Rotten smell in hallway, neighbours away and I’m concerned about missing cat

[ohyesido]

Just that really. I’ve noticed a nasty fishy smell in the hallway of the apartment building I live in. My neighbours are away, they regularly go to their home country in Eastern Europe. Haven’t seen them for a couple of weeks.

This is relevant because they have a very friendly cat who I have not seen for a while and I know they won’t have taken her with them

i am thinking the worst, what should i do? DH says I should ring 101, would they care?

did you mean to be so rude?

I think saying someone Should stop their pearls all. is an ageist, derogatory and unhelpful comment in the circumstances
The OP seems like as responsible person and good neighbour. She is right to be worried and frightened. I know l would be if l were her.

If one of my neighbours broke into my house to investigate a smell I would contact police and the footage from my camera would be all the evidence needed!

Do you not think it odd that so many people on here are horrified at the idea of someone breaking in?

I'd the smell continues the following may be helpful in masking it.

Neutradol Air Freshener less than £2.50 a can from Sainsbury.
Essential oils such as lemon, tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass.

Above can be used with water as a spray.

I would also advise wearing a COVID type mask as an extra precaution.

Trust you will sort this awful situation out soon. Please post again and let us all know how you went on.

Best Wishes
X

maggots become fly lots of them

it was the op that made the pearl clutching comment.

Ok op so it’s been a least 24
hours …. What have you done about it apart from posting on here?

i agree that something smells dodgy!

This was my first thought when the old boy downstairs appeared with his food-bin-maggots story! It's obvious he's murdered them. Too bad OP has now alerted him to her suspicions - no doubt he's in there covering his tracks as we speak!

OP, I'm sure the smell will be gone soon and you can relax. Old boy just needs to haul the bodies away in the dead of night tonight and your block of flats will be pleasantly fragrant once more.

This is brilliant, it has the same kind of vibes as the Tom Hanks film "The Burbs". I don't mean to make light of the situation OP, but the suspense is killing us, I don't suppose your neighbours are the Klopeks are they?
On a more serious note, worn electrical wiring can have a fishy smell if it is degrading. A dead body probably wouldn't smell fishy. How do I know this. Well, my dad used to work for a council and he got called into a property (flats) where one resident reported leaking from their kitchen ceiling, which wasn't water. They gained access to the flat above and unfortunately found a dead body which had been there for some time, enough time to start the process of putrifaction, which resulted in bloating and build up of gases, leading to explosion.
My dad was understandably shocked by it and said the smell was unlike anything he had experienced.
Probably too much detail, but it probably isn't a dead body. Then again, I am not Jack from the Lyell Centre.

Has a Police Welfare check been carried out yet?

I had a horrendous smell in the hall and found a dead mouse in a shopping bag. It did not smell fishy, dead flesh has a unique smell..

What usually happens to the cat when they're away?
Surely they take it boarding or have someone come to feed it? Does it just wander around the apartment building/hallways?

godamit!! What happened ! Where’s the cat? And what happened to Gary and his pearls!

Definitely take action - my colleague had such a grim experience with very similar scenario - in her block of flats - after noticing a worsening stench, eventually someone intervened (called police) and a man had been dead in there for 2 weeks. Just awful. He was in his 30s. Shocking but he was so very private, didn't much speak to neighbours. Call emergency service, yes

Not if there is a genuine welfare concern

Usually from light fittings.

And is it? Maybe a rat?

Call inviro they know what to do tell them its very urgent

Smelling of fish is definitely electrical don’t ignor

And if he investigated the bin sufficiently to satisfy himself that the cat's body isn't in there.
If someone has actually broken in and found a maggoty bin then why wouldn't they remove it? You're going to phone the council and admit you broke in!

Absolutely.
So many on here have been guillible enough to believe it.
Interesting little experiment though.
If there's a chance someone's pet might be in peril we Brits are all over it like a rash! 😅🤣

You've certainly drawn them in OP!
Mumsnet's very own Nicocado Avocado.

Comment of the day, class.

Because it never happened perchance?

BUT DID U MEAN 2 BE SO RUDE?

So while these people are away the whole apartment block has been in and out of their home. Imagine their delight when they come home to find all the cleaning done and the place is spotless