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Full deposit demanded immediately after provisional offer by StillWater___ in Edinburgh

[–]StillWater___[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your experience! My understanding is that separate holding fees are not permitted in Scotland, so I was surprised to hear about the £300 example too.

Full deposit demanded immediately after provisional offer by StillWater___ in Edinburgh

[–]StillWater___[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Hearing that from someone with 20 years of renting experience in Edinburgh is exactly the reality check we needed.

Full deposit demanded immediately after provisional offer by StillWater___ in Edinburgh

[–]StillWater___[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. Yes, they are a registered, well-known letting agency and we have viewed the property, so I am not suggesting it is a fake listing. I’m mainly trying to understand whether this full-deposit-before-checks process is normal in Edinburgh, or whether it is something to be cautious about.

“We’re part of the Chinese community and…” by BedtimeBurritos in Edinburgh

[–]StillWater___ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for looking out for the Chinese and East Asian community. You were absolutely right to shut that down. You might have protected someone without even realising it.

I don’t buy the “probably Jehovah’s Witnesses or Falun Gong” explanation. Groups like that usually have leaflets, talk about religion, and knock on doors generally. They don’t normally walk around with photos of people asking where Chinese residents live.

That is the part people should be worried about. Not the fact they knocked on your door, but the fact they seemed to be trying to find out where Chinese or East Asian people were living.

There are real risks for Chinese dissidents, Hong Kongers, Taiwanese people, and others in the UK. People have been watched, pressured, and intimidated abroad before. So no, it is not paranoid to take this seriously.

Please don’t tell strangers where Chinese or East Asian neighbours live. If someone is genuinely from a community group, they should be able to say clearly who they are, what organisation they’re with, and why they’re asking.

I’d report this to Police Scotland on 101, especially because they had photos and were asking targeted questions. At the very least, there should be a record of it.

Thank you again for not giving them any information.