Permission Sample Letter

Sample Permission Slip

Mr/Ms/Mrs First M.I. Last
Street Address
City, State ZIP
Phone #
email@email.com

                                                                                                                     DATE

Greetings Sir (or Ma’am),                       

      My name is (your name).  I have lived in (your town) for (number of) years.  (Other things about yourself or family – keep short).  Normally I would prefer to approach you in person, but I feel that a letter beforehand is far less intrusive than just knocking on your door at an inconvenient time and invading your privacy.

    I'm writing to ask for permission to use a metal detector on your property at (address or location).  I've been engaged in the hobby for about (years) now and I find that it is a good source of exercise and a great way to meet many interesting people.  I realize this may be a strange request, but the thrill of finding old coins, buttons, & etc is very exciting to me.  Recently, I ran across information about the history of your property and the area surrounding it.  Needless to say, I’ve been intrigued about how old the area really is. 

     I want you to know that I respect all properties that I search and always leave them in the same condition that I find them.  Normally, the targets that I uncover are no more than four to six inches deep, and I retrieve them in such a way that the ground appears undisturbed.

     In addition, I would like to offer my services to you.  Perhaps you or someone you know has lost a favorite piece of jewelry or other valued metal object.  I would be glad to try and find it for you, just for the thrill of the search.  Otherwise, if you have a couple of chores I can help you with while I’m there, I would be glad to offer a hand in return.

     I have enclosed a self addressed envelope for your convenience and would be happy to meet with you if further discussion is required.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me anytime.  My phone number is listed above.
 
Thank you so much for your consideration, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Very Respectfully,

(Sign your name here)

(Type your name here)

 
 
NOTE 2:  Also use the following additional format when dealing with companies (especially such as contractors at a construction site) where safety and liability is a primary concern. 

Release of Personal Liability and Permission to Metal Detect on Private Property
The areas I wish to hunt include open fields, lawn areas, along sidewalks, (etc, etc).  The guidelines below are a generally accepted ethical list of rules governing metal detecting enthusiasts that I will follow:

      1.  Dig no more than a few inches below the soil surface

      2.  Always return grass/soil to its original state

      3.  Avoid specially manicured areas (golf course greens, etc)

      4.  Never re-bury trash items, dispose of refuse properly

      5.  Never interfere with occupied or storage areas

      6.  Make every attempt to locate rightful owners of precious finds or items of possible sentimental value

      7.  Never hunt after nightfall

      8.  Follow all instruction of the site foreman and abide by safety notices

      Thank you for considering my request sir (or ma’am).  Approval will not only help me enjoy this newly-acquired hobby but help make (name of city) a cleaner community.  Furthermore, I accept full responsibility for everything I do and hereby release you from all potential personal liability that may result from any of my accidents.  I also understand that any limited approval granted by you may be revoked at any time and I promise that I will never abuse your trust or become a nuisance. 

Signed, 


(Type Name)           Date

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I, ______________________hereby give my express permission to (Your Name) to venture onto my property for the purpose of his (her) metal detecting hobby.  I also understand that I may withdraw this agreement or revise in any way, and at any time as I see fit upon written or oral notice.

Signed

__________________________                                           ________________

Owner, (type Address of location of property)                                DATE
 

I don't kow I still like meeting them in person and giving them my business card. Tell them some about me and what I do and what I am looking for.....Matt

The letter is waaaay too long.  After the first sentence or 2 your letter would be tossed away.  With the amount of junk mail we all get these days, folks don't hesitate to "can" unsolicited mail.

Matt, is right.  Nothing beats a face-to-face "meet".  The person can see first hand if you are a grubby bum or an honest looking person.  Business  owners can be approached if timed right.  I have visited with a local lawyer and other business owners locally to ask for permission to hunt their properties.  The lawyer owns one of the oldest properties in town (mid-1800s) as well as some country property that includes the site of an old country store (long gone) where my family and I lived in 1950.  I have been refused permission only once by a business owner whose property is the site of an old hotel that was used as a hospital right after the end of the Siege of Vicksburg.  I thanked him anyway, and went on about my business.  I was refused permission by the owner of the oldest home in town, too.  I was not the first to ask, and he had refused everyone.  He told me that he wanted to wait and let his 14 year old son be the first to detect the property.  Of course, his son doesn't have the slightest interest in metal detecting and his Dad doesn't even have a detector.  BUT, it is their property and that's OK.  No harm; no fowl...........even though Jefferson Davis gave a speech in the front yard in the shade of a huge old tree.  That tree was recently removed.   

My point with this long post is that it pays to talk to people in person and it's not the end of the world if you're refused permission.  Most of the people I've asked have said "yes".  The odds are with you so try it.  If property owners live out of town, there usually is someone locally who watches over the place for them. 

No way in hell I'd sign a random piece of paper left on my door or in my mailbox--especially if it had the word "Liability" on it!

Talk to them in person.  If you're too timid to walk up to them and get permission in person, you are in the wrong hobby.

I use the face to face approach as well as it is more effective & met with good success as well. That letter was found on the Internet & I posted it mainly for beginners as 1 of their most often asked questions is...how do I obtain permission?  But us seasoned experienced hunters know that is it simplest & best just to ask in person. But looking decent & being approachable helps a lot too. I'm rarely denied permission to hunt but if I am I just move on. Life is too short & there are far too many places to detect.  

I use the face to face approach as well as it is more effective & met with good success as well. That letter was found on the Internet & I posted it mainly for beginners as 1 of their most often asked questions is...how do I obtain permission?  But us seasoned experienced hunters know that is it simplest & best just to ask in person. But looking decent & being approachable helps a lot too. I'm rarely denied permission to hunt but if I am I just move on. Life is too short & there are far too many places to detect.  

Beginners don't need the crutch.  They need to get out there and work on their "people" skills.  

Not a bad letter, I tried letters at one time myself with no luck. Almost nobody is going to reply or give you permission via a letter. The best way is face to face and with a business card. They don't know you, they will be leery and you will still get allot of no's. The business card will help put them at ease because they have some of your personal info. Address, phone etc. The rest is all selling yourself.

[YOU]

Jersey devil, as the others have said, and you seem to have concurred, cold-call-letter-writing is the worst possible way  (and thus, no need to re-print sample letters from elsewhere).   

The reason it rarely works, is because, think of it:  What do YOU do with junk mail you get from total strangers?   Throw it away, right?   It's human nature.   Best to bump into them somehow (like when they're out on their porch for a smoke) and strike up a friendly smiling conversation about how you're a history buff, and you're studying about the stage stop (or fill-in-the-blank) that you heard is on their back-40, etc...

Don't mention things like old coins and such......I like to say artifacts and talk to them in person.

The letter is waaaay too long.  After the first sentence or 2 your letter would be tossed away.  With the amount of junk mail we all get these days, folks don't hesitate to "can" unsolicited mail.

Matt, is right.  Nothing beats a face-to-face "meet".  The person can see first hand if you are a grubby bum or an honest looking person.  Business  owners can be approached if timed right.  I have visited with a local lawyer and other business owners locally to ask for permission to hunt their properties.  The lawyer owns one of the oldest properties in town (mid-1800s) as well as some country property that includes the site of an old country store (long gone) where my family and I lived in 1950.  I have been refused permission only once by a business owner whose property is the site of an old hotel that was used as a hospital right after the end of the Siege of Vicksburg.  I thanked him anyway, and went on about my business.  I was refused permission by the owner of the oldest home in town, too.  I was not the first to ask, and he had refused everyone.  He told me that he wanted to wait and let his 14 year old son be the first to detect the property.  Of course, his son doesn't have the slightest interest in metal detecting and his Dad doesn't even have a detector.  BUT, it is their property and that's OK.  No harm; no fowl...........even though Jefferson Davis gave a speech in the front yard in the shade of a huge old tree.  That tree was recently removed.  

My point with this long post is that it pays to talk to people in person and it's not the end of the world if you're refused permission.  Most of the people I've asked have said "yes".  The odds are with you so try it.  If property owners live out of town, there usually is someone locally who watches over the place for them.  

No way in hell I'd sign a random piece of paper left on my door or in my mailbox--especially if it had the word "Liability" on it!

Talk to them in person.  If you're too timid to walk up to them and get permission in person, you are in the wrong hobby.

I have to agree with you. What's the worst thing they could do....Tie you up and eat you for dinner?   

No way in hell I'd sign a random piece of paper left on my door or in my mailbox--especially if it had the word "Liability" on it!

Talk to them in person.  If you're too timid to walk up to them and get permission in person, you are in the wrong hobby.

   I'm with you...  I get a letter like that and first I think who is this nut, then I throw it in the trash and whisper under my breath he better not come around here. Your permission granted % will be so much lower using the letter approach, and you know what else, after you scared them with the letter they are probably going to  turn me down when I knock at the door.  I think the letter is better than most, but definitely not what I would do.

Don't mention things like old coins and such......I like to say artifacts and talk to them in person.

   Bullets! and old lead sinkers, that's what I look for!      "People have hunted and fished around here for years, so I always find a few"

 

I agree with IP and BB on this one forget the letter, the personal approach is always the best, I have about a 75% conversion rate when it comes to acquiring land, and can usually tell in the first few minutes of speaking to the land owner, weather or not I will get the green light from them. Keep it simple , respect the land, show the finds if there interested.....and never ask on a Sunday

SS

Just out of curiosity, Iron Patch;  do you dress like your avatar when you knock on those doors?     It'd scare the hell, the YES out of them. 

Just out of curiosity, Iron Patch;  do you dress like your avatar when you knock on those doors?     It'd scare the hell, the YES out of them. 

   In a word.... or 6, my diggin bud does the talking! 

   No, I don't look anything like that in my life away from detecting, just transform once I'm on the old iron. 

Furthermore, I accept full responsibility for everything I do and hereby release you from all potential personal liability that may result from any of my accidents.

Okay, so you do get hurt.  You go to the emergency room.  Your bill is, say, a thousand bucks.  You tell your insurance company, "Oh, by the way, I gave these people my liability release."

Your insurance company says, "We're gonna pay your medical bill, but you promised we won't sue for reimbursement?  Right." 

WRITING A LETTER IS A HORRIBLE IDEA, even without getting into liability issues.

Listen to my podcast on getting permission:  http://thetreasurecorner.com, program number #002.  Just click the pink button and the show will play on your computer's speakers.