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 the police you’re referring to not some random fella she’s trying to scare into replying to a text - lying to them is illegal and will result in an arrest which will then completely overshadow the actual issue.

You can't buy pepper spray in the UK, but if you have aching muscles you can buy deep heat in a spray can

A yale is bloody laughable.
You need two strong mortice locks, these are impossible to kick off, as they are embedded deep into the door, and the architrave.

Yales are hopeless. A few hard kicks and off they fly.

I get your point, it’s very scary and obviously OP has every right to protect herself, but remember, if he got hold of that bat, he’ll be using that to attack! I think the approach you’re taking at the moment is best OP, just stay away until he has been removed for your own safety. It sounds like you’re documenting all your evidence really well and you clearly take no shit. Sorry this is happening, it’s extremely poor duty of care from your estate agents, I’d take a guess and say they already knew your neighbour was a risk to others.

I'm a Police Despatcher & I'm appalled noone attended. That would have been an immediate response call where I am.

I'd call 101 & say you wish to make a complaint and ask for a duty Inspector to call you to discuss it. That gets the complaints process started.

That's good to know.
It's appalling that people in UK can't defend themselves with sprays used in many other countries.

In UK they are termed ''firearms''.

But deep heat- cream I do use that on my back - didn't know they did a spray version.

Thank you.

Please ring shelter for housing advice, they can provide you advice on your rights. Withholding rent is never normally recommended but seek advice from Shelter about this also.

I would turn up at the police station and demand to speak to someone. My neighbours had a verbal argument and police turned up the same day, so your being forgotten it seems at the moment.

id also recommend logging a complaint about the wait, won’t help the fact you’ve waited now but will get it on record.

keep receipts of all expenses your incurring for your stay so you’ve got proof to claim things back if you can.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you, you deserve to feel safe in your own home.

I'm also sorry you are getting absurd advice, glad to see you have your head on straight though and can see through the daft advice.

Good lord, this is horrific. I'm glad you're out of that building now. I don't have any further advice for you other than echo what pp have said about calling the police again.

I really wouldn't recommend getting a baseball bat but I was given some excellent advice once and that was to put a sock on the end of the bat so that if you ever had the misfortune of using it and your assailant tried to grab the bat off of you, they would grab the sock which would slide right off the bat, hopefully giving you time to get out of the situation.

I’m a landlord and if I had a female tenant who wished to leave early in the tenancy because of this is would absolutely understand and let them surrender. Discuss this with your landlord and make plans to leave. It’s not worth the stress.

This is horrific, OP, i’m so sorry.

I don’t think from your email we are in the same county, otherwise i’d have offered you my guest room, where the scariest thing you will encounter (other than my morning hair) is a dog slobbering on your hand.

Complain and escalate everywhere you can. Copy in your MP, County Councillors, statutory bodies.

Hardly going to help the OP get taken seriously and helped in future is it 🙄.

I'm sorry this has happened, it's bloody terrifying but I don't think it's the landlord's responsibility to secure the property and your tenancy agreement is nothing to do with it. The police should have come and secured the property!

Re your email OP. I'm not clear from reading it what you want them to do? You say you await a swift resolution, but don't specify what your expectation of them is. I think you need to spell out what exactly you see as the resolution. Are there other security measures you feel they should install, a stronger door, dead bolts? Are there other properties under their management you feel they could move you to?

How awful.

My teenage daughter was stalked by her ex. Police were pretty useless tbh. Sadly you will need to be proactive and not rely on them.

My advice is to get this app on your phone https://hollieguard.com/

Hope you find a solution x

Eh? How do you think the landlord can get him removed?

OP: it would be helpful to know which police force's area you're in. Some forces have arrangements for dealing with emergency situations which involve a mental heath crisis/ psychosis of some kind, which this sounds like it might be - ensuring a mental health professional is sent out alongside a police officer to deal with cases.

A yale lock by itself is v flimsy and will not prevent someone from kicking/ busting in a door. Which means you're also at risk of someone breaking in to steal stuff when you're not in.

As a minimum, I'd insist that the landlords/ lettings agents fit a proper internal lock inside the door as well (eg a 'mortice lock'). And for now, you could also add a simple doorstop, wedged between the door and the floor, for extra peace of mind when you're inside.

Good luck

PS: You don't need pepper spray!
anything in an aerosol can works well for self defence purposes (incl hairspray, deodorant, WD40, paint). But let's all hope this won't be necessary.

You might ask neighbors if there is any history of him being a nuisance or doing damage to others.

I had an experience w a male neighbor yrs ago, police involved. Similar to you, I had just moved in, never met him he just selected me (but not my flatmate).

After the incident, neighbors told me he had done other things only to women before & been a problem. This gave me upper hand w landlord & to get out of lease and landlord allowed me move to another block they owned, bigger flat & less money. Apparently, legally they should have advised me of this tenant.
After I moved out, they put 2 large men in that flat.
Sorry, you will probably need to move & good luck.

He who shouts loudest gets heard.

Be a pain in their side until it’s easier to get rid of you by sorting you out.

Trouble is with 'self defence' items like this- they can be used against you if taken away by a man {Men are usually stronger than women}

I have a wood splitting axe that son bought me - it is superb for splitting oak and other hard and softwoods.

I used to keep this in upstairs between firewood preparation in case of a break in - but then the thought of it being taken off me was so frightening I don't keep it upstairs any more.

You are legally homeless. Section 175a of the Housing Act states a person can be homeless if they have a property which it is not reasonable for them to occupy due to threats of violence or fear of violence. Go to the council tomorrow. They can work with your landlord.

Absolutely terrifying. This man sounds seriously mentally ill and dangerous.
I can’t believe the police haven’t responded. If I were you I would be in touch with your local news station, I bet that would get a response.

I would call again and ask it to be a high category call as lone female! He should not be there on his own by the sounds of it and how many more times are you going to be 'in his head'!! He needs to go somewhere else and you should be able to feel safe in your own home!

Well he has issues, and is a concern to women. Nuisance tenants get evicted. Any sane person don't go and kick a door down because you remind him of another girl.

That sounds utterly terrifying and it is appalling that the police have not even been out.

Yes, this is extremely alarming.

However, if he is evicted, he could come back and target OP.
She is very vulnerable and needs out of that place ASAP.