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Original poster

Moral Dilemma

81 replies

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 18:43

So we've received a letter from the building management company today (block of flats - I rent). Someone has left some rotting smelly meat in the communal area and it has caused a stink. They are going to press for criminal damage / nuisance against the person who did this and evict them. They are going to check CCTV to find the culprit.

I think it might have been me by accident, or perhaps DD age 3. About 2 weeks ago I came home from shopping, unpacked and realised I'd lost 2 chicken breasts. I checked my car and the hallway and couldn't see them, assumed I'd dropped them in town or left them on the counter in the butcher, forgot about it. Sometimes DD does fish around in the shopping bags too. I'm thinking this could be my chicken and it's either fallen out of my bag or DD has taken it out and dropped it.

We move out in 2.5 weeks anyway.

Should I contact them and say this may have been us but it was an accident. Or wait for them to check the CCTV and contact us?

In order for them to take any money out of the deposit they would have to prove to the TDS that it was definitely us. If I admit it (given it was an accident) I feel like I won't get a reference and some of my deposit money may be taken.

OP posts:

Lineofconcepcion · 16/11/2021 18:48

Contact them and let them know what happened, if only because it's the right thing to do. There is no action they can take, and speaking of criminal damage and nuisance is utterly ridiculous.

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 18:52

I heard them in the hallway discussing it and they were saying this is criminal damage and causing a nuisance, the person who did this will go to prison.

I also think this reaction is a bit over the top. It's the threats that are putting me off saying it might have been me or DD. If they'd written a nicer letter I might have been more inclined to email and say "sorry, I think that was DD and I did look for the chicken but couldn't find it so assumed it had been dropped elsewhere".

OP posts:

makelovenotpetrol · 16/11/2021 18:55

The fact that they think that anyone would be sent to prison for some smelly meat is laughable. You just heard some idiots throwing their weight around.

FindingMeno · 16/11/2021 18:57

Don't fess up to something that you're not even sure you did!

minipie · 16/11/2021 18:59

Agree there is no way prison or criminal damage is going to happen.

However, they’re clearly very cross and have a nasty mess to clear up, and I can see they might take it out of your deposit. Which arguably would be fair since they’ll have to spend money to sort the mess and smell left by rotting meat.

One option would be to wait till you’ve got the deposit back/reference sent, and then write and own up.

6demandingchildren · 16/11/2021 18:59

So what if the chicken breasts you bought happened to fall out of were left at the butcher's? And you then admit to something that was not you. Are you 100% sure it was you, as if not do not admit it.
Honestly if they have the time to go through CCTV then they would already be asking you about it rather than hinting.

thefirstmrsrochester · 16/11/2021 19:00

Where is gods name is the criminal intent in losing some of your shopping in a communal area ffs 😂.

I’d say nothing at all.

IncompleteSenten · 16/11/2021 19:01

Like fuck would someone go to prison. 🙄

If it was you and if it was caught on CCTV then it would show it fell out and you didn't notice. Or your daughter got it and you didn't notice.

Say nothing. You have no idea if it was your chicken anyway.

Prison. 🤣🤣🤣

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:01

The CCTV doesn't cover all the communal areas - just the doors and some bits of the hallways. So we may have dropped it in a bit that isn't covered (if it is definitely us). I think they would have to have definitive proof that we meant to cause a nuisance and I doubt a 3 year old taking something out of a bag and dropping it, or a harassed women dropping something constitutes nuisance or criminal damage.

I'm usually honest but I feel like if I explain that it may have been us, they'll use it against us and take exorbitant cleaning costs from our deposit.

OP posts:

Sparklfairy · 16/11/2021 19:06

Criminal damage?! Prison?! As if

Youre moving out very soon. If it was you, it was an accident ffs. Just leave it and don't say anything.

When I was a cleaner I was brought in to do an end of tenancy on a student house, weeks after they'd all moved out. One of them had left a whole salmon in the fridge. There were hundreds of flies in the kitchen and when I opened the fridge I had to run straight outside and throw up, and I've dealt with most things with an iron stomach! Maybe the student should have been chased for criminal damage to the fridge

Palavah · 16/11/2021 19:06

How often is someone supposed to clean/check the communal areas? Unless you or your toddler secreted the chicken under the carpet or hid it behind a door then I can't see how they can blame you for it being there for any longer than 24 hours.

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:08

@Palavah

If it was DD she may have hidden it. She has been known to stash things. This is what is niggling me. I don't know for definite and as she's only 3 she won't have a clue what she did 2 weeks ago.

OP posts:

FindingMeno · 16/11/2021 19:08

Falling over yourself to own up to something that may not even be anything to do with you isn't the way to go.
If it was you, IF, I bet you'll be penalised way more than necessary.

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:10

@FindingMeno

Falling over yourself to own up to something that may not even be anything to do with you isn't the way to go. If it was you, IF, I bet you'll be penalised way more than necessary.

Even if it wasn't me and the chicken was dropped elsewhere, if I say it might have been me, I suspect I'll be penalised way more than necessary anyway.

The rent is expensive and there is a service charge payable to the building management company - surely they build extra cleaning into these fees.

OP posts:

greyspottedgoose · 16/11/2021 19:11

Could you ask what meat it was? It would help you work out if it was you or not 😂 I still wouldn't own up though

Palavah · 16/11/2021 19:12

But where could it be stashed? In purpose-built blocks of flats there aren't many potential hiding places, not much stuff because of fire safety. Is it realistic that it was you/your DD?

ItsLittoralViolins · 16/11/2021 19:13

How on earth does a packet of chicken lie undetected in a communal area anyway to the point it starts rotting? And to the extent it's so horrific it's an inprisonable offence?

This is a very nuts story.

And it's not really a moral dilemma, is it? You want your deposit back. That makes it a financial dilemma.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 16/11/2021 19:13

Is this block of flats in N Korea? Who did you overhear, they obvioulsy aren't the full ticket. Prison for not keeping full control of your shopping

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:14

@Palavah

But where could it be stashed? In purpose-built blocks of flats there aren't many potential hiding places, not much stuff because of fire safety. Is it realistic that it was you/your DD?

Behind a fire door that is blocked open all the time. It's actually an old house that's converted and there is also a random fireplace in the downstairs hall. Plus another few nooks and crannies.

If it was us, 2 weeks ago, then the cleaner should have found it. As PP have said.

OP posts:

DahliaMacNamara · 16/11/2021 19:14

Say nothing. Walk away. They've found it now. Your 'confession' wouldn't help the situation. You haven't done anything wrong.

Champagneforeveryone · 16/11/2021 19:14

The only way you'll be going to prison is if the meat was an actual legitimate human body part and this is a huge drip feed.

I wouldn't say anything TBH. Even if there's CCTV it will show the meat being either accidentally dropped by you, or cunningly secreted by your DD, neither of which will be seen as malicious.

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:15

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

Is this block of flats in N Korea? Who did you overhear, they obvioulsy aren't the full ticket. Prison for not keeping full control of your shopping

In northern England. The letter arrived yesterday and they came to inspect the communal areas today. There were 2 of them talking loudly in the hallways.

OP posts:

5zeds · 16/11/2021 19:15

Ignore unless they have cctv in which case say sorry.

Original poster

FanGirlX · 16/11/2021 19:16

@Champagneforeveryone

The only way you'll be going to prison is if the meat was an actual legitimate human body part and this is a huge drip feed.

I wouldn't say anything TBH. Even if there's CCTV it will show the meat being either accidentally dropped by you, or cunningly secreted by your DD, neither of which will be seen as malicious.

I use a good quality butcher, I'm pretty sure it was definitely chicken 😂

OP posts:

FlowerFlour · 16/11/2021 19:16

Absolutely do not 'confess' - it might not have even been you!

I'm usually all about being honest and telling the truth, but you're just going to cause lots of trouble for yourself if you say it might have been you. They're obviously mad and want someone to blame, don't give them a target.

Nobody will go to prison for it, it's a couple of chicken breasts and the management company should clean more frequently if they were there for weeks.

If they somehow find CCTV footage of your toddler throwing raw chicken around then you can tell your story that you thought you lost the chicken at the butchers. It was an accident, the management company have gone wild with power.

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