diff --git a/scripts/rename_user.py b/scripts/rename_user.py
index bbb0213..9b27730 100755
--- a/scripts/rename_user.py
+++ b/scripts/rename_user.py
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ def rename_user(old_username, new_username):
     """Given an old and a new username, renames user on disk with usermod.
     Raises if the usermod call fails."""
 
+    args = [
+        'pkill',
+        '-u',
+        old_username]
+    subprocess.run(args, check=True)
+
     # Rename user
     args = [
         'usermod',
diff --git a/ttadmin/common/mailing.py b/ttadmin/common/mailing.py
index e76a218..1aa8f16 100644
--- a/ttadmin/common/mailing.py
+++ b/ttadmin/common/mailing.py
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@ from django.conf import settings
 
 logger = logging.getLogger()
 
-FROM='root@tilde.town'
+EXTERNAL_FROM='tildetown@protonmail.ch'
 
-def send_email(to, body, subject='a message from tilde.town', frum=FROM,):
+def send_email(to, body, subject='a message from tilde.town'):
     """Sends an email using mailgun. Logs on failure."""
     response =  requests.post(
         settings.MAILGUN_URL,
         auth=('api', settings.MAILGUN_KEY),
         data={
-            'from': frum,
+            'from': EXTERNAL_FROM,
             'to': to,
             'subject': subject,
             'text': body
diff --git a/ttadmin/users/models.py b/ttadmin/users/models.py
index c53edbd..e600179 100644
--- a/ttadmin/users/models.py
+++ b/ttadmin/users/models.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.db.models import TextField, BooleanField, CharField, ForeignKey
 from django.template.loader import get_template
 
-from common.mailing import send_email
+from common.mailing import send_email, ADMIN_NAME
 from help.models import Ticket
 
 logger = logging.getLogger()
@@ -51,16 +51,14 @@ class Townie(User):
     def home(self):
         return os.path.join('/home', self.username)
 
-    def send_welcome_email(self, admin_name='vilmibm'):
+    def send_welcome_email(self):
         welcome_tmpl = get_template('users/welcome_email.txt')
         context = {
             'username': self.username,
-            'admin_name': admin_name,
+            'admin_name': ADMIN_NAME,
         }
         text = welcome_tmpl.render(context)
-        from_address = '{}@tilde.town'.format(admin_name)
-        success = send_email(self.email, text, subject='tilde.town!',
-                             frum=from_address)
+        success = send_email(self.email, text, subject='tilde.town!')
         if not success:
             Ticket.objects.create(name='system',
                                   email='root@tilde.town',
@@ -167,6 +165,23 @@ class Townie(User):
             return
         logger.info('Renamed {} to {}'.format(old_username, self.username))
 
+        # send user an email
+
+        rename_tmpl = get_template('users/rename_email.txt')
+        context = {
+            'old_username': old_username,
+            'new_username': self.username
+        }
+        text = rename_tmpl.render(context)
+        success = send_email(self.email, text, subject='Your tilde.town user has been renamed!')
+        if not success:
+            Ticket.objects.create(name='system',
+                                  email='root@tilde.town',
+                                  issue_type='other',
+                                  issue_text='was not able to send rename email to {} ({})'.format(
+                                      self.username,
+                                      self.email))
+
 
 class Pubkey(Model):
     key_type = CharField(max_length=50,
diff --git a/ttadmin/users/templates/users/rename_email.txt b/ttadmin/users/templates/users/rename_email.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f93b64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ttadmin/users/templates/users/rename_email.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+hi!
+
+you requested a new username on tilde.town. This process required logging you
+out and killing any active processes you had running. sorry if this caused any
+confusion or inconvenience.
+
+old username: {{old_username}}
+new username: {{new_username}}
+
+you'll use this when ssh'ing into the town.
+
+best,
+~vilmibm