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Are random people I have never met allowed to just walk in when they like?

1 reply

umdg · 12/08/2026 18:42

I just moved into a flat today, literally got the keys this morning and had just finished putting the furniture in the living room and sat down for a coffee. There are doors at the back instead of a window (see pic of back of the flat)

The next thing I hear the gate slam (see pic to see where gate is, to the left of my front door in the pic) and then a man i do not know and have never met was stood outside the door at the back then walked over to the tree and started taking apples off it. See other pic of where the tree is, it's overhanging from my neighbours, also included a pic of behind the gate showing where he has to walk to get to my garden.

I opened the door and asked who he was and all he would say is 'I have been doing this for years, I need the apples for baking' and carried on taking them. I live alone and this is the first time I have ever lived in a ground floor flat after always living on the second floor. he left after taking them.

Now I don't feel right leaving the door at the back open when i am in the living room because obviously anyone can just walk in when they please, i have been told I can't put a padlock on the side gate due to the garden being shared with the person that lives in the flat above me, even if i gave them a key and told them they could go in whenever they want etc

Is the random (not sure if he is a neighbour from further down the street or just someone walking down the street etc) man allowed to just walk into the garden whenever he likes? I don't care about the apples.. its just the thought that anyone can just walk in without me knowing..

Are random people I have never met allowed to just walk in when they like?
Are random people I have never met allowed to just walk in when they like?
Are random people I have never met allowed to just walk in when they like?
Are random people I have never met allowed to just walk in when they like?
OP posts:
Cherrysoup · 12/08/2026 20:28

Whoever told you not to put on a lock and share the key is talking nonsense. Of course you can. You’re supposed to give one to your landlord (but could ’forget’ ) and you can say it’s essential/part of your insurance to have a lock on the gate. You could also put on a bolt on the inside, ensuring it’s not reached by someone leaning over from outside. If the garden comes with the flat, of course nobody else can access it, but that’s tricky to enforce given trespassing in a civil offence so police won’t get involved. Did you tell him to get out? (I understand this was a shock and it’s quite tricky to tell some randomer to get the heck out!)

I’d be talking to your landlord urgently re strangers accessing the garden-what if he’d taken something else?!

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