Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel spooked...

100 replies

LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:39

So myself and DP went away for the night on Frisay. We left 11am Friday morning and returned yesterday at 6:30pm.

Before I left the house I tidied round, straightened all my cushions etc and cleared all the kitchen sides. We left via the side door in the kitchen. The front door was locked and my only key for this door was with my mum. The patio doors were locked.

Pulling back onto the drive yesterday immediately noticed the wheelie bin was open. Could have been wind I thought. DP unloaded the car and put coats etc on the kitchen side whilst I fed our rabbits in the garden.

I came into the house and started to hang the coats up and noticed a phone on the side. I asked DP whose it was. He thought it was mine and that I'd left it there.

The phone was dead but it was an old iphone with the old charging port. Nothing else was missing or had moved.

I remembered that we had an old phone the same as the one we found in a cupboard under the TV in a shoe box under a pile of other packaging. The phone was gone from the box so I deducted it was that actual phone. We don't even have a charger for it.

We also have an ottoman storage box with a cushion on top. The cushion had moved as it the lid had been lifted. Nothing had moved inside.

We do not use the front door unless my mum comes to feed the rabbits. The mat is always square to the door and due to a leaky seal it gets a damp patch along one edge. The mat was twisted and dry half way along. My washing basket which was on the mat was moved slightly forward.

I rang my mum. They had been miles away all day and would never come in without telling us.

Now, we rent. Our landlord lives directly opposite. They were in when we got back. I know they have a side door key but to my knowledge they have never used it. We had our inspection last week and he was sure to make sure I was present. I haven't broached it with them yet.

I am completely freaked out. Why would anyone come in, look for a phone we forgot we had and leave it on the side? And take nothing else?!

My mum is giving me the front door key so I can leave it in the door to prevent people from getting in.

AIBU to be spooked?!

OP posts:
Pidlan · 01/04/2018 11:40

The landlord has been in.

RawhideRingpiece · 01/04/2018 11:41

Yanbu 😲

SneakyGremlins · 01/04/2018 11:41

YANBU! Shock

HolyMountain · 01/04/2018 11:42

Cheeky bastards, go and ask them if they've used the key to go inside.

Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2018 11:44

That's not good. I would ask the landlord definitely.

Aprilmightmemynewname · 01/04/2018 11:44

I would ask him did he find what he was looking for when he snooped round your home...
Cf.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:44

If the landlord has been in how do I play it?! They could deny it. Why would they look for an old phone and leave it?

OP posts:
Storminateapot · 01/04/2018 11:44

I'd go and ask the landlord. Say someone has been in the house, you were about to call the police but thought you'd check if it was him (or a family member who got hold of his key?) first.

Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2018 11:46

I would go over to the landlord and say you are really upset and worried because you think someone has broken into your house as things weren't as you left them. And ask if he/she saw anything.

MotherforkingShirtballs · 01/04/2018 11:47

Let your landlord know that someone has been in the house while you were away and gauge their reaction.

What does your tenancy agreement say about changing the locks? If it doesn't specifically prohibit you from doing so then change the barrels (cheaper than changing the entire lock) and don't give the landlord a new key until you're moving out.

Littlechocola · 01/04/2018 11:47

Do what storm said

Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2018 11:47

Does the landlord have any DC?

Flomy · 01/04/2018 11:47

Landlord.

Dud you come home early? Maybe he thought he had time to go back in.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:49

I forgot to mention, one of our cars was on the drive the whole time. It would have been a gamble to guess that no one was in. DP often sits in the kitchen when in alone so I appears no one is in from the front and the blinds were closed

OP posts:
MotherforkingShirtballs · 01/04/2018 11:50

So it would have to be someone who knew you were away or who had opportunity to watch the house to see if anyone was going in/out? Like the landlord.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:51

The landlord has 2 DC but both very young. As our houses are opposite they would have seen someone go in the front door.

We did not come back early and in fact they didn't know we were going away

OP posts:
Flomy · 01/04/2018 11:51

Bin - personal stuff?
Phone - photos?
Washing basket - your clothes?
Ottoman - personal items?

I wouldn't tell the landlord. I would put a camera up somewhere though.

HolyMountain · 01/04/2018 11:51

Did the Landlords know you were going away?

Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2018 11:51

Or the landlord's friends/relatives.

Time for a hidden camera?

HolyMountain · 01/04/2018 11:51

xpost.

pigsDOfly · 01/04/2018 11:53

Were the locks changed when you moved in? Is it possible a previous tenant still has a key and came in?

If you suspect that might be the case and if it definitely wasn't the LL he/ she needs to get the locks changed.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:54

If they were looking for photos they bypassed a laptop on the coffee table shelf and the main pc. Nothing has moved. We'd forgotten about the phone so how did they know it was there? I did not look like anything had even moved in the cupboard itself

OP posts:
RawhideRingpiece · 01/04/2018 11:54

I don’t think the LL was looking for the phone. I think he had a good old rummage, found a phone he thought wouldn’t be missed, put it down and forgot to pick it up again before he left.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/04/2018 11:55

No previous tenants. We're the first. Previous owner was 90 odd and died 2 years ago

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2018 11:58

Could you send the landlord a quick text asking if they saw anything while you were away?
Don't give any more info and see what they say.

Thing is if they deny all knowledge then you will be really concerned and if they say yes it was them you will be really justifiably angry.