To call the police to conduct a wellness check for my hoarder neighbour?

Horrid situation and clearly the neighbour has MH issues as well as very nasty habits.

Pity there isn't a charity that helps people with these issues. I've seen some independent "'clutter clearers' but I don't expect anyone will pay.

I've been on that edge before, and just managed to pull myself back, but its very hard once you get past a certain point.

Harsh and unnecessary as well as unhelpful.
Possibly true but unwarranted.

@LakieLady Just out of interest, is it theoretically possible to give the tenant you dealt with a series of one year tenancies in different properties so the problems never get the chance to build up too much? Or that’s a crazy idea?

I’m so sorry you’re going through this at such a young age when you should be enjoying your new home. Hope you get a swift resolution.

Former housing association supported housing officer here. I practically got flashbacks reading your post, OP.

It is really unbelievably hard to help hoarders. It is essentially a mental health issue, and requires input from a diverse range of agencies: MH service, environmental health, the landlord/freeholder and adult social care. That is hard to co-ordinate, as all those services are massively overstretched and under-resourced. In this case, I would raise a safeguarding with adult social care in the first instance.

And I hate to be discouraging, but in one case I was involved in 15+ years ago, the tenant was temporarily moved out twice so that the hoarding could be addressed and the property cleared and redecorated, but within a couple of years it was back to square one. A colleague tells me that it is worse than ever now, and the tenant's home is now so full of crap that they can't access their cooker, washing machine or use their bedroom. The HA can't get a possession order because the tenant is vulnerable because of their mental health.

If I was in your position, I think I would be looking to move. Even if the property is cleared etc, there's every likelihood that the hoarding would just continue and you'd be in the same position again before long.

I work in prevention for the Fire Brigade. We have no jurisdiction over single private dwellings. We can only enter by request/invitation to carry out a free Home Fire Safety Visit. When we come across cluttered/hoarded properties either through attendance at an incident of via HFSV (anything over 5 in the Clutter Image Rating) we will pass a safeguarding referral to the Local Authority. As others have said, you can contact Adult Social Services and make a referral with them.
You are correct in what you say though, hoarding is a huge risk owing to the increase fire loading and the difficulty for crews accessing the property to effect evacuation or firefighting. Risk is also significantly increased where the resident is a smoker, uses candles or has unsafe heating or cooking practices.

Contact someone by all means but it doesn’t help. I reported my neighbour to the council, who did report to social but there was never any improvement, it only got worse, I lived there 15 years and eventually sold up (under market value) and moved. I couldn’t stand the smell, rats, families of foxes living in her huge overgrown garden and flies all summer. When the council tried to clear the garden she threatened suicide and the police had to stop the council workers.

The landlord has a duty not to allow antisocial behaviour, which this clearly is. He needs to visit, which he has a right to do, and force the tenant to clean up. It's in his interests because it's his property that is potentially being damaged, and other people being impacted by this antisocial tenant can take action against him. But yes in the short term I'd call social services or police to do a wellness check.

Have you contacted Adult Social Care? They are first port of call. Environmental Helath looks from different angle.

Police will not do much.

HA says rubbish in terms of GDPR to environmental health. Gdpr is trumped by safeguarding and partner agencies need to work together in such circumstances.

I would look at whether your Landlord knew about this issue before you moved in. You say the windows were open which looks like they were trying to hide the problem when you viewed. I would look at getting the landlord to release you from your tenancy and return your deposit so that you can move. The problem with Neighbour could be very drawn out and quite frankly you would be better to move if at all possible.

I would ring her landlord or housing agent and tell them you are going to the papers might not be a lie as there are very nosy journalists on here. Tell them you will also go to your local mp. This is not fair on you or anyone else in the building it’s not your problem if she has issues you have to look after your own mental health your 26 you shouldn’t have to all this the people who let her live there should be banging at her door. In the meantime can you plug in air fresheners in the hall or keep spray nice smells around and by her front door. Good luck op.

@Atmywitsend23

Adult social worker here.

Environmental health can do more than this. If there is evidence of filth and vermin then they can provide a letter than if not responded to will result in legal action.

Social services wise. Raise a safeguarding. It won't meet for safeguarding but should meet for self neglect. Say whether the lady smells? Looks unwashed? Thin? Say about the fire Risk, hoarding and feaces in hallway.

Nothing can be discussed directly with you as to what happens next. But what should happen is adult social care visit her, she likely won't engage. They will speak to environmental health and a multi disciplinary meeting will be held with the housing association. The housing association can share information under safeguarding.

The process is not quick as it depends on cooperation and if someone is able to make those choices or if they are deemed to lack capacity in this area. Keep logging everything and reporting. Include social services when reporting as this can build up a picture which helps provide evidence.

I thought for a minute you were a neighbour of my Mother My mother's next door neighbour has caused these problems several times Fortunately she's in retirement apartments with a manager and they called in Adult social work with safeguarding concerns and it was sorted out

@Becca19962014 Do you believe that the rest of society has to cover for your inability to deal with life?

I have enough to deal with my own issues.

Have you spoken to the police? Sounds very difficult. Is she a HA tenant?

I don't know Scottish landlord / tenant law so I may be wrong about this.

I suspect your landlord would have a difficult time finding a replacement tenant for you if you were to move, so it's in their interests for you to stay.

So have a look at who is responsible for the common areas of the building. You / the other tenant / one of the landlords?

Have a look for bigger law firms that have teams that deal with both social + privately let housing.

Can your landlord be persuaded to pay for a cleaner for the hallway? Would a HEPA filter or something like that reduce the smell in your flat? Can you safely open the windows and go out? If not is there some sort of guard that could be fitted? (Doesn't help in January but will later in the year) Can they get you some mouse traps and advice etc - to make your flat really unattractive to vermin? Do you have permission to light scented candles or similar things?

Do try the fire brigade - if they can't help her directly, they may have advice for you.

You are in a private rented flat and this lady is in a HA flat, is this right? Are you the only two flats in the building? If not, how many other flats? Are you on the same floor as she is?

You said you cannot move as you used your savings to move there. Tell us more about that as there might be something you’ve not thought of. How much do you need to move?

As much as you can empathise and try to get her help.
The fact is that change isn't coming.
It is admirable you are sympathetic to her condition but your problems are serious and are the only ones you can tackle with any prospect of improvement.

Your health is at risk so you need to lean on people from that angle.

Really sorry you are dealing with this. Your new home should have been a fresh start not a fresh hell!

@Atmywitsend23 The neighbour’s social housing landlord should have a policy that deals with anti social behaviour, which would include some or all of the behaviour you’re having to suffer. In your local authority there will be at least one councillor involved in housing. If you are getting nowhere with them, please contact your MP.

I'm inclined to agree with this.
The activities of the hoarder are impacting the value of the asset belonging to the landlord. They are the ones who stand to lose out. I would be pressing on them to do something and if they don't I would move out.

But the OPs neighbour is filthy, and out of control. That's a fact. She is choosing to dump in her hands or the likes and smear it over the walls creating a biohazard, in response to the OP trying to get environmental health involved.

It sounds like you've been through hell and back and absolutely none of what I say is aimed at you or hoarders in general. But if someone was smearing shit where I live, in my safe space that I pay for and where my daughter lives, I'd do anything and everything to get her out. Without much care or thought as to what happens to that neighbour after she's gone.

https://www.evocredbook.org.uk/organisations/life-pod/001b000000gAXDkAAO

Life-Pod specialise in hoarding. Based in Edinburgh. Good luck. Sounds v stressful

OP, you've been given plenty of advice here already. However my suggestion is that you move away from framing this as "my neighbor needs help" to " I shouldn't have to live with this risk of eg fire, environmental hazard, anti social behavior". So as many people have said, I would contact the HA and be saying "you need to make my home habitable and safe", not "can you help that lady". And if they cannot make your home habitable and safe, then how do they make that up to you? Reduce your rent? Can you end your tenancy agreement and move etc. Same thing to Environmental health - what is their responsibility to your safety and well-being? Anti social behavior...what can they do for you, how do they support you to be safe from anti social behavior. They won't ever tell you any more about your neighbor and they could be doing all sorts of things in the background you'll never know about. However you can keep reframing back to what they can/can't do for you. It's not your job to try and think what the solution is or should be for your neighbor.

If you know she is alive, please don't call the police. Even if they come, they'll just make onward referrals which won't achieve any more than what the HA or EH can do. You can tell social services. I am in England and we might visit or try and do some work with someone hoarding but actually making changes is really difficult. An earlier poster talks about having all their things taken away and I think there is increasing realization this is really traumatic and doesn't work long term. Social services will be likely focusing on making the situation safer and more manageable, not "fixing" it. Its also likely to be a really long term issue so if possible you may want to consider a plan to move.

I'd be looking to sue the landlord. They obviously were aware of the issue and the smell but let the property to you under false pretences. Surely there are grounds for legal action here.