In a shocking discovery, the skeletal remains of a pensioner were found in his home six years after his death. The discovery was made after the landlord obtained a court order to enter the property and check the gas supply.
On March 9th of this year, the body of 76-year-old Robert Alton was found inside his flat on Hemsworth Road in Bolton.
According to a statement released by Bolton at Home, an inquest into his death has concluded that he “likely” passed away in May 2017. The coroner recorded an open verdict.
According to a statement made by the chief executive officer, the organization finds it completely unacceptable that such an incident has occurred and acknowledges that they should have taken more measures to ensure Mr. Alton’s well-being. This statement was made following the inquest.
According to CEO Noel Sharpe’s statement, Bolton at Home had attempted to contact him numerous times over several years to schedule gas safety checks. However, during the inquest, it was revealed that there had been no response from him.
According to reports, the pensioner’s rent was being covered by housing benefits. According to Greater Manchester Police, the death was not considered suspicious.
According to Mr. Sharpe, it was revealed that the reason behind the delayed discovery of Mr. Alton’s death was due to the inadequacy of the previous procedure. Although it met the legal requirements, it was not strong enough to prevent such an unfortunate incident from occurring.
According to the individual, the policy was altered in July of 2022 to ensure that legal warrants are consistently obtained in order to gain entry into the homes of tenants who cannot be reached to verify gas supplies. According to the inquest, it was the aforementioned change that resulted in the discovery of Mr. Alton’s body.
According to Mr. Sharpe’s statement, Bolton at Home failed to identify signs of a problem and did not thoroughly investigate the reason for their inability to reach him.
According to his statement, on March 9th, 2023, the death of their tenant, Robert Alton, was reported after his body was found at his residence on Hemsworth Road in Bolton. According to the police and coroner’s investigation, Robert’s death was deemed not suspicious and it is believed that he passed away in May 2017.
As the NHS faces a crisis, one pressing question on the minds of many is: how long are hospital waiting times in your area?” The community at Bolton at Home has been left in a state of shock following the discovery that the deceased individual’s body had gone unnoticed for an extended period.
It is understood that this news may be distressing for those affected. According to the speaker, the occurrence is deemed entirely unacceptable, and measures have been implemented to mitigate the possibility of its recurrence.
According to the speaker, Robert’s death went unnoticed for an extended period due to the inadequacy of their previous protocol. Although it met legal standards, it was insufficient to prevent such an occurrence.
Over the course of several years, numerous attempts were made to contact Robert in order to schedule gas safety checks. According to the speaker, it appears that the measures taken to investigate the reason behind their inability to reach him were insufficient.
According to sources, there were missed opportunities in identifying potential issues. According to the speaker, there was a lack of effort in ensuring Robert’s well-being.
As of July 2022, a new procedure has been implemented where authorities immediately seek a warrant to access a person’s home for a gas safety check if they are unable to contact the individual. The change and subsequent review of previous instances ultimately prompted the authorities to seek a warrant to access Robert’s home, where his body was discovered.
According to the speaker, the procedure change has resulted in a significant reduction in the likelihood of a similar incident occurring in the future.
The company has announced that they are implementing measures to facilitate collaboration between their tenancy support team and gas safety team in situations where they encounter difficulties gaining entry to a property and have concerns regarding the welfare of the occupants.
The speaker expressed their condolences to Robert’s loved ones, friends, and neighbors. They also apologized for any missed opportunities in determining why they were unable to reach him.
An open verdict was recorded by Coroner Peter Sigee. Despite Greater Manchester Police issuing an appeal for any relatives to come forward after his death, no relatives have been traced.
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