Verdant 001 001

I want to make clear that I did not break into that house.

I was sent there.

I work through Verdant Solutions as a cleaner. Jobs appear through an app with an address, an access window and any instructions.

I have been attending the property at ██ ████████ Road roughly once a week since March.

I never met anybody there.

That isn't unusual with Verdant. You are given a time when the property is available and you're expected to attend within that window.

When I first accepted the assignment, Verdant issued me a key. It was tagged with the job reference only.

Today I received a notification at 09:16 saying the property was available between 11:00 and 15:00.

I arrived just after eleven and unlocked the rear door.

A police officer stopped me almost immediately.

I panicked because I didn't understand what was happening.

I told them I was the cleaner.

That was when I was told Mrs Caldwell had been reported missing.

Nobody had told me.

The house was always unusually clean. Most weeks it barely seemed to need cleaning at all.

I once messaged through the app to ask whether I was still required to attend.

The reply said:

CONTINUE AS INSTRUCTED.

I have been asked who arranged the service.

I don't know.

I assumed whoever lived at the property had booked it through Verdant.