Neighbour complaint about tenants

GDB2222

We have recently let the flat above my old office to a seemingly very nice lady with a young child. The neighbours have just reported that they think she may be mistreating the child. I’m not sure that their perspective is particularly realistic, as they have never had children themselves, but it’s not something that I feel I should just ignore. Does anyone know whom we should report this to, at least if things get any worse?

RelievedSheff

Social services at a guess.

princeofpounds

Social services yes - or another professional with safeguarding responsibilities e.g. school teacher if you know where they attend. The neighbours should really report it themselves, not second hand via you. However if they don't confirm they've had that discussion then you could discuss your concerns with social services but make it clear the original source and the areas of your scepticism.

GDB2222

Thanks. The child is not yet school age. 

GN2020

I’d ring the police and social services. 

At the very least, they pay a visit to the address and look into it. 

Have the neighbours said anything specific? All you can report is what they’ve told you but I’d also encourage them to report it as well as they have the first hand information. 

Hopefully it’s something of nothing and the child is fine but if god forbid, it is something bad at least you’ve done your bit. 

SpiderLegs

Unless you have concerns of your own it really isn’t down to you to get involved in. 

Getting half a story from neighbours, that you have already said isn’t realistic, doesn’t sound like justification for running off to social services or involving yourself in your tenant’s personal life. 

Sounds like the neighbour is looking for someone else to do their dirty work. 

davidmcn

Not sure it's particularly worthwhile or appropriate to be making reports based on hearsay. Why are they talking to you about it rather than the authorities?

Hannimal

SpiderLegs said:

Unless you have concerns of your own it really isn’t down to you to get involved in. 

I think we all have some responsibility to safe guard those who can't do it for themselves if we are alerted to things like this. 

silvercar

I don't understand why the neighbours are reporting it to you. If they have concerns they should report to social services. It isn't in the landlord's role to report on second hand concerns of their tenant's neighbours. I would question their motives in doing this. Thank them for their concern and suggest they contact social services themselves.

eddddy

As others say, you should tell the neighbour that, if they have concerns, they should report them to the appropriate authorities (e.g. social services or police).

Looking at this another way, often the reason people report tenants' behaviour to their landlord is because they hope the landlord will evict the tenants.  Could there be some other reason (apart from child mistreatment) that the neighbours want them evicted?

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi GDP.

The answer is that the concerned neighbs should report it right away, and the most direct route is to the police. End of. The police (or anyone they might delegate it to) will surely want to talk to them about this to try and judge the legitimacy of their concerns. So please suggest that to them, whilst thanking them for acting on their concerns and assuring them they are doing the right thing.

Explain that all you can do is also report it to the police, but you'll have to inform them where you received the information in any case, so the police will want to talk to them regardless; it'll therefore just be a waste of time and add confusion to have you as a go-between. 

Finally ask them to confirm to you when they have done this - and then I think you should contact the police yourself to confirm they have done so, that same day. 

It cannot be ignored. 

If the flat has more than one neighb, then perhaps you can reassure them the tenant won't know who reported their concerns (I don't know if that's true tho'...), but - either way - the police need to be informed. 

(As a school governor and also involved in a local youth group, I can tell you to pay no heed to how 'very nice' anyone might seem in these situations - it is no guide whatsoever. Anyone who is struggling to cope with their child will usually - almost always - try to present the completely opposite guise.)