Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

WWYD - approaching landlord re sale

26 replies

oneproudmumma · 09/02/2022 12:29

Relatives are renting a property that they would really like to buy.

The agents informed them landlord was open to to selling the property before they signed the tenancy agreement and the neighbours have since mentioned this also.

They've sent emails to two different people in the lettings department at the agency that enquire about purchasing the property but the emails are being ignored. No one ever answers calls there or calls back, they just text about maintenance issues etc.

They have found the landlord's work email address online. Would it be really out of order to contact him directly about this? WWYD?

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 09/02/2022 12:33

His work email no

winstonsfinger · 09/02/2022 12:33

Contact the landlord, what's the worst that could happen?

Explain that they'd tried to contact via the agent and the agent hasn't responded. Landlords pay agents a fair bit of money for their services, so they may be annoyed to know the agents haven't been passing along messages. Assuming that's what's happened of course.

Theunamedcat · 09/02/2022 12:39

Did he ever live at the address? Post a letter to that address if it doesn't show up its been redirected if it does take it to the agents to pass on make sure its in a brown envelope and looks official

SeasonFinale · 09/02/2022 12:42

As a landlord in a situation where you do not have other contact details for them (which you are entitled to) then I would not mind receiving a polite enquiry from the tenant via my work email as to whether I was interested in selling.

Be careful though. They may not have thought of this for a while, may get a valuation that you may not be able to afford and want to sell up anyway and you may be given notice. So I might see if you can get an idea of whether you can afford the property first especially as prices are rising and have risen.

GroggyLegs · 09/02/2022 12:43

As a landlord, I'd be far more annoyed by the agents not letting me know about a potential sale than I'd be someone using freely available info to get my email address.

If the info they've been given is correct, it's in everyone's best interest to make contact.

Just a thought - Are the owners details on the lease agreement?

SeasonFinale · 09/02/2022 12:44

@Theunamedcat

Did he ever live at the address? Post a letter to that address if it doesn't show up its been redirected if it does take it to the agents to pass on make sure its in a brown envelope and looks official
Wouldn't bother doing this. There is a fee to redirect so most people only do this for 3 to 6 months so they see if they have missed anyone they need to notify!
fairlygoodmother · 09/02/2022 12:45

See if the neighbours have contact information for the landlord, if they know he’s interested in selling they are presumably in touch.

Otherwise, get hold of someone in the sales department in the agency instead of lettings. They’re the ones who would get the sales commission so they will be more motivated.

Original poster
oneproudmumma · 09/02/2022 12:46

@winstonsfinger I think it's the management fee that the agency don't want to lose, hence it's all gone quiet. Apparently the landlord offered to sell the property to the previous tenants, but the tenants eventually bought a property sold by the same agency. Interesting win win situation for the agency there...!

OP posts:
PragmaticWench · 09/02/2022 12:57

All tenants should have their landlord's address on their contract. Unfortunately some agents just put their own agency address on instead.

Would the landlord's details/address be registered on the deeds held by the Land Registry of the property your relatives are living in?

Original poster
oneproudmumma · 09/02/2022 12:58

Yes he did live there and we thought of addressing a letter to him there but what @SeasonFinale said, and he lived there over 12 months ago from what we can ascertain. It might be worth a try though as worst case the letter would just end up at the property!!

They absolutely can afford to buy the property as they are downsizing. They sold one far more expensive one and are only renting until they find one to buy... the money is just sitting in the bank in the meantime!

@GroggyLegs the agency address and telephone number are on the tenancy agreement, along with landlord's name.

@fairlygoodmother they will approach the other neighbours when they see them but not sure they'll have details as landlord lived there briefly, met someone and moved away. He wasn't there that long, from what we have heard.

Re the sales department- thought of that but they don't have an instruction to sell so could (or would) they pursue this?

OP posts:
Original poster
oneproudmumma · 09/02/2022 13:01

All tenants should have their landlord's address on their contract. Unfortunately some agents just put their own agency address on instead.

I didn't know this?! We have a rental ourselves very near to our house and we put the agency address on the tenancy agreement as we didn't want tenants knowing we live a 2 minute drive away!

Would the landlord's details/address be registered on the deeds held by the Land Registry of the property your relatives are living in?

We could pay £3 to find out but... Isn't that more stalkerish than emailing them to check? 😂

OP posts:
xXwhenwillitendXx · 09/02/2022 14:37

Shouldn't the landlords address / contact details be on the tenancy agreement.
I don't think it's wrong emailing his work address if you know for sure he is looking to sell.
Our landlord sent us a direct letter asking if we wanted to buy the property we are in, he didn't go through our estate agents and just sent it direct (suppose he knew our address as its his house) he did put in the letter he hoped we didn't mind him getting in direct contact, and we didn't, we actually thought it was quite nice if him.
He put his email address in the letter for us to contact him if we wanted to, I suggest you di the same then if he wants a sale he knows how to get directly in touch and if he doesn't want a sale he can wither ignore ignore email or politely decline.
You don't ask then you don't get

Original poster
oneproudmumma · 09/02/2022 16:17

@xXwhenwillitendXx

Shouldn't the landlords address / contact details be on the tenancy agreement. I don't think it's wrong emailing his work address if you know for sure he is looking to sell. Our landlord sent us a direct letter asking if we wanted to buy the property we are in, he didn't go through our estate agents and just sent it direct (suppose he knew our address as its his house) he did put in the letter he hoped we didn't mind him getting in direct contact, and we didn't, we actually thought it was quite nice if him. He put his email address in the letter for us to contact him if we wanted to, I suggest you di the same then if he wants a sale he knows how to get directly in touch and if he doesn't want a sale he can wither ignore ignore email or politely decline. You don't ask then you don't get
Might send a letter first to see if it is redirected and then an email...Smile
OP posts:
ohleakyleaky · 09/02/2022 22:43

Stop overthinking it and just send him an email! Just a 3 liner apologising for contacting him, saying you had tried the agent but no response and asking for him to get back to you if he'd be interested in selling. I am also a landlord and would appreciate this!

Original poster
oneproudmumma · 10/02/2022 01:15

@ohleakyleaky

Stop overthinking it and just send him an email! Just a 3 liner apologising for contacting him, saying you had tried the agent but no response and asking for him to get back to you if he'd be interested in selling. I am also a landlord and would appreciate this!
Thank, will do. We were just concerned that a work email might be monitored by a secretary as the landlord appears to hold a very senior position and he may not want anyone at work to know he has a rental property etc. However, as others have said, nothing ventured, nothing gained..
OP posts:
PragmaticWench · 10/02/2022 12:21

Email to his workplace is intrusive, try a letter to the address your property is registered to at the Land Registry.

GroggyLegs · 10/02/2022 12:55

It would be intrusive to send emails about repairs or general maintenance.

It's not intrusive if its a time sensitive business proposition (they don't want to rent forever) & you're getting no joy through the normal channels.

ChicCroissant · 10/02/2022 13:02

Ask the agency for the Landlord's address - IIRC it doesn't have to be on the contract but they have to provide it in a set period of time if you ask for it.

whataboutbob · 10/02/2022 20:26

Yes, legally tenants are entitled to be given the landlords residential address.

Original poster
oneproudmumma · 11/02/2022 03:00

@whataboutbob

Yes, legally tenants are entitled to be given the landlords residential address.
So could they email and/or write to the agent requesting fhe landlord's address (as per Section 1 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985)? And what do they do if the agents reply with:

Landlord name
Agency address ?

Thank you, all. You are most helpful x

OP posts:
SeasonFinale · 11/02/2022 10:43

Seriously definitely email. It would be extraordinary in this day and age if a secretary were "handling" a very senior person's emails.

Mosaic123 · 11/02/2022 10:47

Send a recorded delivery letter to the landlord's work address. Put "Private-Addressee only" above his name. It shouldn't be opened by anyone else

M0RVEN · 11/02/2022 10:50

Just send an email saying that you want to discuss the possible sale of the property at x address.

That doesn’t give away much to anyone who might read it .

Even if you get his address form the agent, it might be a company one and not his home address..

The letting agents don’t want you to buy as then then won’t get the fee anymore.

Doubleraspberry · 11/02/2022 11:52

We're currently renting out our house, but about to put it up for sale, and I'd be furious at an agent that hadn't told me the tenant may want it. It's also odd if they're refusing as they may well have a clause that entitles them to a commission if sold to a tenant, whereas the landlord could choose to sell the house through a different agent entirely.

I'd definitely suggest a bland email to the landlord's work address. I think it would be strange if they minded.

namechange30455 · 11/02/2022 11:55

@SeasonFinale

Seriously definitely email. It would be extraordinary in this day and age if a secretary were "handling" a very senior person's emails.
Eh? Everyone senior in my organisation has an assistant to manage their inboxes.
Swipe left for the next trending thread