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.

The two pieces of gum would make me think there were two people there. If nothing was stolen I'd think they might be there for some time alone - what's your bed like? Towels? I doubt that teenagers would have messed around with the hot water - sounds like something the contractor might do, though.

If someone came here to have sex they would have to out of their mind. The both sofas were are covered in folded washing, my bed was not made - I came from work on Friday, packed on a hoof, threw shit in the car and left a mighty mess behind.

Still that's better than disgruntled contractor.

We have more sitters but only two from that week could have known we were going away if DD told them.

I presume you've checked dd's bag for the keys?

Keys are home, no key is missing. Always on the hallway cupboard when I came back home on those two days and the they hang in the hallway on other days.

Do you know any of the neighbours who might have seen anyone going in or out over the weekend?

I need to channel my inner Wagatha Christie.

Does the bathroom bin have a lid op? Just wondering if the gum was thrown away on top of everything in there when the bin was full, got stuck to the inside of the lid when it closed on it and then fell off a few days later?
I hope you get to the bottom of it, it must be really unsettling!

I'm going to speak to the neighbour across the hall, the ones downstairs I don't really speak to but could try to catch them.

Myotherusernameisonholiday - that's some good Jonathan Creek thinking right there! 👍

Op are the managing agents usually reliable? I've had experience of some terrible ones who I wouldn't put it past to allow access & then fib about it.

myother yes, there is a lid. But then the only chance for the gum to be attached to the lid would be the previous Thursday. It would have fallen down before?

If it was one of the sitters bringing somebody else in, they'd have just have said 'yes it was me' to the text and not mentioned the other person if it as a secret. I think its this contractor nob. Heard of stuff like that happening a lot, they get a kick from forcing boundaries (especially around toilets im told)

Changing locks isn't that expensive. I think I'd get it done just in case. But there is a separate issue with trust in babysitters here who do have locks. A camera is the only way to be sure in future. Make it hidden rather than on display if you want to catch the person.

Must have been in there a long while to throw two seperate bits in. If you have two bits at once it get all mixed in together. I'd look for other stuff lying about.

I'm a bit confused, do the sitters come into the house when you aren't there or did your DD not go away with you? How do you know so much about their chewing gum habits

I've been here several years, the managing agents are independent, i.e. not estate agents. Landlords are great and the managing agents are very nice/ helpful too. Previously someone else was managing the property and they're still in contact with her (I heard them on the phone). I think the managing agents are landlord's wives and the lady before was related to them too. All rather respectable.

DD knows about their chewing/ snacking/ drinking habits. I was surprised too but she's very observant and more than happy to explain to me what's what.

DD went away with me after school on Friday. Babysitters are with her on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

OP with the gum vs lid theory, yes I would imagine so, (full disclaimer, I'm not a physicist or anything remotely scientific, I just have an overactive imagination) unless it maybe glued itself there with a plan to stay forever but then the heating being off over the weekend made it cold and lose it's stick? Though my theory only applies if you're like me and leave a bin until it's ridiculously full before emptying it

Pics.

People are weird.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

But those bits of gum are HUGE.
I would call the managing agents and see if that guy came round.

Also - if there were sitters, then there was DD which means there was people in the flat which means hot water, surely?

Apparently I can't spell "ROGUE". The gums weren't rouge .

The guy wouldn't admit to the managing agents he came here - he'd be admitting to breaking in. I'm still not 100% sure it's not him, he wasn't happy plus they stopped using him altogether after I complained. He's very local and the same nationality as me - I have little doubt what he thinks about me.

The two gums are odd too - he could spit one out, have a shit/ shower, spit the other out?? I was looking around the bathroom yesterday for any cameras in there - by the time I went to bed I was quite paranoid.

I've given up any attempts at work today (I work for myself from home today).

Does it look like anything else has been used in the bathroom (toiletries, towels etc)?

Is there anything out of place in the rest of the flat (apart from hot water switch)? My sister was burgled last year, and the burglar used some kind of high tech device to unlock her door, so there was no sign of a forced entry. It was only later she discovered a drawer had been rearranged and some jewellery was missing.

If not, I'm inclined to think the dodgy workman is more likely than the babysitters, if the keys are still in the flat. It's unlikely the babysitters would have had the opportunity to copy the keys.

if this was me i'd suspect dd of the gum, depends on her age really , but why would she go to loo for quick wee and spot gum in bin ? why was she using bin, and to then ask about it, i suspect she found some maybe from the sitters shes watching so closely , and had a quick chew and spat out hence it smelt so striong , kids logic is if i tell you about it it can't be me who put it there. When my dd was young she wasnt allowed gum except when we were flying so it became a mystical treat, had she found any shed have taken it and then become full of remourse.

Have you seen the film Parasite???

I'd go with the camera option. It's the only way you'd feel reassured.