Suspect landlords have disposed of our possessions!

yved33

My daughter and I rent a flat from a private landlord, through a managing agents. Today we were in all day, up until 15.45 as some engineers were round to do a fire safety check on all the flats ( we live in basement flat with separate entrance) Also some men turned up to clear a drain in the back garden that comes from the flats upstairs and has been blocked and stinking for weeks . We have now realised that some items we had stored in an alcove by our front door, mainly two bicycles, a mini trampoline and the parcel shelf for my car, have gone! I have left a voicemail and an email with the agents, because I strongly suspect the landlords told the workmen to dispose of the items, but if they had knocked on the door, we would have happily moved them. I have said to the agents that we want these items returned or financial compensation, and will be taking advice, as this is theft. Do you think I am entitled to say that ? Bloody fuming !:mad:

anselld

Storage of items in communal areas is normally a no-no from a fire safety point of view.

They may have simply been moved to a safe place. I would suggest you take it easy until you find out exactly what has happened.

theartfullodger

Report theft by persons unknown to Police, get CRN, claim on your insurance

It's still theft, doesn't matter where it was. Your Rolex nicked from a table at Waterloo station after you forgot it is still theft.

G_M

Theft. Report it. Gt a crime number.

If it turns out the engineers took them, with or without agent's instructions, you can always later tell the police the items have been found/returned.

yved33

Hi, items were not in communal areas, they were in an alcove ( outside) in our front garden. The fire alarm engineers said they didn’t move them .

davidmcn

theartfullodger wrote: »

Report theft by persons unknown to Police, get CRN, claim on your insurance

It's still theft, doesn't matter where it was. Your Rolex nicked from a table at Waterloo station after you forgot it is still theft.

Chucking stuff out because you mistakenly believe it to have been abandoned isn't theft.

But since the OP doesn't have any firm information about what happened they may as well report it as suspected theft.

m0bov

Have you reported it yet? They may well have nicked them.

yved33

We were in the flat all day , they should have knocked on the door and asked, the alcove is in our front garden, right by our front door, you can't see the items from the street. Taking items from our property, rented or otherwise, without asking, is theft in my book, and has been reported as such.

G_M

So some member of the public could have walked off with them?

Do you have evidence it was the engineers?

I don't get this - if my bike disappeared I'd report the theft and give the police a photo, plus details of the magic invisible ink markings on it for identification.

Get off the internet and pick up the phone.......

dimbo61

Did you have a good padlock fitted to the two valuable bikes left outside your front door ?
Hope your home contents insurance covers you

FBaby

You might as well forget about it. How are you going to prove that it was them? No chance! You can't accuse people on the basis of coincidences. You left these things in an unsecured place and therefore at risk of being stolen.

All you can do is report and the claim on your insurance, although they might not pay out if they were left somewhere they consider unsecured. It has nothing to do with the landlord.