AIBU to think someone might be in my loft?

[Downtherabbithole34]

I'm absolutely convinced that there is some one in my loft.

Me and my young son have been away for the weekend, we've come back and I noticed that the loft hatch looks slightly misplaced. It's one with a cross type key thing. It just looks out of place, tilted down more on one side. From this, I've completely convinced myself there is some up there. We've only lived here a few weeks, since breaking up from my sons dad so I'm unsure whether it was already like that.

I don't know what to do, I can't check cos I have no ladders. I've no one to come and check for me.

I do have OCD and a diagnosed anxiety disorder so on one hand im thinking is this my mind playing tricks on me. I am utterly convinced and wondering whether I should call the police, but based on what evidence? They'll think I'm mad.

Hi op, I'm sorry you're feeling panicky and hopefully by now you've found a solution as it's quite late!

I used to live in a house with a small loft hatch with no ladder, you just had to remove the hatch and lever yourself up. It had a little mark on the corner and I was always convincing myself it had rotated and there was someone up there, but it was always my mind playing tricks on me. It took me a long time as an adult to settle in with the noises a house makes, and still now on the odd night I'm home alone any gusty wind or neighbours moving around makes me twitch, but it literally is always something perfectly sensible and benign. I reckon that's all this is in your case - your mind running away with you.

You're particularly vulnerable having just left an ex - is there some part of you that is anxious that this could be related to him in some way? Regardless, it's totally ok for you to be concerned, but maybe just ask yourself how likely this actually is? Were there any signs of forced entry when you got back home? Did you look in the loft before you moved in? Is it quite an old terrace or semi? (My 1950s terrace has firewalls in the loft, so whilst the odd rodent might trundle between houses a human certainly wouldn't!). If the answer to any of these questions isn't reassuring, at this point, at 10pm knowing I'd be unable to sleep and especially feeling vulnerable with a little one in the house, I'd look for a cheap Travelodge nearby and call it a night. It might feel like overkill but I'm not sure I'd want to knock around at this time of night.

Then tomorrow I would try your neighbours. Frame it as "I'm really sorry and I'm feeling a bit silly but I'm a bit worried about security and my loft hatch has moved" my husband would definitely come over and pop his head up for you.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, I think it's extremely unlikely that someone is in your loft, but I have anxiety and I totally get what you're feeling right now and how this might play out with you worrying away the next 9 hours instead of going to bed and I think it's reasonable to seek some reassurance. Good luck op.

Honestly the likelihood is that it's the wind. My loft hatch moves significantly during windy weather. Lots of imperceptibly small movements so it isn't noisy as such, but the result after a weekend is that the hatch is in a completely different position.

Thanks for all your replies. It's a new-ish build. End terrace. Social housing. I don't think the lost spaces are connected. No signs of forced entry. I have a ring doorbell so I know no one came in through the front at least. But my minds run ing away with me, what if they've been there a while? Etc. I don't like living alone and I'm anxious in nature, I do suffer with some ridiculous intrusive thoughts. I've convinced myself I'm having sessions lol I've heard some creaks tonight, got my hammer on my bedside table just in case 😑 I'm gonna get someone to come and check tomorrow. Doubt I'll get much sleep tonight.

I can’t imagine anyone would be up there as it’s very muggy and hot in lofts. Also they wouldn’t have been able to lock it from up there. Go to bed and have a nice sleep then maybe have a chat with neighbors and find a nice one to have a look x

OP, The recent strong winds moved stuff about and certainly wobble/unloose catches.

I had to rescue my neighbour’s back door this week after the perfectly strong handle got wibbled about till it went crooked and finally fell off.

Put some duct tape up there tonight so you know you’ll hear anything & you won’t have a cardiac if the catch drops any more.

Ladder investigation tomorrow. Maybe new catch if you can’t fix it.

When I first moved to live alone I heard all sorts and in the loft too. Turned out was mice. Phew. Takes a while to get use to the sounds of a new house too, they all have their individual noises.

If makes you feel better, tomorrow go out and just get a heavy bolt like you can buy for a garden gate, they're cheap. You can screw it on your loft hatch and even if someone up there, you've made it difficult for them to get out! You can get a little padlock too, if you feel uneasy when you're away, so you would for sure see if someone had to break it.

On no account should you watch the movie Two Pigeons.

Absolutely this! I read the same thing & if I for one minute thought there was someone in mine I’d be sending someone up to check. Makes me cringe just thinking about it 😫

Stupid thing to keep on your bedside table.

You might as well put up a sign saying ‘please bludgeon me to death while I’m asleep’.

I would also change the locks (just the barrels) tomorrow. It's very easy to do. Unless the HA did it before you moved in, you've no idea who still has a set of keys.

Last year, when I'd lived in my rented home for 12 years & had never been in the loft (the opening is tiny & accessed through a cupboard so I just didn't) they sent the handyman to come & have a look for me as I was hearing noises (OP it was just birds) but he said 'Its full of stuff that the last people must have left, & it's open to next door'.

If it’s new it could be the house settling. Plus new builds aren’t boarded to meet energy efficiency standards, so unlikely someone’s living up there or they would fall through.

It could be birds or even rats. Ask a neighbour to have a look: my DH would be completely happy to do this. He loves doing jobs like that.

Keep the hammer under your bed (not visible) just in case.

It is EXTREMELY unlikely someone is up there seeing as it’s a new build. You’ll have a double check in the morning and that will reassure you - if this turns out to be nothing then bear it in mind if you have similar worries in the future. It’s much more likely that your mind is playing tricks than there’s someone really up there. Hope you manage some sleep tonight. Maybe put a chair or something in front of your door as well - that reassured me when I got paranoid staying in a hotel room on my own once.

If this is your house you have bought, as it is so "new to you" I would follow best practice and change the locks. It's not overly hard to do and there will undoubtedly be you tube videos to fill in any knowledge gaps for you. You will need various screwdrivers, probably a junior hacksaw, which if you don't have, hopefully you will know someone who will lend them to you. This wil at least give you peace of mind that no other person has any keys. Ensure the windows are all properly secured too.
If you have a landlord, enquire about having the locks changed. He may be unwilling to foot the bill, but may agree to the change if you will pay.
All easy for me to say without knowledge of your financial circumstances.
I fully expect that your worries about someone being in the loft will prove not to be the case, whilst at the same time noting that you do most certainly need concrete assurance from someone there that that is not the case. Once you have the opportunity to see inside the loft for yourself, your concerns should be allayed and you'll breathe easier. I hope you receive any help needed. Good luck

I think it’s pretty wise to check for cameras also.

Plenty of furtive scuttling sounds from my loft, particularly in the bedroom and office. But it's just birdies squatting up there.

Hope you got some sleep op. Totally understand you feeling uneasy I would be the same. I’d ask someone to check it today.

@Downtherabbithole34
You've resurrected an old fear of mine when I was a single parent, mine was compounded by rats in the loft 🤯
Id ask one of the neighbours to check, maybe approach one of your female neighbours, explain and ask if their DH or DS would check for you.
If you asked me I'd send my DP round.
Then get a couple of cheap sliding bolts and attach to the hatch, you'll only need a step ladder and a little common sense or YouTube 😉, when you move out you can remove and paint over the holes.
I feel for you, a fear can really escalate when you're alone.
If it helps, it's very unlikely there's anyone in your loft

@Downtherabbithole34 Are you alright? I hope the loft monster didn't get you...