AIBU to think my tenant might be subletting

[landladywithmissingtenant]

I live in a flat in a large block (60 flats in all) I own the one I live in and one other, which I rent out.
I used to see my tenant now and again, probably twice a month or so but I have realised that I haven't seen her in about a year or more. My daughter lives nearby and also used to bump into her quite a lot at the local shop and she says she hasn't seen her in ages either.
She's a retired single lady and it's a single occupancy studio flat.
The other day I was locked out of the main building and I rang her buzzer to ask if she wouldn't mind letting me back in and a man answered and buzzed me in before I'd finished my sentence.
I tried the buzzer again the next day and no-one answered.
Am I being unreasonable to think she might have left the flat and be subletting it? or something more sinister?
And WIBU to go and knock on her door and see if she's there? I'm worried I might come across as harassing her. And what do I say if she answers?

I see that you get invested in threads too. Do you think it would be a be a good idea, when posters don’t update, we just carry on with the thread making up all kinds of conclusions/scenarios? Could be fun! 😁

Excellent idea 😆

Haha! Even with a perfectly wrapped up parcel of a thread, someone has to be grumpy!

There are rules on how long you’re allowed to go in holiday for and still claim housing benefit - the length depends if you’re holidaying in the uk or abroad. The length of time she’s been away has exceeded the longest time length permitted. She’s claiming housing benefit fraudulently at the point

Ok but I don't know for sure she's claiming it. All I know is that she was when she moved in. She could have inherited a chunk of money in the meantime. It's really none of my business. All I know is that she was when she moved in because we were closer then, and I set the rate to match HB rates. She's not obliged (as far as I am concerned) to keep me up to date with her financial situation. It's really none of my business and if people are going to come on here and tell me it's my duty to report her, then you can all swivel quite frankly because I am not going to, nor am I going to get into a discussion about any further perceived obligations at this point. Thanks for coming, goodbye.

Hey wait -

she's a nice lady, bit quirky

Older, polite and respectable lonely bloke living on his own

Don’t do any matchmaking though, you might lose your tenant!

I’m not sure where I said you had a duty?

Your rudeness is noted.

Have a nice day.

I didn't mean the whole comment to be aimed at you, sorry if it seemed personal

Cants do that, it’s illegal. You have to give 24 hours notice of a visit unless emergency …like on fire or flooding

I’d put a note through door sealed in envelope with 24 hrs notice to say you’re coming round . Go round, if they don’t answer then call police to do a welfare check

It’s all sorted, OP has updated.

Is her rent being paid by universal credit? If it is I wouldn’t be too smug just yet because you can’t go away that length of time. I’d find out where the rent is coming from pretty sharpish if I were you because this could be a problem. Gas checks could be the least of your problems.

This is actually a concern. Usually you can only claim housing benefit for 13 weeks if you are not living in the country.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/housing_benefit_when_away_from_home

Insurance (building for you and contents if she has her own cover for that) may be negated for anything 60 days + (gas cooker may need switching off at mains, too hehe)

Unfortunately landlords can be held liable when housing benefit has been overpaid. Usually it's the tenant that's is responsible but if the landlord has contributed by for example, not keeping on top of changes in the tenancy or agreement. A quick Google search will tell you this. I'm not saying dob her in but getting all the facts when she's back about how the rent is being paid and when she plans to leave for holiday again should be a good start.

I hardly think pointing out that she’s doing something against benefit claiming rules makes me a ‘narna’

Why should taxpayers foot the bill for her rent for six months whilst her flat is empty?!! What a piss take!

Thanks for the update OP, a very satisfactory conclusion. Some MNers would only have been happy if both the tenant and the plants had died of carbon monoxide poisoning, despite there being no gas, and the flat had been taken over by an illegal immigrant / drug baron / master criminal.

Many people have done that here already ….. they don’t need OP Stating facts to put them off!

Ha! True but I was talking about the ones where the OP disappears never to be seen again. This OP was great for updating, you don’t get that normally.

Just so you are aware OP - now that you are aware that she’s out of the country for an extended period of time and as far as you are aware she was claiming HB at some point, it is potentially possibly if she still is, and you’re receiving that money, you could be perused instead of her for the overpayment.

Note through the door with 24 hours notice before he goes round is a great idea. Failing that, he could claim to need to carry out annual gas safety check? Look forward to OP's update when he's gone in 🙄

Absolutely ….. OP’s been great, especially given the amount of stupid questions/comments she’s had aimed at her!

Yes, and it’s still going on!!!

Bloke won’t be coming back with an update.

@landladywithmissingtenant you sound great, your tenant is lucky to have you as a landlord. So pleased that it worked out ok and thank you for updating the thread!

Thanks so much for everyone's kind words