Neighbour kicked my door down/broke in

[Sparklfairy]

AIBU to expect the police to arrest/remove him...?

I live alone in a flat in a block of 4. I have met this neighbour just once, and introduced myself. A few weeks ago he knocked on my door, not threateningly, but persistently - consistent knocking for 3-4 minutes... at 1.30am. I was awake as I WFH but nights, and just ignored it.

He went away, and there's been nothing since. Until yesterday at 6-something in the morning. Again, I was working but the flat was in total silence. No tv or any noise that would disturb him, I was literally just sitting on my bed.

Suddenly I heard a bang and froze. I was confused and didn't know what it was and was trying to work out where it was coming from. 3 or 4 further bangs and my front door burst open and he was stood there, swaying, glassy eyed.

I screamed. It's a studio, tiny flat, like one of those micro flats that you see advertised but yes, this is my life and I had no escape, no room to hide in, not even a bathroom with a lock on the door (as there is no lock, and the bathroom is opposite the front door).

I screamed at him, he said I was 'in' his head, fucking with his head (when I've done absolutely nothing), and when he tried to step towards me I screamed again and he suddenly 'clicked', became lucid and said ok and left. I was shaking.

My other neighbour (upstairs, but next door to him), texted me saying he heard screaming, and let me take refuge in his flat. Before I did, I obviously called 999. The police seemed non committal, that someone would come out at some point. 36 hours later I've had no visit.

But here is the kicker. When hiding in my neighbours flat, my friend/neighbour had the bright idea of just knocking on his door and talking to crazy tenant. He has recorded the conversation where crazy tenant admits I did nothing wrong but I just 'remind him' of someone and that's why he broke my door down

I rang 101 with the crime ref to update. The lady was so helpful and checked with her supervisor as she was astonished no one had come out to me yet. She reassured me that someone would attend and it had been miscategorised/recategorised now.

It's now nearly 9pm on Sunday and STILL nothing. I can't go home. The lock has been 'fixed' but obviously Crazy Tenant has proven that he can break it whenever he likes. I live alone. I have stressed every single detail which should have escalated this, but nothing is being done. I have chased with the letting agent but basically they're saying I have to wait until Monday for any action to be done. And even then, they were non committal as to WHAT would happen.

So I'm stuck, and cannot go home, and my rent is due today. I have no idea what to do.

This is awful OP. I’m very sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your neighbour is mentally ill and unstable. I don’t mean to alarm you but didn’t the Nottingham attacker do similar things in the lead up to his horrific attack. I agree with others who have suggested to contact your police commissioner and MP and raise a formal complaint.

Do you have anywhere you can stay until something is done ?

Did you aye, and you went from being so concerned for her safety to ripping in to her after one comment from the op who is clearly on the defense considering what she has been through. Someone who was concerned would of apologised for the confusion re their post and pointed out the reason for it. Not started ripping in to a vulnerable woman gloating about how great their own situation is.

You're derailing the thread so best just go back to your bubble of contentment with your own life.

I think the OP was quite right to force an appointment. If I'd called the police about a disturbed individual in my house and they hadn't bothered coming round I wouldn't trust them an inch either.

This is really mean behaviour towards someone who is clearly distressed.

Check your behaviour.

What an awful experience for anyone.

Oh it gets better. She emailed and said:

"Also, as an update. I have contacted the tenant re: the chap in the studio above you. It is in hand."

So obviously I pointed out that contacting the tenant would only aggravate the situation and goes against safeguarding training.

She then sent a reply saying she hadn't contacted the tenant, but the managing company (that flat is temporary accommodation, the rest are private lets).

So I have no idea if she has or she hasn't made things worse.

I'm still in utter despair and shock that the Police failed to attend when the neighbour battered down your door?! I know that services are stretched but what the hell?? I totally get your reticence in giving them your location so that they can rock up anytime they bloody well feel like when they should have turned up within minutes of the actual offence taking place.

A female, alone who's had her front door bashed in by a bloke (either off his head on drugs or has major major mental health issues) wasn't attended to by the Police because...??? What was the reason given as to why they failed to respond to the 999 call?

If you have the strength to deal with another thing OP, get a complaint to the Police sorted now and speak with your local councillor. Complaints | Kent Police

Edited to say that I hope all goes ok for your meet today

Yes, you’re right.
Of course, you’re right.
It was a stupid suggestion, I was just really annoyed about the whole thing 🤦‍♀️
I’ll ask for it to be withdrawn.

I had a neighbor do this, was just me and my young child.

I had been given a female police officers phone number in a previous complaint (HE had phoned them in a rage about me parking in MY parking space before, the male police officer told me to 'just let him have what he wants or your winding him up' but the female police officer clearly saw he was controlling and weird so told me to phone if I needed her) and phoned her while he was kicking screaming and ranting.

When he realized I was on the phone to the police he snapped out of it and ran away. He then tried to phone the police to get in 'his side of the story' but they already heard/recorded everything on my call.

He got given a no contact order, didn't hear from him again and he moved about a year later.

From research it turns out he is a past boxer/fighter who had to quit due to drug abuse... seems like too many drugs and blows to the head had fried him (on top of already having an awful Andrew Tate-esq self entitled alpha male attitude).

That is what you have to say to a distressed OP who has been terrorised from her home? Seriously nasty.

OP, I read your email to the letting agent and just wanted to flag that you cannot unilaterally decide to withhold a portion of your rent. You'd be putting yourself in default of your tenancy agreement. Respectfully, your understanding of the law seems way off-base. Not trying to be unkind, this sounds like a horrific experience, amd you don't want to inadvertently put yourself in a more vulnerable position, even if you feel as though your position is morally justified.

It's not off base, although I appreciate your advice. It's more I'm treading some dodgy ground According to the tenancy agreement which I've double checked, my rent isn't officially 'late' until it's 14 days late. So I have a bit of leeway for them to get this resolved, and then I'll just pay it (in full), no drama.

I just realized in case my story wasn't clear advice. Hopefully this won't ever happen to you again but IF it does have the police/emergency services on speed dial.

Calls are recorded and they HAVE to respond to a crime in action especially a violent one where as if you phone after the fact they have a 'whats happened has happened and is over and in the past now so we can do the statement now or in 6 weeks time' type attitude.

If they failed to respond to a violent recorded 'in real time' call they would be held over a barrel and hung out to dry if anything did happen so you have strong basis for a complaint.

Get in contact with your local councillor and local MP if you've not done so already. You need to escalate this as you're potentially in danger (as you know).

OP you deserve better treatment from the police. Out of interest if you had a thumb lock on before, how come it wasn't replaced? Lazy landlord? (I'm assuming it was that same flat?)

I HOPE that once you make it clear you're not going to sit back and take it - while not being obstructive and remaining polite.... - they might start to act, to get you off their backs...

Best of luck. I really can't imagine how it must have felt.

Obviously I haven't seen your Tenancy Agreement but I would strongly suspect (because it's very common) that the 14-day provision relates to when the Landlord is entitled to charge you for additional amounts (e.g., interest) on top of the rent you owe. That doesn't mean that you're allowed to pay your rent up to 14 days late, or prevent the landlord from initiating an eviction.

@Sparklfairy Good luck at police station this morning. Take a notebook or use your phone and take the name and number of anyone you speak to. Useful if needed in the future and shows them you mean business.
Ask why they didn’t attend and tell them you’re recording their answer.

That sounds very scary . Have any of your other neighbours had any problems with him?
I'm not surprised the police didn't show up . Which is very sad to say.
I hope something gets sorted today so you can atleast go home and feel safe .

When you go to the police ask have they made a referral to mental health crisis team.

I would actually call them up now to double check in advance so they can’t lie.

The guy needs to be assessed for a section.

That’s the only chance you have to get him gone quickly.

Good luck.

This. I can see why some think the OP is being obstructive but there are far too many examples where the police (and other organisations) have shared information they shouldn't have.

So I can also understand why someone might be happier to fix a time to go to them rather than have them come to where she currently feels safe.

https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2023/09/data-breaches-put-domestic-abuse-victims-lives-at-risk-uk-information-commissioner-warns/

I agree with you OP and can see why you want to keep safe and have some control over when you see the police. Also being at the police station rather than in a cosy hotel will bring it home to them they have a job to do.

Is it some kind of supported accommodation? Because it sounds like both you and your neighbour have needs - in which case do you have a support worker to help with this?

That flat is temporary accomodation. The council has an arrangement with the LL where they put people in there while they find them somewhere permanent.

The other three flats in the block, including mine, are private rents with the same LL. I don't have 'needs'.

OK, it sounded like you were struggling with paranoia (I dislike/distrust the police, but if I'd reported something and they wanted to take a report, I definitely wouldn't refuse to tell them where I was). But I've caught up with the thread and seems like you were just tired/stressed?

Anyway, good luck today, I think it's absolutely shocking they didn't come out after your 999 call!

That's great news in a way, because you can petition the council to move you. I'm still not sure why you're focusing on the landlord as being the one who needs to do something as they let their properties via the council but at least it's a non traditional type of tenancy that can be ended or amended if your housing officer agrees to move you.
Of course the council should be moving him but they probably won't. If they did would you feel safe going back?