Opened a letter addressed to my landlord...

[RentyRentRent]

I honestly only opened it thinking it would be junk- we have lived here for two years (they lived here before us, couldn't sell when they emigrated, so rented through an agency) and are still getting loads of post for them, so I have started ringing the companies to be taken off the mailing lists.

Anyway, the letter said the landlord has missed a payment on their mortgage. Obv I now feel guilty for opening post (hence the namechange) but it raises questions...

a) why did the letter come here? Sounds suspiciously like they haven't told the company they have let the house out.

b) What happens if they don't pay? Do we get chucked out?

c) We are thinking of buying a house anyway, this house is pretty perfect for us (apart from the odd minor thing), should we make them an offer below the going price? (We would struggle to get a mortgage for the full value, but we know the house needs loads of repairs- we spend half our lives chasing up the letting agent about getting them done, with the landlord dragging their feet about spending out any money - could it be that they can't afford it?

If reposession is an issue, it would be better all round for us to buy it before it gets to that point, even at a much reduced rate, surely?

Any advice is welcomed!

Also, should I let on to landlord/letting agent/mortgage company that this letter has come here? It could be an honest mistake, and I feel guilty for opening it, but, like I say, you assume that two years after someone has moved out, any post for them is junk...

It is still their house so they need to see the letter.You could of easily opened it by mistake thinking it was your mail.

If the house is perfect for you ask them if they would be interested in selling it to you.

Get 3 different valuations and see if you can make them a resonable offer.

Remember if they do want to sell and are out of the country it won't be that easy to organise so your offer may be ideal.

All the best.

Mail forwarding automatically stop after 2 years, which is why it has come to you now. Royal mail does not renew forwarding either after 2 years, so landlord would have had to find alternatives, which it seems he hasnt.

Agree with fidelma. Let them have the letter, and ask if they would be interested in selling.

Of course, if they are in negative equity, it may not be financially viable for them to sell, so they need a price where they can come out on top.

At the moment, it is probably your rent paying their mortgage, so they can afford to wait while the market recovers, while you are still renting.

You havent missed rent a month? If so, that may be way they are now in arrears.

Many years ago I purchased a house I was renting.

I told the landlord I was ready to buy a house and if I didn't buy his I would be moving out and buying another one.

I made a low offer on the basis that we would be paying rent up until completion.

I agreed a deal at £15k below market value which meant I could get a good deal on the mortgage.

So go for it, it could be good for you and the landlord.

i think you are jumping teh gun a bit.

thsi letetr says they missed one payment. i have never heard of anyone losing tehir house because of one missed payment, and i worked for a national bank for 6 years.

your only concern is to forward the mail. if i was the landlord and you offered to buy th house based on taht one letter, for less tahn market value i would be furious.

You really shouldnt have opened their mail - its an offence and you should either be passing it on to them or marking it as "addressee gone away".

I think the fact they have missed one payment isnt really an indicator of anything tbh. We had a couple of direct debits bounce recently not because we didnt have the money but DH has changed his account and the bank had made a mistake when transferring the dd's over.

It wouldnt hurt to discuss you buying the house but I wouldnt mention the letter tbh. If you want to make a low offer just tell him its what you can afford.

It is a bit strange that the letter has come to the house,may suggest the LL has not advised the mortgage co the house is let

Agree that you may be jumping the gun a bit. One missed payment, for someone who lives overseas and won't be getting mail very efficiently (obviously), is really indicative of nothing at all.

At this point, I would forward the mail with an apology for having opened it by accident, and perhaps politely remind the landlord to continue to re-direct the mail, and/or to advise the mortgage company that his mail address is not the property which is mortgaged.

If you are interested in buying the house, which might still be a good proposition for both of you, it should be a completely separate discussion at a different time.

D

I agree that based on 1 missed / late payment you should not make any assumptions. There may have been extra bank holidays wherever the landlord lives over the festive season which could account for this if the money is coming from a foreign bank account.

Slightly suspicious that the mortgage company do not have the landlord's residential address - although that is their concern not yours as it would invalidate their buildings insurance.

You should send the letter to the agency to forward on to the landlord explaining that you opened it by mistake. If you genuinely want to buy the house then raise this as a seperate issue.