I moved into my rented house in August this year.
I am the sole tenancy holder.
I have been claiming Housing Benefit for it.
My partner has been living here unofficially, the landlady found out, gave my partner a week to remove himself and his belongings otherwise she would give me notice.
He didn't do so and I was given notice.
He's now gone.
Now here's the complicated bit.
I have been in an abusive relationship with this man for many years, the landlady and I struck up a chatty kind of friendship after she intuited my problems and whilst never told me directly, has insinuated she has given me this notice in order to make my partner move out as I could not make him do so myself. She smiles conspiratorially at me when she is here at the same time as my partner and asks "this is what you want to do, isnt it?" when he's out of the room.
However, she is also concerned at the Housing Benefit risk, as he is not supposed to be living here.
She printed out the Notice and I signed it. She said it would make my partner think it's for real so he would have to leave.
Do you think she has really been 'on my side' and has cooked up an elaborate hoax to help me move my partner out, or has served me Notice for real, as she is worried about the benefits risk to herself?
I do intend to contact a housing advice centre, but I'm hopeless at reading people, so would appreciate your views on what you think she's really up to.