A reader Rat and Mouse reader has just received this email from Lauristons in Wimbledon:

We are delighted to announce that for all instructions received before 31st December 2008 Lauristons are offering you the opportunity to sell your property for an unbeatable 0% selling fee. If you are interested or if you know anybody who may be interested in this unique offer please contact Danny Hicks, Sales Manager at your earliest convenience.

Our tipster adds:

What on earth is the thinking behind this? Maybe it's the old "yeah, we're losing money on each customer, but we'll make it up in volume!" approach....

I don't know... maybe it's a questions of dominating the area with boards in preparation of the upturn. Maybe it's about making sure that - if there is a sale - it's theirs.

Technorati Tags: estate agents, London, property, real estate, real estate agents

Local police warn landlords - if a gang of Vietnamese men get in touch with you and offer you six or 12 months rent upfront in exchange for the keys to your property and no identity checks, be suspicious. Unless you don't particularly mind them knocking down internal walls to facilitate giant cannabis farms with fire-starting hydroponics. More here.

A call to Newham residents - please sniff your neighbours [August 10]
Clarke Hillyer's Leytonstone Vice [April 26]

Prices are soaring, apparently, in Merton, where prices rose 0.9% in January - way above the 0.1% national average (all figures courtesy of Hometrack). Merton was equalled only by Kensington & Chelsea - where prices, aided by six months of City bonus chatter - were almost certain to rise. More, here.

Congratulations to ThisIsLocalLondon for this cracking tale of ministerial property intrigue in Southfields. It appears David Blunkett has managed, once again, to ricochet off the boundaries of ministerial propriety by writing a letter, on House of Commons-headed notepaper, to Wandsworth Council registering his disapproval, as "a former resident" of Fulwood Walk, to the council's plan to add some private flats onto neighbouring Clevedon Lodge. His objections appear to be entirely environmental. But what he doesn't mention is that he still owns and currently rents out 7 Fulwood Walk, which backs directly onto Clevedon Lodge. While he gets busy apologising for using Commons notepaper for an entirely private matter, and explaining that he never meant to mislead Wandsworth Council, it turns out that the building work is designed to raise money for the local Linden Lodge School for blind and partially-sighted children:

The council has already released funds from the potential Clevedon Lodge asset for the school, in expectation of being able to recoup it from the sale. The disused Clevedon Lodge was not seen as a fit site for the school to use in the future. Instead, its sale is partially funding a £4million development at the Princes Way school including a 37-bed residential complex, new teaching accommodation, pool facilities and a play area.

Government's freebie housing round-up [May 9]

This year, according to an Inland Revenue official quoted here in the Times, things are going to change:

"Our advice is, don't wait for us to come looking for you."

And it certainly looks as if Wimbledon residents, accustomed to making a quick tax-free buck by renting out their homes, front gardens are parking spaces for the tennis, are in for a tussle. Inland Revenue agents will be in the crowds, walking the streets, checking the estate agents. And worst of all - they're hard to spot. Apparently, they look just like you and me.