Tenant found dead in his home 6 years after he died, UK officials say. ‘Unacceptable’
A tenant’s body was found in his home more than six years after he died, United Kingdom officials say.
Robert Alton was found dead in March at his home in Bolton, according to a May 11 news release from Bolton at Home, the company that owns the home. Officials said Alton had likely been dead since May 2017.
The company said it was shocked to learn of Alton’s death.
“We (realize) it will concern and upset people to learn his body remained undiscovered for such a long time,” Noel Sharpe, the group’s chief executive officer, said in the release. “It’s completely unacceptable to us that something like this has happened.”
In 2017, Bolton at Home made attempts to contact Alton for a gas check, but they externally turned off his gas in June after they couldn’t get in touch with him, Sharpe said. After turning off the gas, the company continued its attempts to contact Alton without success.
“Opportunities were missed in spotting that something was potentially wrong. We should have done more to check on Robert’s welfare,” Sharpe said.
The company changed its policy in July, according to Sharpe. Under the new regulations, the company immediately seeks a warrant to access a tenant’s home when they cannot be reached for a gas check.
This change initiated a request for a warrant to access Alton’s home, Sharpe said.
Upon entering Alton’s apartment, officials found his “skeletal” remains among stacks of unopened mail, The Guardian reported. There was also food that expired in 2017 and a television guide from May 4, 2017, in the home.
Officials deemed Alton’s death not suspicious, according to Bolton at Home.
Bolton is about 220 miles northwest of London.
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