Man who lives next door tried gaining entry to my flat last night. What should I do?

[greeneyes3]

I live by myself in a block of flats and have done for the last 5 years. It’s a mix of private properties and council properties. I private rent but next door to me is a block of council flats. There is a man who lives in one of the flats who I believe is a drug addict (have heard through the grapevine), apparently he was placed here by the council due to being homeless. As far as I’m aware he’s never caused any trouble and I think he mostly keeps himself to himself. There has been times where he’s come home blatantly intoxicated and has not been able to get into his flat for some reason. A couple of weeks ago at around 2am, I couldn’t sleep so decided to get some fresh air and take the recycling out and I found him asleep in the middle of his garden, I did ask him if he was okay but he ignored me.

Last night I was getting ready for bed and went into my spare bedroom to grab something and noticed he was outside his flat again trying to get inside. It was around midnight. Around 30 mins later I heard a banging/tapping sound and went to the window and noticed my front gate was wide open. I clocked him trying to open my front door. Luckily I always lock my door even when I’m in the house so he couldn’t get in but it has left me feeling a bit unsettled. When I shouted down “excuse me, what are you doing?”, he just ran off. There has been a couple of times over the last few months where I’ve woken up to find my gate open after I’ve shut it and at the time I didn’t really think much of it, but it does make sense now.

I’m not sure what his attentions were or what he would have done if the door had been unlocked so I do feel a bit uncomfortable now. He obviously knew it was the wrong flat as he’d already tried to get into his property first. In the 5 years I’ve lived here I’ve always felt safe as there has never been any trouble here. In hindsight I probably should have called the police or at least reported it but I was just so tired and needed to try and get some sleep as I was up early this morning for work. I did think about approaching him in the street the next time I see him but I’m not sure how sensible/safe that would be. I don’t know him well enough to know what his reaction would be. I have thought about possibly contacting the council and just asking them to have a quick word with him but I don’t even know his name, although I could probably find out from one of my neighbours. Any advice? I don’t want any trouble but I would like to feel safe in my own home. I don’t bother anyone or cause trouble so it would be nice if others could do the same.

@greeneyes3

I'm not sure *@UnfinishedSymphon*. As I've already explained he'd already tried to get into his own flat first and was unsuccessful. I live on the ground floor and you have to walk down steps to get to my flat so not sure how it could be a mistake.

if he was drunk and couldn't get into his own, he probably decided it must be the wrong one and tried another and when you ran him off, he tried another. I doubt he was trying to break in to steal anything or attack you, he was just blind drunk.

If he's not a tenant should he actually be there?

And if he's not a tenant then absolutely nothing is known about this man.

I really feel sorry for him being homeless, but continually trying to access people's homes, other than the one he's staying in, isn't the way forward.

You definitely need to report this to the police.

Padlock with a chain on your gate!

A man knocked on my front door for 2 solid hours in the middle of the night a few wekends ago. Apparently he'd been to a party, had left the house for something and was so drunk he'd forgotten which house it was. The police told him it was the wrong house and he wandered off, only to come back and carry on knocking for another couple of hours, between naps on my dorstep. So it's definitley possible your bloke could have been so out of it he didn't know what he was doing.

Ask your LL for CCTV. I am LL and provided one for tenant who asked. They are not expensive.

Call the police. I had a drunk try to kick down my door (he mistook it for his girlfriend's poor woman) and they were brilliant.

And just shout at him very aggressively if it happens again. I'd also lock my gate in the evenings.

Entirely possible he was so pissed he tried his door first, couldn't open it and decided that therefore was the wrong one. Then tried yours thinking it was his. If the doors look the same, I'd put something on yours to make it visibly different. Also get a lock for your gate and make it look different.

Also completely possible he has his key, but can't find it or can manage to actually get it in the lock.

Drunks are famed for passing out or suddenly losing all brain power within seconds of their homes. They're nearly safe so the body and brain that's been fixed on getting home just relaxes and turns to mush.

If he's not the tenant it may change things. Firstly the tenant is responsible for his guests so their anti-social behaviour will still be logged against the tenant.

Also if it's a one bed-roomed property then two adults in it could be classed as overcrowding.

The tenant can obviously have people to stay but if they are there for more than about three weeks he would have needed to obtained permission from the HA/council.

Overcrowding or unauthorised residents would both be classed as Tenancy breaches which could lead to eviction.

Call the police. Even if it was a mistake, it could have turned out nasty. All they'll do is have a chat with him, but that will probably be enough to stop him from doing it again.

And take precautions against him trying it again while you are asleep.

"The tenant can obviously have people to stay but if they are there for more than about three weeks he would have needed to obtained permission from the HA/council."

Well, yes, but also if you have a guest you give them a spare key or stay in to let them in, not let them wander about outside all night.

I doubt the LL will just say yes to installing expensive CCTV or a full length gate - people are pretty optimistic about landlords here.

Well, if you heard through the grape vine it must be true.

If he has been coming home drunk then its probably just a case pf him getting the doors mixed up.

Whoops, sorry I posted too soon.

I would still report it just to be on the safe side. As other people have said, you can't be too careful.

I never said it was true @Littlemeadow123 but he does show signs of being on drugs and being intoxicated. I don't think it really matters if he mixed them up, it's not fair to scare someone and make them feel uncomfortable in their own home.

Ring 101 and just ask them to log it. Explain that you were scared and just want them to have a record of it in case it happens again. I've lived through this: neighbour was fine when not on drugs or drink but v. v. unpredictable when on something. His friend tried to get in my flat in the middle of the night once and really scared me(I was on my own); he wouldn't go away despite me shouting so I called 999. I was really freaking out but the police handler was fantastic.
By the time he was evicted, there were so many incidents that the police would arrive within 5 minutes with multiple units attending.

Thanks @cathcath2 . Yes I plan to ring them tonight when I finish work and report it. At least they will have it on record then, but hopefully it was just a mix up and it won't happen again. Fingers crossed

He probably was drunk and trying to get into wrong house. I did exactly the same thing once when I was young, then I realised (key didn't fit obviously).

Presumably he hasn't left his key at home but just can't manage unlocking his door when drunk. If he does leave or mislay key there are ways of helping but first find out what the situation is.

It doesn't sound as though the man would burgle you and, as you say, you keep your home secure.

If he does no harm, there's little point in reporting him to anyone unless you believe someone will help him, which would be good deed.

As you are on your own, please be careful not to mix with him in any way. You don't want him latching on to you, trying your door etc when he can't get in, just because you have come to his attention. Engagement won't work for you as a kindness may end up causing you trouble that you don't need and can't easily deal with. Stay aloof as much as possible.

The fact he’s not a tenant means this mey be taken more seriously op. A tenant can not move someone into a council property. So he’s illegally moving homeless people into the house.

I suspect he tried his own door and then when he couldn't get in thought, this is the wrong house and went to yours. I had a drunk neighbor like this. I would often head to work at 7am and see him happily slumbering away in his front garden. You could call the housing association and mention it though as I would be annoyed if he kept waking me up.

Maybe he can put in some flashing arrows in his garden so he knows it is the right house

If he has been coming home drunk then its probably just a case pf him getting the doors mixed up.

But OP said he tried his own door first so he knew where his house was

OP the first time DP went away for work when we lived here, I was watching a film about 11pm and someone tried the door handle. I don’t think it was a coincidence that it was the first eve DP was away and luckily it was locked. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure all your doors are always locked and it log with 101 so they have a record

I'd also install an automatic light which comes on as someone approaches the property. Also I think I'd be inclined to not go out at 2am to put recycling etc out. You definitely shouldn't need to have to monitor your behaviour this way but better to be safe.