I'm a bit puzzled, is this of any importance?
Discussion
I'm the landlord of a flat in the west mids. The tenant, a woman in her mid 20s with two young kids - 4 & 8. She's been there a few years, no problems, no arrears, great tenant. Rent is paid by benefts.
Friday, I receive a letter from the DSS saying she's moved out, and benefits stopped. Fair enough, but I'm a bit surprised she hasn't let me know. Out of character not to communicate.
I've been unable to contact her at all, she seems to have vanished without a trace. Again, fair enough.
Went round to the flat today, locks had been changed and there was a nasty rotting smell from inside. called a locksmith, and got inside.
The smell was rotting food, it was obvious she had left at very short notice, all her belongings except electricals are still there, but very disordered.
A neighbour said she had vanished quietly and suddenly about a week ago. An ex partner was 'after her' it seemed.
This concerned me a little. I thought I'd check with the police.
Easier said than done. I phoned west mids police on 101, missing tenant is in West mids, I live in Leicestershire. After an hour I'm told thbis is nothing to do with west mids, I have to contact Leicester.
Another hour on to Leicestershire, and I'm told the opposite, but they'll transfer me, but fail, rather embarrassed, after an further 30 minutes.
Seems the police aren't particularly concerned, should I worry or not?
Friday, I receive a letter from the DSS saying she's moved out, and benefits stopped. Fair enough, but I'm a bit surprised she hasn't let me know. Out of character not to communicate.
I've been unable to contact her at all, she seems to have vanished without a trace. Again, fair enough.
Went round to the flat today, locks had been changed and there was a nasty rotting smell from inside. called a locksmith, and got inside.
The smell was rotting food, it was obvious she had left at very short notice, all her belongings except electricals are still there, but very disordered.
A neighbour said she had vanished quietly and suddenly about a week ago. An ex partner was 'after her' it seemed.
This concerned me a little. I thought I'd check with the police.
Easier said than done. I phoned west mids police on 101, missing tenant is in West mids, I live in Leicestershire. After an hour I'm told thbis is nothing to do with west mids, I have to contact Leicester.
Another hour on to Leicestershire, and I'm told the opposite, but they'll transfer me, but fail, rather embarrassed, after an further 30 minutes.
Seems the police aren't particularly concerned, should I worry or not?
Some friends of mine have a "dispensation" form ever having to be on an electoral role, amongst other things, due to the nature of a particular individual who'd like to catch up with them. There's some pretty nasty freaks out there and probably happens more often than you think, I mean you can only imprison someone for a specific offence for a specific time, then they're free.
shes told DSS shes moved out, or perhaps hasn't. Maybe shes gone into some form of protection
The other questions is what to do with her stuff? I cant imagine just can just throw it all in a skip but you need to get the place cleaned and a new tenant in.
Can't see DSS helping you pay for the cleaning/storage/disposal costs.
any mail or does it look like a forward has been put in place?
The other questions is what to do with her stuff? I cant imagine just can just throw it all in a skip but you need to get the place cleaned and a new tenant in.
Can't see DSS helping you pay for the cleaning/storage/disposal costs.
any mail or does it look like a forward has been put in place?
Given the prevalence of domestic violence against women, yes, I definitely think it's a worrying situation but at the same time, I think there's little you can do other than inform the police. There are many people who are estranged from their families so when they go missing, nobody does anything. It isn't beyond one's imagination that the person who informed the DSS could be someone else; I doubt anyone at DSS would notice or care. If you have details of her next of kin, you could try contacting them, if not, then I would report as missing, tidy up, put her possessions in some storage and see what happens. As suggested above, you could try sending something addressed to her to see if it gets delivered to the flat or if it gets redirected, and if there is a redirect in place, you can contact her that way.
Seems odd the DSS told you, it would seem the she has done a midnight bunk. Would check your tenancy agreement as she might re-appear and expect to be back home. Hope you have a clause that says if the house is left empty for 28 days then the agreement ends. Then you can re-let the house to someone else with out issue
Seems odd the DSS told you, it would seem the she has done a midnight bunk. Would check your tenancy agreement as she might re-appear and expect to be back home. Hope you have a clause that says if the house is left empty for 28 days then the agreement ends. Then you can re-let the house to someone else with out issue
You sound like a kind person.
She's a single mum with two small children, and it's some of their stuff as well has hers, I imagine.
So be a kind person, bag or box her stuff up, and store it for her.
It may not be worth a lot, but it would cost a lot more to replace it.
As she has a tenancy agreement she will have your contact details, or at least your number stored on her phone.
Hopefully she will be in touch soon and you will be able to give her the stuff back.
She's a single mum with two small children, and it's some of their stuff as well has hers, I imagine.
So be a kind person, bag or box her stuff up, and store it for her.
It may not be worth a lot, but it would cost a lot more to replace it.
As she has a tenancy agreement she will have your contact details, or at least your number stored on her phone.
Hopefully she will be in touch soon and you will be able to give her the stuff back.
Mystery solved, kind of. Her mum phoned, to see if i knew what was going on!
Seems an ex-boyfriend and father to one of the children is a rather nasty person, if google reports are to be anything to go by.
He has been harassing her for some time, and things came to a head a week or so ago when she was strongly advised (by whom - police, social care or someone else - isn't clear) to move out the area as soon as possible. Which she did, to a hostel some way away, where she'll stay until she can find somewhere to live away from the aggressive ex and his charming chums.
All her belonging are still in the flat, where they can stay for a while as the flat is renovated. It is obvious her life has taken a turn for the worse over the past few months, debt, food banks, depression and harassment.
Really quite sad.
Seems an ex-boyfriend and father to one of the children is a rather nasty person, if google reports are to be anything to go by.
He has been harassing her for some time, and things came to a head a week or so ago when she was strongly advised (by whom - police, social care or someone else - isn't clear) to move out the area as soon as possible. Which she did, to a hostel some way away, where she'll stay until she can find somewhere to live away from the aggressive ex and his charming chums.
All her belonging are still in the flat, where they can stay for a while as the flat is renovated. It is obvious her life has taken a turn for the worse over the past few months, debt, food banks, depression and harassment.
Really quite sad.
eldar said:
Mystery solved, kind of. Her mum phoned, to see if i knew what was going on!
Seems an ex-boyfriend and father to one of the children is a rather nasty person, if google reports are to be anything to go by.
He has been harassing her for some time, and things came to a head a week or so ago when she was strongly advised (by whom - police, social care or someone else - isn't clear) to move out the area as soon as possible. Which she did, to a hostel some way away, where she'll stay until she can find somewhere to live away from the aggressive ex and his charming chums.
All her belonging are still in the flat, where they can stay for a while as the flat is renovated. It is obvious her life has taken a turn for the worse over the past few months, debt, food banks, depression and harassment.
Really quite sad.
Truly awful but at least she has an understanding (ex) landlord who genuinely cares about his tenants and is storing that shes left for her. You also have her mum's contact details so can forward on any mail she might receive. Seems an ex-boyfriend and father to one of the children is a rather nasty person, if google reports are to be anything to go by.
He has been harassing her for some time, and things came to a head a week or so ago when she was strongly advised (by whom - police, social care or someone else - isn't clear) to move out the area as soon as possible. Which she did, to a hostel some way away, where she'll stay until she can find somewhere to live away from the aggressive ex and his charming chums.
All her belonging are still in the flat, where they can stay for a while as the flat is renovated. It is obvious her life has taken a turn for the worse over the past few months, debt, food banks, depression and harassment.
Really quite sad.
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