There's something weird going on in my house

[horseHorseHorse]

For the last couple of weeks I've been noticing lights on when I come in when I'm 100% sure I've turned them off. Milk out on the side when I'm sure it's been put away. Stuff moved around but not in an obvious way, just a "huh, I could have sworn I left that somewhere else."

Put it down to rushed mornings and my cats playing with stuff.

Been out most of the day, just went into the upstairs bathroom for the first time since this morning and there's blood on the loo tank. Thought it could have come from a cat bringing something in but the door has been closed all day, and it's on the third floor so it's not like they could have got in and out like that. Windows have been closed too.

I have already bought carbon monoxide detectors in addition to the wired in ones. They're all over the house but haven't picked anything up.

Have a loft but the hatch is tiny and doesn't seem to have been disturbed.

Have an internal camera which shows the front door and hall - no activity though it did show my dog going bonkers barking at something outside a couple of times today (though the external camera isn't up yet so I couldn't see what)

Only direct family have keys and they wouldn't do stuff like this. Will be changing the locks tomorrow!

I'm properly creeped out ATM! Husband will be back shortly from work thank god! I'm in the bedroom with the door wedged shut for the moment!

Please someone give me a rational explanation!

Caitlin Moran had rats quite recently and thought she had someone living secretly in her house thanks to stuff being moved round etc. She wrote a column about it. So could be rats.

But also - about a decade ago one of my friends had a flat in east london, and stuff kept moving round. Toilet seat was up
when there was no man living in the house etc. Turned out former tenant letting was himself into her flat and using it to “conduct business” whilst she was at work. She moved.

I wonder if you’ve had any workmen in that could have got hold of a key? Do you know where all of your spares are?

This would make more sense if there was someone letting themselves into your house with a key on a regular basis other than you and DH. Another mystery unsolved I guess.

It was an amicable break up - he also lives ages away and has no reason to come back here.

Never given a workman unsupervised access to the house, never given on a key.

Apologies if its already been asked and I missed it - is your house semi detached or detached?
If its in any way adjoining another property there's a chance that
A. Someone is somehow accessing through the loft (dodgy wall between properties in the loft)
B.. a neighbour might have seen or heard something that would give any context to what is happening

I think she mentioned that she’s detached so no way of someone gaining access via loft from different house 🫤

We lived in a terraced house when we was children and had things happening… after quite a long time of it turned out it was the eldest son from next door had found an opening between the houses in the loft and he would sneak in the house to hide from the police as they would come looking for him… terrified us I’m nearly 50 and only now ok being in the house alone I was spooked for years after

I think OP said police used uv light on the marks on the loo and they showed up black. Blood shows up black under uv light. So not seeds or mud.

(However doesn't mean it's human blood obvs)

But not the milk unless they are also now able to pour themselves a drink. We always joke London mice are very streetwise and incapable of ever being caught.

Can you work from home for a few days. Just to see if the strange things stop?

I’m convinced the blood specks are flea dirt in damp conditions, as shown by a previous poster. The milk is so easily done, as are the chargers/watches, without you even realising you’re doing something different from your usual routine. Have you accidentally left some of your lights on timers after going away? I had a shock a couple of times to come home to lights in that we don’t even use normally, and found I’d left the timers active so they were still coming on after we were home from holiday. I’m sure there will turn out to be perfectly rational explanations.

I am not minimising anything. I am saying how I would react, my reaction is just as valid. Insects certainly can make that much mess and it has been suggested by a huge number of posters as the most likely explanation for the marks

How creepy. I wouldn't want to be left home alone that's for sure.

I come home to this most days and it's my cat. She sits on the loo tank and scratches. She doesn't have fleas or any noticeable cuts but it's 100% the cat.

Seeing as it’s highly unlikely anybody has access to your home, I would imagine the lights etc are just forgetfulness on your part.
The blood is either per, rodent or bug.

I used the UV light. Have it for picking up wee accidents from the animals!

I was wondering about "smart" technology. I know you said no teenagers, but I have a teenager who wanted as much of the house lighting turned into smart as possible. So I agreed to their bedroom and the landing. Massive pfaff. It doesnt connect to Alexa - our main (incompetent) device. So sometimes lights are on at wierd times, the sunset/sunrise setting is a little off etc etc.

Can you not set up little wireless cameras around the home for 48 hours to see while you stay at your sisters?

After Christmas last year we had similar in our kitchen. Cupboards being opened, things being moved and spilled, strange marks everywhere.

No typical signs of pests, but it was a massive, fat, intelligent rat. It took us ages to catch the bastard but we only found out it was a rat with the cameras. We had pest companies out, we had the council out, we had our drains surveyed to the tune of £200/m of drain in an act of utter desperation.

When we did finally catch the bastard culprit, it couldn't have been more Tom and Jerry if it tried. All it needed was tar and feathers.

We used the Blink wireless rechargeable ones that are motion activated with night vision. Highly recommend. Just need to be floor level and countertop level.

Two things that might be helpful

when my sister lived at home she heard someone rifling through the kitchen and barricaded herself in a room and called police. When they came they discovered two cats fighting in the kitchen which was of course very loud! Cats definitely could be knocking stuff over etc.

also, we had friends (when we were kids) who frequently let themselves into their neighbours house and wandered round (they were about 6/7 and they could access it by climbing their fence). It was an odd story as they just mooched around and didn’t know they were up to no good, kids left to their own devices with absent parents. Could something like that be happening?

What are they? I doubt it’s blood. I’d be in there with my 🕵️‍♀️ is the window above the sink ?

Rats. They can get in through drains, move things around, might have cuts on or fleas and scratching that could leave blood. We caught one that was small cat sized in our loft, sounded like a man clomping around 🤢