In a shocking discovery, a British housing association found the body of tenant Robert Alton in his apartment, which may have remained undiscovered for up to six years. The association expressed its deepest condolences to Alton’s family and acknowledged that it was a profound shock for everyone involved.
Alton, who was 70 years old at the time of his presumed death in 2017, was discovered after the association made several attempts to contact him and arrange gas safety checks. Alton had continued to pay rent through automatic payments funded by housing benefits.
The investigation revealed that Alton’s death was non-suspicious, but the cause of death remains unknown. Officials discovered a 1½-foot pile of unopened mail and expired food in his apartment, indicating that he may have passed away unnoticed for a long time.
The association has apologized for the tragic incident and pledged to review its procedures to identify any potential missed opportunities to act sooner. The Bolton council also expressed its condolences and is looking to put in place additional measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
