Thinking someone may have been at my flat when I was away. What to do.

[RougeGum]

Went away on Friday afternoon. Was the last person to use the loo and the bathroom bin at home. Came back Sunday later afternoon, DD goes to wee then asks have I had any gum (as in I had some and didn't share). I said no, why. She says there is some gum in the bathroom bin. I said it must have been one of the sitters we had that week. She says the last one never chews and the one before just wraps it in the little paper and takes it home. I roll my eyes and go to have a look at the bin. Indeed there are two pieces of chewed gum, smelling quite strongly, on top of the panty liner back paper that I put in the bin last Friday.

I think it odd but there must be a sensible explanation. We do not chew gum almost ever so must have been the sitters. It's all a bit funny so I text the one from Thursday saying - silly question, etc. blah blah, did you leave the gum in the bathroom bin. Answer: no. So I ask the other one - nope.

Right so then I'm starting to panic slightly. The panty liner was the last thing I put in the bin, underneath was a petrol receipt from Thursday night - I must have put it there after the babysitter went home. So the receipt, my pantyliner and then the two pieces of gum.

Also the timer for the water heater was pushed in when I went to turn it on. I had checked twice that everything was off before we went away: all the radiators, the cooker, the bathroom heated rail, the water heater - ran my fingers around the dial that the "teeth"(?) were not pushed in. If this happened on its own I would have thought that I had already mindlessly went to the cupboard and turned the water on and then tried to do it again but I don't think so??
Also the water was so hot when I opened the tap - it wouldn't be so hot after 2,5 days of no heating and me turning it on 40 minutes earlier or so. It was as hot as if it was on once per day. I can stress enough how I am sure the timer was off before we left .

What I'm asking - do I just assume it a non-event or would you be worried. Change the locks? Would insurance cover it? 101 would be an overreaction (just to log it and say I kept the gum)? I know I nor DD put that gum there .

Name changed as I had to ask the managing agents if they sent anyone here plus the sitters obviously know the story.

Do you have any reason to suspect anyone in particular that might have accessed your property while you were away? I would feel uneasy too but I'm sure there's a simple explanation! If you're feeling really uneasy just asked the management if you can have the locks changed for your own peace of mind.

have you checked the loft?

joking aside, it was maybe one of them letting themselves in for a forgotten item...

Who else has keys? If there's no sign of break-in someone unlocked the door.

Alternatively, you are mistaken about the measures you took before leaving, perhaps.

Assume you've checked for anything missing/moved, etc?

Is it just you and your daughter living there? Does anyone else have a key?

Who has keys, other than you?

There is only one person that springs to mind - recently a contractor was supposed to attend the property to fix something. I waited for him 3 hours and he didn't turn up (no phone call/ text) and then he tried coming in when he was told I wasn't available . He still turned up, spooked my sitter and I had to speak to him driving on the motorway. I said no, he can't come in - the sitter was just going out to take my DD to the disco, he's delaying them, I'm not there and he knew it.
He was verging on rude, I told the managing agents that sorry but I don't want him here again and they said they won't be using him.

He'd been here before over the years, including painting the flat when I was away for 2 weeks. That is the only time that anyone had access to my flat when I wasn't here - could he made a copy of the keys then, maybe for his team to have when coming and going?

Even when I had cleaners I never gave out the key, etc.

I have the keys and there is a spare set that are at home or DD has at the bottom of her back pack on the two days that sitters pick her up. Dd says they never take the keys away from her, just when they're opening the door.

sorry about the typos.

I would guess that one of your sitters brought someone along with them when they visited your flat or perhaps moved in for the weekend and obviously don't want to admit it.

But even then I'm thinking that no one really knew we were going away, that bloke certainly wouldn't know that we wouldn't be home?

OP I am assuming you are referring to a pet sitting agency?

Dear Sitting Agency

Thank you for looking after my pets over the weekend.

I'd be grateful if you would clarify something for me. When I returned, there seemed to be evidence that someone had been using the flat while we were away.

I am hoping that there's a simple explanation such as the hot water having being turned on to clean dishes and accidentally not switched off. I am sure i turned it off when I went away as I double checked.

I'd be grateful if you'd double check with your staff if they turned the hot water on as I want to avoid involving the police over what is likely a simple error.

Regards

Roguegum

Did the sitters know you were going away ? Would they have used your place ? I know you asked them about the gum but they could be denying it. They could have brought someone with them who put the gum in the bun. If it was the contractor he would have had to be watching to see you leave and then guess how long you'd be gone.

goosebumps that's a fair assumption, I thought that for a second but we're in a flat - DD would have know that someone else was here - her bedroom is by the front door plus she'd not be asleep. Once the sitter wanted to study with a friend for a project and she asked if that's OK and she understood if not.

I'm thinking to get a camera off Amazon to place in the hallway.

Has your ironing board disappeared?

Sitters are for my daughter - she's not baby so I didn't say babysitter . Wednesday and Thursday I work late so they pick her from school and bring home, I come back a couple of hours later.
I'd have to ask DD if she told them we were going away but they're older teenagers, went to the same primary as DD is now at, babysit for local families, never had any trouble with them. I don't think they'd have the chance to cut the keys or any reason to. And the gum was not there after the the last sitter left - it wasn't there on Friday either.

No money went missing, noting else I noticed apart from the stupid gum .

No PeterPan and yes, I remember that thread . Was there a conclusion?

Change the locks. At a guess, I'd say one of the babysitters has copied the keys.

Do you mean pet sitters? So they would’ve been going in your house anyway? You post is a bit confusing. The obvious answer seems to be one of the sitters and they don’t want to admit they were making themselves comfortable whilst you were away?

Imagining a random contractor has had keys copied and let himself in seems a bit paranoid tbh.

Oh I see they are babysitters. Do they have keys to your house then? Maybe they’ve decided to pop in whilst your away to show a mate around or something - obvs they are not going to admit to it!

Do the sitters have keys? I’m thinking that one of them brought a boyfriend/girlfriend in one evening, knowing you were absent.

Although....why would they bother activating the hot water - seems weird.

You say managing agent - do you rent?

In that case the rental agent will have a key - email them and ask.

Patch To have a shower after having sex?

It’s obvious it’s one of the sitters really isn’t it? Get a camera put in the hallway. As you have two sitters it’d be hard to find out which one it was so you can’t really sack them both. The camera will let whichever one it is know you’re onto them.

Water thing may be my own brain failure and on its own I would absolutely assume I had left it on Friday or turned it on Sunday and forgot I did and tried doing it again. But I was really surprised when I went to the cupboard and saw the "teeth" pushed in.

I wasn't sure whether to add it in but combined with the gum it was strange. It's all electric here - I always make sure everything's off when I go away, I'm not paying ££ to heat the water when I'm not using it.

Hmm, this is interesting - I would never suspect any of the sitters. Still don't really think it's them but I can see how that's more likely than the prick contractor.
I'll speak to DD again. She says the keys are always in her backpack, at the very bottom, someone would have to be really crafty to take them out, cut them and for her not to notice.

I emailed that managing agent on Sunday- they got back to me instantly - they wouldn't access the flat when I'm not here, they always work with me so that I can be in to let them or any contractors in.

I'm glad I posted, it certainly gave me food for thought!