To call the police to conduct a wellness check for my hoarder neighbour?

[Atmywitsend23]

I had posted last week about an awful smell in my new apartment hallway. It transpires my neighbour has been a hoarder for 15yrs and there’s amongst other things, vermin and sewage issues in her apartment. The smell is so incredibly awful that it consumes the hallway and my apartment too. I’ve contacted my landlord, the building owner and the housing regulator to try and get some help to deal with the situation. Nobody seems to be able to do much. Would it be unreasonable to call police or social services for a wellness check? Surely when things are this bad there is a significant mental health issue and someone has a duty of care in this situation?

I am another who would be working through landlord saying it’s uninhabitable as it is, and threatening to serve notice. Then when you can (depends on your contract), I’d move out.
It seems extreme but you won’t solve this easily and it sounds like you have a way out.

Are other neighbours also affected?

Adult social care can’t force entry, they can only go into the property with consent. You need the emergency services

Exactly - people’s expectations of social services’ power to enforce action is way too high

Was going to post this. If your landlord hasn’t stepped up, and you’ve got nowhere with the HA or environmental health, I would give notice and move and tell your LL why. They can either rectify the situation or accept that they will struggle to rent your property out if the smell.state of the neighbouring property is in such decline.

Adult social services will intervene if there is a safeguarding concern, which they won't know until they've been in the property.

But some hoarding can be classed as a safeguarding concern if it means there isn't a clear exit route, the property is more 'flamable' as a result.

I'd report to adult social care.

@Becca19962014 thank you for sharing your experience, it’s really important to get that perspective. I’m sorry things continue to be so difficult for you and hope that some kind of housing is sorted.

Are you in supported living just now?

1 Tell social services it's a crisis and she needs urgent support

1. Log anti social behaviour with the police
2. Notify the fire brigade you are concerned about fire hazard

1. You say you are private renting. Push this onto your landlord or letting agent. Be really pushy. Make yourself an absolute nuisance to them to this is their problem to take on
2. Post in the legal section - be clear you are in Scotland - and ask if there is some legalese about "enjoyment to your property" or some such which you have a right to under your tenancy agreement and that the current situation is breaching. Therefore you can notify your LL/agent that you wish to sever your tenancy. Hopefully it will prompt action

Poster said they're in Scotland too, so there's now no minimum term on rentals. Only 28 days notice required.

Yes this. Phone up adult social services and tell them you’re reporting an adult protection concern.

It is a difficult thing to deal with but they need to try

I agree with pps. Look for somewhere else.

As a minimum I’d be asking my landlord to reduce or eliminate the rent while this is sorted out and if not that you will be giving immediate notifies as the place in uninhabitable. Landlord knows they won’t be able to rent it to anyone with her next door so they will almost certainly grant the request. It’s not a fix but it helps as paying to live there sounds appalling.

this

Even if your landlord was working to try to 'rectify the situation' what can they actually do. The phrase just makes it sound official and as though action is but a decision away.
But nothing is going to change the way she lives, you can't lock her up in prison, you can't section her indefinitely. So what's left?

Even if they force entry to clear all the stuff up it would be back to normal in no time.
There's always eviction and homelessness I suppose which is a grim thought.

Are there other options for renting op? In your position I'd just move out if it's at all possible.

I'd serve notice and request a reduction on your rate.

You can also make a safeguarding referral to the fire service. They need to know if there's a hoarding issue.

In the event of a fire, they need to know about the flat. It increases the risk for everyone in the block and the neighbouring buildings.

There will be a safeguarding email/phine number on the website for the local fire service.

Severe hoarding can be deemed a mental health issue, and there can be measures taken using the Mental health act. But this doesn't seem be used often.

This sounds awful. I would move.

I was going to suggest moving last night actually.

If no one has the authority to intervene, I’d leave them all to the literal shithole and find somewhere else to live.

I would say document everything you can and tell your landlord that you are no longer paying rent given the circumstances. If she's smearing, this is only going to get worse until there is a massive intervention. In the meantime, look for somewhere else to live. Landlord will be a lot quicker to step in when it effects them too. What a horrible situation for all.

In prison they call this a dirty protest, please move! Is this not your responsibility!!

Defacating in a public area and smearing faeces on walls are not only disgusting but they are also a deliberate act of vandalism.

However, calling the police on what, in the great scheme of things is a minor issue compared to GBH, stabbings, shootings, etc.

In your situation I would follow advice from 1nutcracker and Justlurking101 as this seems to be the only way forward. You get the neighbour the help and support she needs and you get out of that environment.

That night in response, she defecated in the hallway and smeared it on the wall in what I can only assume was a protest?! I have been in touch with environmental health again today who said they can’t do anything more

The environmental health department are required to act if there is a statutory nuisance. They don't have any choice in the matter. You being able to smell a sewage smell in your flat because of the actions of your neighbour seems pretty clear cut to me. The council are required to serve an abatement order and if your neighbour doesn't comply with it ( which she almost certainly wouldn't) the council could prosecute and/or carry out the work to resolve the issue and take proceedings to recover the money.

The Environmental Health Department are trying to fob you off. I'd write to them and get them to reply in writing. If they are still fobbing you off try getting a councillor involved and telling them you willl be going to the local government ombudsman

When you write to them detail how bad the smell is from within your flat and provide photos of the hallway incident.

Don't let them fob you off.

www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

This is the relevant info from gov.com. Environmental health departments can have surprisingly powerful rights to enter private properties.

Can you tackle the Housing Association when they say that there is an 'ongoing investigation' but asking them what format that investigation is taking? Are they visiting the location and taking photos or visiting the location and getting specimens (of what I don't know) but ask them how they are doing the investigation - do they need to talk with other residents, that kind of thing. You could also ask them how far along in the investigation they are as you are having to live with the stench (I would start using more forceful adjectives to describe what you're living through) and it isn't good for your mental health or physical health.
The Housing Assoc. has a responsibility to you too so you are only trying to help them reach the necessary conclusion for their report.

Your local council will be able to check her property and have all the correct connections to help .