Am I crazy or is someone entering the house?

[BaroutC]

A few years ago I found out that my husband had cheated. We separated. He stayed in the marital home and I was the one who left because he didn't want us to separate.
Since returning there have been a handful of times I have felt like someone might be entering the property when there's nobody there.
The first time I noticed it was when we came in from an afternoon out and it was like the furniture had been moved. I couldn't say what had actually been moved but the gap between certain items had narrowed as I walked through.
There were a couple of other times when I wasn't sure but it felt like things had moved. There was one time that I know that something had definately been moved.
Another time our adult DC commented on a strange chemical smell in the house as we entered. I could smell it too but DH couldn't.
It's only ever happened if we have been out during daytime, never evening.
For someone to be entering they would not only need a key but they would need to know that neither of us were in. They would also need to know if our adult DC was staying with us as he comes and goes.
I thought maybe someone could potentially track one of us via a phone, but surely not three separate phones.
I can't see that it would be possible for someone to know when all of us are out.
I'm sure I'm not going mad because I get the feeling only occasionally, not all the time, and there was one time I can say 100% something had moved.
any ideas welcome because I cannot work it out nor why a person would want to enter the house.

Depends how high it is I suppose. It'd be fairly easy to drop down from mine, I can almost reach the hatch on tip toes.

While you're waiting for your camera to be delivered, next time you go out, scatter icing sugar, flour or face powder on the floor behind you in a fine dust layer. When you come back, look for footprints.

And what happened

He admitted to staying there a few months. Friend stayed with her mum for a few months as she was understandably shook up and had young children.

Very strange.

Maybe your house is haunted OP.

My bet is it's someone looking for someone to hang out/do drugs rather than someone particularly bothered about you or your family's belongings - not that that makes it OK! My first thought would be youngsters who wouldn't have their own home, so neighbours or your kids mates. My next thought would be a dodgy 'associate' of your husband who acquired a key during the time you weren't living there.
I wouldn't actually say too much to your family members. Your k8ds might alert the culprits and your OH has form for lieing. Set up a few simple traps eg photograph the room, turn the toilet water off, put a hair/thread by door. Once you're confident it's definitely happening then set up a camera. ....but don't tell. I'd also make it known I'm going out for the afternoon/evening but return after 20mins....quietly, with my camera at the ready.
I'm getting quite excited for an update!

It’ll be a little blonde girl, known porridge addict. She’ll have been disappointed.

Please look up the term Phrogging, said frogging. Basically its someone living in your home when you are not there. I've just watched a TV series of people this has happened to. A Google search will tell you methods to catch the offenders but I would certainly be reporting this to the police and keeping a diary of events.

A previous poster was suggesting that there might be secret cameras placed in the OPs house. But I think a few people misunderstood. Scary thought. I wouldn't know where to start looking.
The chemical smell makes me think drugs and that someone is using the house to prepare/wrap etc drugs before distributing them. Probably unlikely but I wouldn't discount it. Keep a log now and if anything more suspicious happens, inform the police.

Do you think it’s the affair partner? Were they together when you left? Might they have a key to your house?

That's fucking creepy!

Id buy a baby monitor and hide it so the culprit doesn't spot it
.you can watch the mo itor from your phone using an app and see it happening in real time..

If you were in someone's house wouldn't you not move furniture around do as not to be found out? Or leave any smells etc?!

In the TV series I saw thats exactly what happened. Cupboards left open, food missing from the fridge, private possessions and clothing missing. Offenders often had MH issues. They got into the house through the crawl space, through the neighbours shared ceiling space etc. Spooky as hell.

I think I'd cut to the chase and hire a private detective, if it's in the budget. They would make short work of finding out what's going on.

A private detective usually watches/follows people outside the home, not IN the home, dont they?

Cameras are the way to go!

Or, for a fraction of the cost, get a couple of Nest cams in the house

You're saying your husband gave the other woman a key and she's possibly going into your house during the day?

Total urban myth though

Seriously, no one is monitoring you so that they can sneak in and do nothing but move your sofa a cm to the left.

Change the locks if you don’t know who has a key then stop fretting.

I really don’t believe that drug dealers are sneaking in to borrow the kitchen scales either. Bizarre.

To clarify, you mean you left the marital home and are still in this new place? And this husband is a new husband, not the ex?

Could there be an adjoining door with your neighbours? Check the loft space for one too.

Or perhaps one of the kids or their friends is sneaking in. Eg: their gf ir bf is living in the home without you knowing.

Get ring cameras at the front and back. Get your an alarm for your interior doors and have a little camera in the hallway. This would drive me absolutely crazy and I would throw everything at it.

The most likely thing, though is that either your husband or your child is letting someone into the house. Having cameras and someone would just make them go elsewhere.

Not an urban myth. Happened to Paris Hilton!

Has the affair partner got a key? That seems the most likely. Although why she’d move the furniture about and leave a funny smell behind her your guess is as good as mine.

Could your husband be messing with your head?