Neighbour died and home has not been cleaned since

[Frogponder]

Our elderly next door neighbour who lived alone died last month.

We and other neighbours noticed we hadn’t seen him about and his lights were on all night so we called the police who sent in a paramedic who found him. They took the body and told us he’d died a week earlier, which was shocking and sad.

Since then nobody seems to have been into the property, and we’re getting worried about rotting food, flies, rodents etc.

Another neighbour has written to the council and put a letter through the letterbox for the Executor (hoping there is one).

That neighbour is now suggesting we could all go in and just clear out the rotting food ourselves as the back door is unlocked.

Though this would be the quickest way to prevent a possible pest problem my instinct is that we should not go in, it would be trespassing (and unpleasant) and should be dealt with by the council. But the council may not deal with it quickly as they are over-stretched.

Any advice?

@mrsmiawallace2 No, they CAN go in: the question is whether they SHOULD. To be honest, you sound more interested in trying to present yourself to others as a virtuous person than in actually working out the right thing to do.

Breaking and entering isn't a crime in England and Wales.

Decades ago it took a brief while for a relative to get up to his late mum's home. Neighbours had helpfully tidied up - even to the extent of tidying things out of her home and into theirs! The relative was extremely upset and then you're always left wondering if they have taken more than a towel or an ornament the Mum had always promised them too.
I find it odd your neighbour is keen to go in, to a place a body has lain a week after dying, but likely that's just a different area culture to mine - however, no relative would be happy with this imo as it does raise questions, and it simply feels intrusive as well, not nice, even if they didn't have much contact with him - as far as you know - he could eg have a sister in Oz who doesn't travel. If he's no relatives then his estate will still go somewhere - and the people charged with executing his estate may have problems or questions too.
At the least protect yourself from any angst and stay out. You should get the property secured, by the right authority - take it someone already checked the door is actually open, strangely to me to be honest.

What does "a sad atomised society" mean? 😕

Contact the funeral home and let them know the property is not secure, they can let the family or whoever is dealing with it that needs to know.

If the police had to break into the property to check on the neighbour they should have secured the property after.
So I would contact the police and ask them when they intend on doing this.
( we had a case in London when the police had to break into a flat below us and they secured it )

I suspect someone is trying to find the neighbours closest relatives.
Perhaps mumsnetters know which authority dept does this ?
It will be up to them to sort the property out. No one should be breaking in, even if you consider it is with good intentions OP

Can you let a cat in with a head camera?

The local press? To publicly advertise the presence of an unsecured, empty house full of its deceased owner’s possessions?

Any advice?

Yes - keep your bloody snouts out!

If people die without known relatives it is advertised.
That’s how these heir hunters make their money

Yeah, “House Left Empty For a Few Weeks Shocker” - stop the presses 😄😄

The house should be secured but none of you have any business going in there. You'd be opening yourself up to accusations of theft - and making it easier for your neighbour to steal (or shift blame).

The only thing I would even remotely consider doing in these circumstances is doing my best to arrange to secure that persons unlocked property as soon as was feasible by proper means (aka not going in snooping about for a key). There are so many reasons that leaving this unlocked could present larger issues.Issues such as you present here to be honest, where persons (neighbours) who have absolutely no legal right to enter private property have decided they fancy doing it for their own benefit. Death does not make a persons property and possessions a free-for-all, regardless of rationale. This is private property belonging to their estate.

It is not always the case that next of kin and executors can be located immediately and if there is actual evidence of a pest concern you can contact the council. Like some others here I'm a bit amazed that anyone would find this in the least bit appropriate or be able to justify it. Surely nobody here would like the idea of their neighbours breaking into their house after they'd died without permission, or hearing that families neighbours had been in the home of a deceased family member, among their possessions etc. It seems more than anything that this neighbour just wants to go in,and I am sure will do when they next think they can get away with. If I saw them doing this I would call the police.

This is nonsense it is the Executor’s job to administer the estate, look after property, etc and make decisions as appropriate (in line with Will).

Unless of course, the death was suspicious and it was the police making decisions at that point.

The neighbour that suggested going in to 'clear rotting food'etc, translates to I'm nosy and want to have a look round and see what's what.
Don't get involved.
The lady died in our property and the neighbours found her. Next neighbour came in and and according to the other side was wandering around commenting what a shit hole it was and she didn't like the woman or her choice of decor! WTAF? I meet the nosy /bitchy one and she delighted on telling us about finding 'a dead body' - is there any other kind? 'Hoped it wouldn't put us off as we had bought the property'.
She was most put out when I replied no, dh isn't bothered and I was a terminally ill nurse for years so death doesn't bother me.
Hardly spoke to us after that, result

I am not going to disagree with you... but in OPs situation I could see myself putting on a camera to record, announcing loudly on camera that I am entering in order to dispose of rotting food, go in though unlocked door, remove rotting food and leave again. It may in theory be criminal, but I think I'd be willing to take the risk.

CATNAV 🤣❤️

Myself and another neighbour did this for a neighbour of ours who had died, but in our case it was in line with the level of support we had been providing for him while he was still alive and the level of friendship, and we both had a copy of his key. His closest family were older and more infirm than he had been and both in nursing homes.

We cleared out the pantry and fridge, did the washing up, emptied his commode, put the bins out, made sure nothing had been left on, the property was secured, and no windows were left open. We also contacted the solicitor who was his executor to let her know we had the keys and make arrangements for her to collect them. The solicitor registered his death.

From what you have said, I don't think you had the same level of familiarity with your neighbour. In your case, I would make sure the back door is secured. You can contact the police on 101 to do this, and also to make sure that they are aware that the property is unoccupied.

Why?

An actual corpse was in there for a week.

What is the issue that's so pressing about any food?

A fridge or freezer full of food isn't going to cause any real issues. A cupboard full of dried or canned goods is not an issue. So it's a fruit bowl?

Your balance of risks seems way off.

Of course they'll be concerned. If no family members are traced, it's on the council to sort out the funeral and try to get the money back by getting the house sold, as I posted above. Even if there are family members, given that nobody's arrived yet to sort the house out, there are environmental health implications, which again fall to the council to sort out.

That smell of death and decay is something you never want to smell, it will live with you forever. A bit different if he died in hospital.

Ignoring the emotive appeals, how does 'What happens when money, jewellery, details of bank accounts and anything else valuable goes missing and you've clearly been in the property "to be a good neighbour because we helped him"?' sound?

You are probably right

I agree - that was exactly what the executor should do.

I don't understand why posters are suggesting the OP should contact the police about the unlocked back door. Hasn't the OP said there's an executor? That is who should be contacted, not the police. Tbh it does sound as though the old man's neighbours want to have a nosey, gruesome lot.