Found a suicide note

DeathNoteHelp · 2025-08-08T15:17:33+00:00

I'm helping a friend who is going through a S.21 eviction due to the landlord selling up. The notice expires next week. We haven't found him any new accommodation and the landlord is frankly harassing him by text message. I'm at the house now and I've found a suicide note, all typed up and printed, including method of how he'll take his own life and his wishes for after death. What the fuck do I do now? He saw his GP this morning, he has complex MH issues, and the note says he can't face being homeless again. He's been in this place for a decade and was in a shelter for months before that.

rainbowstardrops · 08/08/2025 16:19

Shit! Are you able to talk to him? Do you even know where he is right now?

Helpmeplease2025 · 08/08/2025 16:20

Can you ring 111 and go through to the mental
health crisis option?

BarnacleBeasley · 08/08/2025 16:21

If you can get hold of him, you need to talk to him about it. Try to ask open questions and listen to him, and try and come up with a plan to keep him safe for now. There's a really good video here about how to have that conversation: http://realtalk.film/

REAL TALK ABOUT SUICIDE

http://realtalk.film

Mammut · 08/08/2025 16:21

Can you report this to his GP? Is he involved with any mental health services? If so report it to them. And speak to him of course if you can.

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 16:22

He's safe, he's with my husband. I'm here to meet his dickhead landlord.

OP posts:

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 16:22

I absolutely can speak to the GP when I leave here. And he'll be back in a bit, but not sure whether to say in front of DH or send him to the car...

OP posts:

Doristheclitoris · 08/08/2025 16:23

Edited due to cross post

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 08/08/2025 16:26

Was the letter in an obvious place. Question if it could be left for you to find. If its definitely not the case, you could make an appointment with his GP and have an honest chat about it. Not to get any of his medical information or anything but if the doctor is his regular GP, it could be helpful to get an opinion from his GP. He would have his medical history, current medication and would also have a knowledge of depression and what to do

businessflop25 · 08/08/2025 16:27

Do you know what (if any) reason he is being evicted for? I know it’s a S21 but has the landlord given any reason.
He also doesn’t have to leave on the date the eviction states the landlord would then have to go to court to get him out.

With regards his mental health and the suicide note his GP absolutely needs to be made aware and the cross team involved.
Do you think this is just about the eviction or is there more going on?

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 16:51

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 08/08/2025 16:26

Was the letter in an obvious place. Question if it could be left for you to find. If its definitely not the case, you could make an appointment with his GP and have an honest chat about it. Not to get any of his medical information or anything but if the doctor is his regular GP, it could be helpful to get an opinion from his GP. He would have his medical history, current medication and would also have a knowledge of depression and what to do

Sort of yes - in a folder of paperwork he knew I was going through about his housing stuff.

OP posts:

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 16:52

businessflop25 · 08/08/2025 16:27

Do you know what (if any) reason he is being evicted for? I know it’s a S21 but has the landlord given any reason.
He also doesn’t have to leave on the date the eviction states the landlord would then have to go to court to get him out.

With regards his mental health and the suicide note his GP absolutely needs to be made aware and the cross team involved.
Do you think this is just about the eviction or is there more going on?

S21 is because the landlord is selling the place.

He's terrified of the eviction process, it's so stressful for him as he feels terrible about it all. The landlord has just been over and I've told him he has to go to court now which he was trying to circumvent with threats about turning off the electric and water etc....

ETA
He also haw bipolar disorder and is on lithium. He's be very stable on it for a year or so before this process began.

OP posts:

alwayswaitingfortheweekend · 08/08/2025 17:04

Does he have a mental health nurse or support worker? Perhaps you could gently explain you have found his note and you are very concerned about him and want to help. You could offer to support him to contact his support worker or the crisis team. If you use 111 option 2 they will put you through to the local crisis team

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 17:42

Managed to broach it when he came home. Also told the husband now (with friends permission).

He agreed I could remove the method he had planned from the house, and it's now in my bin.

He has agreed not to do anything for the next four weeks while I do what I can for the housing situation.

Apparently he told the GP this morning, but I'll still follow up with them myself anyway.

He's doing OK, shocked I said anything obv but hopefully a little reassured that we care and want to help.

Landlord also been told by me to back off and go to get the court order. He's also going to liaise with me instead of friend from now on.

Plan is also to for me to speak to the housing officer on Monday and try to get him upped to priority need on the basis of disability. Or to find out what she needs to get that done. Then to try to get him into a permanent home, not temporary accommodation and preferably long before bailiffs come knocking.

Thanks for the moral support, twas a bit of a shock!!

OP posts:

notnorman · 08/08/2025 17:44

It’s a good job he’s got you as a friend OP

TomatoSandwiches · 08/08/2025 17:45

You are a true to God friend op.

Overandoveradnauseum · 08/08/2025 17:49

What a brilliant friend you are OP.
I hope things work out for him.

Elizabeth1000 · 08/08/2025 18:03

Why is the landlord a dickhead for selling up? It’s a routine thing to do. I do understand the distress it causes to the tenant as it has happened to my brother after he’d been a tenant for 8yrs and was extremely traumatic and difficult and required help from family members, including me. My brother’s landlord wasn’t a dickhead - just a regular person who owned one extra property following the death of a family member - and decided that due to taxes, obligations, regulations, risks etc that owning a property and renting it out was no longer worthwhile. Why do you think making the landlord go to court is a good thing to do? The landlord does not deserve this just for deciding to sell his own property and doing the procedure in accordance with the law. The more people that do this, the more being a landlord becomes a fool’s errand and rents will be drivers up and up. Life is shit and difficult and I can easily see why suicide looks like a good option. But by making that landlord go to court, you’re making his life shit as well. He’ll have to shell out £££££ and might end up wanting to kill himself as well.

Ladedahlia · 08/08/2025 18:15

businessflop25 · 08/08/2025 16:27

Do you know what (if any) reason he is being evicted for? I know it’s a S21 but has the landlord given any reason.
He also doesn’t have to leave on the date the eviction states the landlord would then have to go to court to get him out.

With regards his mental health and the suicide note his GP absolutely needs to be made aware and the cross team involved.
Do you think this is just about the eviction or is there more going on?

I can tell you that in my experience GPs don’t care. I have been in this situation. The GP didn’t even bother to get back to me . When I chased it up she said ‘ what do you expect me to do about it’? Really irritated and dismissive. I was a member of the same surgery and left soon after because of it.

businessflop25 · 08/08/2025 18:25

Elizabeth1000 · 08/08/2025 18:03

Why is the landlord a dickhead for selling up? It’s a routine thing to do. I do understand the distress it causes to the tenant as it has happened to my brother after he’d been a tenant for 8yrs and was extremely traumatic and difficult and required help from family members, including me. My brother’s landlord wasn’t a dickhead - just a regular person who owned one extra property following the death of a family member - and decided that due to taxes, obligations, regulations, risks etc that owning a property and renting it out was no longer worthwhile. Why do you think making the landlord go to court is a good thing to do? The landlord does not deserve this just for deciding to sell his own property and doing the procedure in accordance with the law. The more people that do this, the more being a landlord becomes a fool’s errand and rents will be drivers up and up. Life is shit and difficult and I can easily see why suicide looks like a good option. But by making that landlord go to court, you’re making his life shit as well. He’ll have to shell out £££££ and might end up wanting to kill himself as well.

The landlord isn’t a dickhead for selling up. He’s a dickhead for threatening and harassing him though! That is out of order!
and unfortunately you don’t get ANY assistance with housing from the likes of the council or other organisations until such times as you have been evicted by the courts. That’s not his fault! It’s the way it works! It sucks for the landlord yes but it’s the fault of the councils and the government that we have the system we do. The system has been in place a long time and the landlord would know this! Unfortunately it is the price you pay to evict someone!

businessflop25 · 08/08/2025 18:26

Ladedahlia · 08/08/2025 18:15

I can tell you that in my experience GPs don’t care. I have been in this situation. The GP didn’t even bother to get back to me . When I chased it up she said ‘ what do you expect me to do about it’? Really irritated and dismissive. I was a member of the same surgery and left soon after because of it.

Edited

Show quote history

I have had the opposite experience. So I guess like in all professions there are good Gaps that care and some not so good who don’t!
Lets just hope the OPs friend has a good one!

Original poster

DeathNoteHelp · 08/08/2025 18:30

Elizabeth1000 · 08/08/2025 18:03

Why is the landlord a dickhead for selling up? It’s a routine thing to do. I do understand the distress it causes to the tenant as it has happened to my brother after he’d been a tenant for 8yrs and was extremely traumatic and difficult and required help from family members, including me. My brother’s landlord wasn’t a dickhead - just a regular person who owned one extra property following the death of a family member - and decided that due to taxes, obligations, regulations, risks etc that owning a property and renting it out was no longer worthwhile. Why do you think making the landlord go to court is a good thing to do? The landlord does not deserve this just for deciding to sell his own property and doing the procedure in accordance with the law. The more people that do this, the more being a landlord becomes a fool’s errand and rents will be drivers up and up. Life is shit and difficult and I can easily see why suicide looks like a good option. But by making that landlord go to court, you’re making his life shit as well. He’ll have to shell out £££££ and might end up wanting to kill himself as well.

He's a dickhead for threatening to turn off the water and electricity in order to try to force an illegal eviction on his tenant.

He's entirely entitled to sell his asset.

He's not entitled to ignore the law and harrass his tenant.

He is also required by law to go to court for an eviction notice. This action is required by the Council in order for my mate to be eligible for their help. If he leaves and sleeps on my sofa he will be considered to have made himself intentionally homeless and will not be eligible for any council assistance.

The landlord is doing just fine financially BTW.

The law trumps his feelings.

OP posts:

RigIt · 08/08/2025 21:07

Elizabeth1000 · 08/08/2025 18:03

Why is the landlord a dickhead for selling up? It’s a routine thing to do. I do understand the distress it causes to the tenant as it has happened to my brother after he’d been a tenant for 8yrs and was extremely traumatic and difficult and required help from family members, including me. My brother’s landlord wasn’t a dickhead - just a regular person who owned one extra property following the death of a family member - and decided that due to taxes, obligations, regulations, risks etc that owning a property and renting it out was no longer worthwhile. Why do you think making the landlord go to court is a good thing to do? The landlord does not deserve this just for deciding to sell his own property and doing the procedure in accordance with the law. The more people that do this, the more being a landlord becomes a fool’s errand and rents will be drivers up and up. Life is shit and difficult and I can easily see why suicide looks like a good option. But by making that landlord go to court, you’re making his life shit as well. He’ll have to shell out £££££ and might end up wanting to kill himself as well.

The landlord is a dickhead for sending harassing text messages and illegally threatening to cut off the tenants water and electricity supplies. Unfortunately, to qualify for help with housing you cannot leave a property until a court order has been issued and bailiffs arrive to kick you out or you will be deemed as intentionally homeless -that’s what the council will tell him if he approached them. It’s horrible and stressful for both the landlord and the tenant (but mainly the tenant) but that’s the process. I’d direct your ire at the government, who control the law, and who have effectively kneecapped councils by making them sell off all the council housing, taken those funds and not allocated them more to rebuild stock, capped council taxes, but then given them responsibility legally to house certain people who fit strict criteria, including that someone should not be “intentionally homeless”. Councils are then interpreting that criteria as strictly as they can as they are completely overwhelmed. Direct your ire at the government and demand that they make changes, not at the people caught up in the process, especially the poor tenants who just want somewhere to live that they can afford.

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 08/08/2025 21:33

Ok. The reason why I was asking is because with my ex, if I wasn't doing what he wanted me to, my attention was off him or he thought I was backing out of the relationship. He would do things like that to suck me back in. It mightnt be the case with you but it's no harm considering it