from holiday to find a letter delivered by person. It has made them upset and frightened.

It was addressed to them personally Mr and Mrs (surname)
They said that their home is too big for the couple and would be suitable for a 5 bedroom HMO. Willing to pay £Xk for it (properties have been selling for 10-15% more) and will visit them on Thursday at 11am to discuss things. Signed by Mr (common surname). No phone number or email address.

Her neighbours have zero intention of moving home as they have lived there for 58 years. They are upset on how they are targeted and wondering how did they get their names?

In the past I had these letters which have been sent to others down the estate. Though not intimidating like this letter, nor personalised.

Unfortunately my friend is working on Thursday. She would have loved to have seen if the person turned up and told

Should my friend phone the police on the non emergency line about this? As maybe something else dodgy going on

How on earth would you report it to trading standards with no context details etc?

Good luck getting the ICO to act on that one.

Can your friend get together with other neighbours to that someone is with the elderly couple at the time these people say they will visit, to help them simply say "No thanks" and close the door? Or alternatively suggest to them they can go round to someone else's for the morning that day? Or could the couple just decide that's the day they're going out for a cup of coffee?

letters that declared that someone would visit at a set day and time to discuss it? letters with no details of the business who was making the enquiry?

I don't think leaving the house empty at the time is a good idea at all.

Massive reach!

They've received a letter through their door.

Nothing else.

Goodness me!

Do you not get post?!

We don't get anonymous hand delivered letters implying the author knows it's just the two of us living here, that we're old, that we should move to make way for an HMO, that we should sell for under the market value and that an unnamed person will call uninvited to discuss. Do you?

I would absolutely report this because, aside from the harassment element of the letter, I would also be concerned this is a scam. Someone may come to their door and be distracting them while someone else goes round the back to rummage through their possessions, or someone may turn up to propose the sale, then get them to sign something to say they don’t want to sell and use that signature for other nefarious purposes. Elderly people are a big target for scammers in ways that a lot of people can’t even anticipate. A call to 101 or a trip to the local police station is easy to do.

Not that it's relevant to this thread, but I am curious to know why in your example only black homeowners are targeted?

I read about this online and they talked about it happening to black homeowners. You can Google it to find out more about the story.

I’d hand over the letter.

Chances are the OP’s parents are not the only ones to have been approached in this way, others may have gone further down the line (actually had the visit) and subsequently complained, so it could be part of a pattern allowing TS to identify the person involved. If they’ve already been warned off this tactic, this would be evidence they are still doing it and might enable TS to take tougher action.

But, mainly - I wouldn’t involve police unless there was further contact, because a single letter does not constitute harassment.

I think some people have missed that up thread police have advised to report.

I missed this. Sorry would you be able to repost please.

Absolutely spot on. My Mum was a fire brand, switched on, took no nonsense. Fast forward to her dotage with ill health and infirmity, I had to take the land line away from her reach, she started getting taken in by scam calls. I like to think I am aware but they are getting so sophisticated and believable, and that is only ever going to escalate. Underestimate at your peril.

Sorry, no. Perhaps you could read the full thread.

Okay did you mean the bit where the poster said her DH is an officer and he said to report it? Or something else?

This is a really understandable reaction, and the neighbours are right to feel unsettled. Here's a balanced take:
Is it illegal? Probably not on its face. Unsolicited letters offering to buy property are legal, and even turning up to discuss it isn't automatically harassment. However, a few things here do push it into more concerning territory.
What makes this letter different from a normal speculative offer:

• Personalised with full names (raises questions about how that data was obtained)
• A below-market offer, which combined with the HMO mention could be seen as pressure tactics
• Announcing an uninvited visit on a specific date creates a sense of obligation or threat
• Targeted at an elderly couple, which matters in terms of vulnerability

Regarding reporting to police: Yes, phoning 101 (the non-emergency line) is entirely reasonable. Not necessarily because a crime has definitely occurred, but because the police can log it, advise whether it crosses any lines, and build a picture if this person is doing it more widely. It also creates a record if things escalate. The data question is worth flagging. Getting names linked to an address suggests either the Land Registry (which is public) or electoral roll data. If the data was obtained improperly or used in a way that breaches GDPR, that's potentially an ICO matter rather than a police one.

Practical advice for Thursday:

• The neighbours are under no obligation to answer the door
• If the person does turn up and is pushy or refuses to leave, that could become a harassment or public order issue
• A note on the door saying "we are not interested and do not wish to discuss this" removes any ambiguity

The neighbours should absolutely not feel pressured to engage with this person at all.

Here is a letter template that they could use and send to the person trying to get the property off them/

Dear Mr [Surname],

We write in response to the unsolicited letter you delivered to our home addressed to us personally.

We wish to make our position absolutely clear: we have no interest whatsoever in selling our home, and this will not change. We have lived here for 58 years and have no intention of leaving under any circumstances.

We do not wish you to visit us on Thursday or at any other time. You do not have our permission to call at our property. Should you do so regardless, we will treat it as harassment and report the matter to the police accordingly.

We are also concerned about how you obtained our personal details, including our full names linked to our address. We are looking into this matter further.

This letter is our final word on the subject. Please do not contact us again by any means.

Yours faithfully,

[Mr & Mrs Surname]

Another one they can send firm and measured/

Dear Mr [Surname],

Thank you for your letter, however we must make our position entirely clear.

Our home is not for sale. It has never been for sale and we have no intention of selling it at any point in the future, regardless of the offer made. We have lived here for 58 years and this is not something open to discussion.

We would ask that you do not visit us on Thursday or at any future date, as we will not be entering into any conversation on this matter. Any visit to our property would be unwelcome and we would not hesitate to report it to the police as harassment.

We would also ask that you clarify in writing how you obtained our personal details, as we intend to look into this matter further if necessary.

Please remove our details from your records and do not contact us again.

Yours faithfully,

[Mr & Mrs Surname]

Two options here depending on how strongly the neighbours want to come across. Both make the position unambiguous and mention the police, which is important.
The Firm & direct version is more confrontational in tone — good if they want to leave no room for doubt whatsoever.
The Firm but measured version achieves the same goal but is slightly more civil in phrasing, which some people prefer as it avoids any suggestion they were rattled.
Either way, I'd suggest the letter is posted or hand-delivered before Thursday so the person has no excuse for turning up. Keeping a copy for their own records is also a good idea in case things escalate.

Did you mean to quote me? I don't recall referencing you? Unless you're the OP and this is a name change fail? Even then I don't recall specifically referencing the OP.

Yes I did. A personal invitation to quote someone isn't required on a forum.

you said I'd be absolutely stunned if they sent a PCSO as some have suggested they would. They just don't have the resources

As I said HERE they WOULD.

I would definitely report, as I think this could fall under rogue traders, high pressure sales to vulnerable people, which the police often do community briefings about in this area (high numbers of older people around here). Its got financial abuse, fraud, scam written all over it.

No, they wouldn't. There is actually a recognised pattern of older people targeted aggressively and exploitatively in this way, and often escalates to harassment and scams. People are being urged to report it.
OP, Age UK will give advice on this.

I find it somewhat ironic that in a thread about people feeling intimidated by a letter, that you find a random commenter who hadn't addressed you in any way and has done nothing more than offer a differing opinion to yours, which is permitted, and you use capital letters in your reply which is the text equivalent of shouting at someone.

Have you checked with all of the members of staff in your local police force to ask them? Run it by the Chief? Asked the PCC? Maybe you are the Chief???