Guy sleeping rough in lock up, should I tell someone?

[Airborne]

For the last month or so I have suspected there is a man sleeping rough in a shed type lock up near where we live. Today I definitely saw him come out of there which confirms my suspicions (before today I had seen him a couple of times fiddling about with a lock of sorts, initially I thought he was hiding his bicycle in there). The building is owned by a housing association and it is just a lock up for gardening equipment, he appears to inhabit the boarded up part. I have no idea what its like inside but the area has rat traps and bins around it, so its not that nice, but he doesn't appear helpless and seems quite spritely. Now part of me thinks that I should just carry on, forget what I saw, if he has made a little home for himself in there then great, let him be. Another part of me thinks, should I tell someone? I'd hate for someone to turf this guy out as he appears to be happy here as he has been here for a while now, he doesn't cause a problem etc. And I sometimes think good on you for not conforming to the norm and paying ridiculous London prices for rent or whatever (and he possibly can't so it might not be through choice). From a distance he doesn't look particularly scruffy, he is quite old (late 50's) doesn't appear drunk or on drugs. But another part of me says what if this guy is a danger to anyone or is suffering himself? He doesn't appear to be so far. If I tell Shelter or similar what would they do? Its getting colder but this guy seems quite resourceful.

id leave him be maybe even give him a quilt an pillows bless him !

Personally I'd leave him be and maybe give him sleeping bag, too. Dh would report him ASAP!

its a difficult one soon its going to get very cold how will he handle the coldness in the winter.

but if you tell someone they probs just kick him out and he will have no where to sleep at all.

poor chap should not have to come to that :(

Call me a busybody if you like but I'd inform the HA. And not from a nimby point of view, but out of concern for the gentleman - people die of exposure when sleeping rough in winter.

If you're worried the HA might just change the locks and not help him then maybe contact local rough sleepers team who will try and engage with him and help him to move on to more suitable/safe accomodation.

Offer him a hot drink.
Also, call these people:
streetlink.mobi

Why would he be a danger to someone?

I would either leave him to it (and as suggested above, give him a couple of blankets if you have any spare) or ring a local homeless person's organisation for advice. They might send a worker out to see him to see if they could help in any way.

I think I'd leave him be but smile when I see him. Perhaps ask if he's ok.

Otherwise so long as he seems ok (no odd or threatening behaviour) I'd worry about turfing him to a less secure safe place. If he doesn't seem to be drunk or high he probably has just lost his job or may not be able to cope with society. Hostels are grim places and often very dangerous.

Reason I said he 'might' be a danger to someone is just because he is untraceable, at the moment there is no way of knowing who he is or his background. He could be a saint or a sinner, on the run or hiding from someone...who knows! Not sure what to do yet.....DH works in a field where it is within his duty of care to report vulnerable people. So far he's turning a blind eye as he hasn't seen him himself, plus we also agree about the fact that he could end up somewhere awful next and his length of stay in his little place must mean he feels secure. Worries me about the cold though.

Please do let Steetlink know about him. I referred to them once and they reported that based on that they'd approached the person and supported them to move into accommodation and access support services:

www.streetlink.org.uk/tell-us-about-a-rough-sleeper