Moral Dilemma

[FanGirlX]

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.

If they think it was potentially criminal damage, doesn't that hint that perhaps someone did something worse than accidentally dropping some meat?

I'd have thought that having a fire door permanently open would be much more serious (for them) than a dropped packet of meat

@WhoWants2Know

If they think it was potentially criminal damage, doesn't that hint that perhaps someone did something worse than accidentally dropping some meat?

The letter said that they thought someone had deliberately left rotting meat in the communal area and it could constitute criminal damage and nuisance due to the smell.

I wonder if someone has complained about the lack of cleaning and they are deflecting.

A fire door that is blocked open? Well they may well be in more trouble for that if they pursue it!

@123ZYX

I'd have thought that having a fire door permanently open would be much more serious (for them) than a dropped packet of meat

Might take a few photos of that before I go.

Presumably it was packed or double-bagged. I can't see how much damage it may have caused on its own? Might have whiffed a bit but anyone who uses the common parts would've smelled that.

Definitely don't confess!

They were talking loudly hoping to scare a confession out of someone because they have no evidence otherwise they would have already checked the cctv and confronted the culprit or realised it was an accident and they have not a leg to stand on.

@Tiredteacher100

A fire door that is blocked open? Well they may well be in more trouble for that if they pursue it!

Along with the wooden Tudor effect cladding all over the outside of the building.

Behind a fire door that is blocked open all the time.

To be fair, fire doors are meant to be shut, that's the whole point of them.

If that's where she hid it, the obvious questions would be why the management company weren't taking health and safety of residents seriously, and why the cleaner didn't find it

If you were a Caretaker who found something obnoxious, and you knew you had CCTV footage that would show you who the culprit was, wouldn't you look at the film first to see who it was?
Why send out threatening letters to everyone before you've looked at the film?

That makes me think that they have no idea who the culprit was, and the letters were sent in the hope someone would feel guilty and admit their fault.
Perhaps the film images are not sharp enough to identify the culprit, and so they have sent out the letter as a bit of general intimidation.

I'd be inclined to wait and see how the situation developed, especially as you are not even sure you were actually responsible. I can't think that you would be sent to prison for accidentally dropping a packet of chicken breasts!

As an aside, take photographs of any fire doors blocked open, don't do that within the scope of any CCTV cameras though!

1. Dropping a bit of meat isn’t criminal damage. Or any damage. They’re loons.
2. It’s their responsibility to check communal areas and keep them clean, not yours
3. They could get into serious trouble over the fire doors. The Fire Brigade would have things to say to them.

Good luck in your next home, hopefully the landlords will be better!

Do nothing and say nothing 😂

Take pictures of the wedged open fire door. On different occasions.

If it comes to light that it was you and they start being dicks then tell them you will be reporting them for wedging a fire door open which comes with a HEFTY fine.

Bit of hidden chicken will be the least of their problems.

Prison

Keep quiet. You didn't deliberately plant the meat. It fell out of your bag

If they find out you are the culprit on cctv, they will see its an accident

I have such a guilty conscience, thanks for all your replies, I'll see how it plays out and react if necessary.

Sorry to have to tell you, OP, but your DD is clearly the culprit - she's going to get life for this, but they'll probably let her out after 40-50 years of hard labour, as long as she doesn't misbehave with meat again (probably best for her to stay well clear of vegetables too, just to be on the safe side).

They are absolutely barking - don't care about a fire door left permanently open, but treat a couple of accidentally-dropped chicken breasts as a biological warfare offensive?!

Just came to add onto the fire door blocked open shock: that is definitely illegal! Contact the fire service for more information and if you get challenged about the chicken, point out/counter-sue that the blocked fire door is a MUCH more serious threat!

@Pudmyboy

Just came to add onto the fire door blocked open shock: that is definitely illegal! Contact the fire service for more information and if you get challenged about the chicken, point out/counter-sue that the blocked fire door is a MUCH more serious threat!

Given the response on here to the fire door, I might do this. I'm assuming I can do it anonymously?

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Sorry to have to tell you, OP, but your DD is clearly the culprit - she's going to get life for this, but they'll probably let her out after 40-50 years of hard labour, as long as she doesn't misbehave with meat again (probably best for her to stay well clear of vegetables too, just to be on the safe side).

They are absolutely barking - don't care about a fire door left permanently open, but treat a couple of accidentally-dropped chicken breasts as a biological warfare offensive?!

No more chicken korma for DD 😂😂😂

I thought communal areas in flats were meant to be clear as part of fire safety rules.

How can a dropped packet of chicken breasts lay hidden until they go rotten?

Do not confess or admit anything.

@BleuJay

I thought communal areas in flats were meant to be clear as part of fire safety rules.

How can a dropped packet of chicken breasts lay hidden until they go rotten?

Do not confess or admit anything.

If DD stashed them. She has form.

I'm more concerned that it took TWO weeks for them to find it. We have a weekly cleaner. Ditto what PP says about fire doors being lodged open. I think that is a criminal offence.

Also what is the actual issue? It caused a stink? Or exploded with maggots which is perhaps slightly different.

I suspect they THINK it was intentional because of how it was hidden.

I agree, logically it doesn't make sense to own up to something you can't be sure your DD did, so it would be best to wait and see.

@MistySkiesAfterRain

I'm more concerned that it took TWO weeks for them to find it. We have a weekly cleaner. Ditto what PP says about fire doors being lodged open. I think that is a criminal offence.

Also what is the actual issue? It caused a stink? Or exploded with maggots which is perhaps slightly different.

I suspect they THINK it was intentional because of how it was hidden.

I agree, logically it doesn't make sense to own up to something you can't be sure your DD did, so it would be best to wait and see.

The obvious thing is that it's fallen out of either someone's shopping or rubbish (if it wasn't DD).

The building management company are dicks though. There are no signs up for the CCTV either. Might report them to the ICO for that one too. They've also let themselves in to my flat before, without notice. They claimed they'd given me notice to do a gas safety check but I hadn't received it, or consented to it. I know neighbours have had similar issues.

Also what is the actual issue? It caused a stink? Or exploded with maggots which is perhaps slightly different.

Just a smell from what I can gather. I had noticed a bit of a whiff but nothing extreme. I think because it's cold, it maybe took longer to start to go off.

Don't grass them up for the fire door just yet - that's your trump card.

That's one for after you've moved