What is she up to?

[DontVisitCabotCove]

DB, his partner “Jane” & her 2 kids have been staying with me - in my house - after the house they were buying fell through. They had been looking at other properties to buy but have since decided to end their relationship so that’s no longer happening.

Yesterday while my DB and I were out and unbeknownst to me, Jane had an estate agent over to value my house & as he was leaving he told her he’d send her an email with the valuation & they were talking about viewings etc.

Today Jane asked me to give her a letter stating that my brother is living here but wouldn’t tell me why she wanted it & was really unhappy when I said I’d give her a letter saying they were both temporarily staying with me as that’s the actual truth.

What on earth could she be up to? I’m honestly baffled!

Should I tell her that I know about the valuation? Should I tell my DB about all of this?

On one hand I don’t want to get involved in their troubles or make things worse (things are bad enough between them already) but on the other hand I feel I’m being drawn into it as it’s my bloody house she had valued!

WTAF - she set up an email with your name in it and emailed an estate agent!!!!

Really sorry you're going through this, particularly when you're ill.

Glad you are being supported by your family and that you are seeing a solicitor.

This x100.

OP says:

He also pointed out that while I may suspect Jane, her story has plausible deniability and several other people including my family members and DP knew I had a hospital appointment at that time, details of my condition etc.

Jane has accounted for exactly this plausible deniability in her very methodical, 'all bases covered' planning. This was her fallback option in the event that she didn't pull off her intended outcome.

I disagree with PPs upthread claiming she's unsophisticated and not too smart. She's very clever.

It's good news that you've taken every step available to protect yourself. I hope she's now out of your property. Neither she nor your children were ever your responsibility and now she presents a risk to you.

'Brain fog.'
What a gaslighting c*nt.

Very odd behaviour indeed and I have no explanation!

I suspect however from past experience that it’s motivated by money somehow…

Could Jane be pregnant and thinking about how to maximise future child support?

This is devious and underhanded behaviour and suggests strongly her motives are also questionable.
Notify Building Society / Agents that the house is yours not hers and is not for sale
Sit down with her and DB at same time, reveal what you know and ask for an explanation.
Don't provide any letter at all.
She's up to no good!

Already discussed upthread and the OP has registered for alerts with land registry. She’s also taking out an LL restriction on the property details so that a solicitor has to verify ID if anyone tries to take out a loan or sell the property without her knowledge.

I wouldn’t be giving her anything in writing until taking legal advice. Anything with a signature on it is dicey.

Why would Jane be annoyed that OP put on her letter that she too lived there with DB - which part of he scam(s) does this ruin?

If the police didnt say get her out of your house now I'd be surprised. You need to rewatch the camera footage, if still available, and see exactly what words were used. Write them down and study them carefully. Who spoke first?

Suppose Jane learnt the house was worth a good sum and decided to bump you off thinking her ex partner would have more cash? Then she tries to reconcile with him, consoling with him in his grief. Only you can say if he might go back to her.

First that it’s temporary (Jane needed it to sound like a permanent arrangement)

Secondly (you assume) that whatever she’s up to needs to show her ex has ‘X’ living arrangement

It seems pretty certain that whatever she’s up to involves demonstrating either

— the DB’s standard of living
— implied assets (although that doesn’t make as much sense as it’s pretty easy to show he doesn’t have an existing interest in the property, eg deeds, mortgage)

None of it really seems to make sense as they’re not married and don’t have kids together (as far as OP knows – assuming they haven’t done a low-key civil partnership (for e.g.) and she’s not currently pregnant

You let the estate agent walk away without question when it was clear he'd viewed your house? And you're asking MN instead of your sil? You are ripe for the picking. Tell her to leave today.

But why wouldn’t she just look on zoopla? And why does she need the letter about where her brother lives?

Everything she’s doing is just drawing attention to herself unnecessarily if her plan is really to get back with DB.

It seems that for whatever reason she wants documented evidence to present to a third party

The EA hasn’t done anything wrong. At this stage all they’ve done is viewed - they haven’t entered into any kind of contract, and they’ve acted in good faith on information given to them by Jane. If you read the updates OP has asked her what’s going on and been gaslighted as a result. OP is currently doing everything she needs to do to protect herself and her property.

OP, is Jane from England/Wales? Because different countries - not just Scotland and NI, but more impertinently, European countries - have different rules/laws on what documents are needed to go about various activities, especially involving property, loans, kids, benefits, etc. You are obviously protected by English & Welsh law, but Jane could be coming at this from another perspective...?

Jesus, read the thread. Jane has gone.

This is appalling and it’s shocking to think someone would behave so deviously. I’m so sorry you are going through this, particularly when you are unwell as you clearly have more than enough to deal with. You have to stay vigilant.

So someone phones pretending to be the Op.

Then Jane lets the EA in rather than say that she knows nothing about it, it's not her property & she'd rather not let them in?

Sounds like you're covering all your bases OP. God knows what she's up to, but something. As others have said keep an eye out for ID fraud attempts in the coming months. What a horror!

Exactly. Total BS from Jane. You'd tell them to come back another time. Even if Jane has gone from the house, I wouldn't let this go. The only document she'd be getting out of me is an email letting her know the estate agent and the police have been alerted to potentially fraudulent activity.

Based on your updates OP, this is what I thought both the estate agent, and police would say about this (we had something similar happen when I worked in a law firm).

All you can do now is be on your guard. 'Jane' is a crafty madam and I wouldn't want to see her or have contact with her again.

I think it’s possible that someone could just say – oh sure, come in and I’ll show you round, OP’s not in. Although you’d have to be quite a trusting, unquestioning person (doesn’t sound like Jane 😆). As they were genuine and oblivious, the EA would probably have come across as non-suspicious.

Although if it was me and some strange men showed up, and I was responsible for the house (being the only person in the OP’s house at the time), I would definitely have given OP a quick ring to check it was all above board. And just from a personal safety point of view, I would want to check who some random men were.

Btw, I definitely think it was Jane!

Sadly it can be quite common and 'Jane' has dressed this up as I thought (and posted here) to be concern for OP and has added 'her brain fog' too to make it look more plausible.

I'd be incandescent with rage but as OP is so ill (hope things go well for you with your treatment OP) this is all the last thing she wants on her mind.

I'd be changing the locks to ensure 'Jane' cannot return at any other time.