we think our flatmate is stealing from us....(long)

rjm2k1

Doesn't take much to work out what's happened, either the guy, you, or your bf have taken the money, or you are mistaken. Since you have posted, I think we can assume it's not you who has taken it, so it's either your bf or the other guy, or a mistake. B&Q sold an electronic safe a couple of months ago for £15 which would be ideal to keep the money in, but these safes have a spare key so make sure that isn't somewhere he can get to it. I suggest that only your bf has the key/code at first so that he can't blame you if money continues to go missing. Since the guy is bad at paying his rent I would assume it's him and get rid anyway, you don't need to be carryinh someone like that and he will take advantage of you for as long as he can.

mariejader

Did you manage to get the camera working?

Cardiffborn

It is a bit of a pickle.

First of all though, is there any chance of another person being in possession of a key - say ex tenant? I'd hate to accuse the bloke if there was a chance of this.

I think you could set a trap, but I wouldn't leave a lot of money around from now on.

I'd be very careful too of your post. He could get hold of your cards and things that come in the post.

I had an incident a few years back in a shared house. A lovely house mate of mine went on holiday. When she came back she went to get money out of her account and it wouldn't let her, so she went into the bank and it showed she was well overdrawn when she knew she'd just been paid. They said she'd drawn money out over the last few days and she knew she hadn't. Turned out they'd sent a new card to her and a new pin and (to cut a long story short) one of the housemates had helped himself to both - he even had the cheek to leave the ripped up PIN number slip in his room before he did a runner. She had terrible trouble getting the money back too. So be careful of this too, sorry to alarm you.

MissKJ

Lots of good advice Little Pickle, but I think he may only be nice because he is getting what he wants. I am also worried that if he can't access your cash, he will start taking other things. Desperate people do desperate things. If you only leave small amounts lying around, he is less likely to take it, because it will be obvious to you that it is gone. You can't risk any more cash, so you have only one option. Get rid of him, or move out yourselves.

The atmosphere must be awful.

Oh, and the police would crime the matter and investigate, but Crown prosecution service would be unlikely to proceded with a prosecution unless he confessed. Again, he can't have a caution or reprimand unless he confesses. If he has a history of this behaviour, you might find out? Is this a possibility, did he have references before he took the tenancy?

This would not solve your problems, but would give a stern message to him. Difficult to live with him after that eh?

Bogof_Babe

I think "plausible" is the best word for this chap. It is obviously in his interests to be smarmily nice with the OP and her partner, while robbing them behind their backs. If he was anything other than nice, the warning bells would have started ringing some time ago.

Money changes things, to the point where you can't trust anyone. I know that now. I have had to make a conscious decision not to fall out with a much loved close family member, which took some heart-searching in the small hours of the night. In the end I decided it wasn't worth causing lasting anguish and damage over, and it was only a couple of hundred pounds anyway, so it had to be put in perspective. But that's another story.

As regards your flat mate, is he a sub-let on your tenancy, or do you all have equal third shares? If the former, you should simply tell him you want your place back for the two of you (and get another lodger if you can't afford not to), and if the latter then the landlord should not be asking you to sort out his rent shortfalls.

mountainofdebt

Don't know where you can get the stuff but can't you mark notes with an ink that shows up on hands ? (Seem to remember they did this on Eastenders once.....yes I know I'm that sad!)

BWZN93

Im all for the trap personally, id want to know for sure who it was and then the police would be told for them to arrest him. Even if they didnt go through with a formal charge, he'd still have the shock of his life and would have a damned cheek to walk back into that house again. In fact, id have the locks changed while he was being interviewed by the police.

Sorry for my harsh reply, however, I wouldnt tolerate theft from anyone, my family and friends know that they can have everything I have without question as long as they ask for it, theft is a totally different matter as it shows a complete lack of respect for the person they are taking from.

Set the trap!!

Jo x

poppy_f1

Little_Pickle wrote: »

Never ever ever...

He works shifts too... so he's in the flat a lot when we're not.

I asked OH if we could put the webcam in tonight and he emailed back..

if i can find the install CD for the camera, which will only be in one of two places, we can sort it out tonight. it only records when there's movement in the room, so it won't take up any hard drive space unless there's something to record...

if we put this in we may need to have it in for several weeks, and even then nothing may show up

at the end of the day, we have to forget about what *may* have happened until we've got solid proof, otherwise it'll do our heads in (and it might take weeks or months for solid proof to happen)

he's right I guess... thanks for all of your help guys, and I will defo let you know what happens
LP
xox

if you go down the webcam route and its motion detected, plese remember to switch off when you and your oh are in the room

Phill_555

I completely agree with the trap idea...you owe it to yourselves and anyone else thats been thieved from by him. I also like the suggestion of changing the locks while he's being arrested, but if it were me, I would make arrangements to move out now (in the meantime he gets caught) then you'll have somewhere else to go straight away (taking posessions of his as 'compensation') when it kicks off.

mikegould

poppy_f1 wrote: »

if you go down the webcam route and its motion detected, plese remember to switch off when you and your oh are in the room

or it might end up on utube