--- title: How a Private Investigator Used OSINT to Resolve a Landlord’s Emergency Leak description: How a private investigator used OSINT to quickly resolve a landlord's emergency leak by identifying the property owner through public records. image: https://publicinsights.uk/hubfs/PI%20Leak%20Case%20Study%20Feature%20Image.png --- [![Public_Insights_Logo_Image_2024-removebg-preview](https://publicinsights.uk/hubfs/Public_Insights_Logo_Image_2024-removebg-preview.png)](https://publicinsights.uk) - Products - [Cradle](https://publicinsights.uk/cradle) - [Canvas](https://publicinsights.uk/canvas) - [Background Checks](https://publicinsights.uk/background-checks) - [API](https://publicinsights.uk/api) - Pricing - [Individuals](https://publicinsights.uk/pricing) - [Teams](https://publicinsights.uk/teams-pricing) - Industries - [Public Sector](https://publicinsights.uk/public-sector) - [Security](https://publicinsights.uk/security) - [Insurance](https://publicinsights.uk/insurance) - [Legal](https://publicinsights.uk/legal) - [Private Investigation](https://publicinsights.uk/private-investigation) - [Cybersecurity](https://publicinsights.uk/cybersecurity) - [Journalism](https://publicinsights.uk/media) - Resources - [Resource Centre](https://publicinsights.uk/resources) - [UK Sources Guide](https://publicinsights.uk/uk-public-records-guide-for-osint) - [Careers Hub](https://publicinsights.uk/osint-careers) - [Platform Demos](https://publicinsights.uk/platform-demos) - [About](https://publicinsights.uk/about) [SIGN IN](https://cradle.publicinsights.uk/accounts/login/) [SIGN UP](https://cradle.publicinsights.uk/accounts/signup) OSINT # How a Private Investigator Used OSINT to Resolve a Landlord’s Emergency Leak How a private investigator used OSINT to quickly resolve a landlord's emergency leak by identifying the property owner through public records. [Sham Ahmed](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/author/sham-ahmed) Feb 11, 2025 --- A landlord recently faced a challenging situation when their tenant reported a leak coming from the flat above. Upon contacting the building's management company for help, the landlord was informed they would need to wait until Monday to begin contacting the owner and then give them an additional 48 hours to respond. The management company also refused to provide any details about the upstairs flat’s owner. With the leak causing substantial damage and disrupting their tenant’s living conditions, this delay was unacceptable. The landlord needed a faster solution. Frustrated by the management company’s slow response, the landlord turned to a private investigator (PI) for assistance. The PI’s job was clear: identify the owner of the flat above and facilitate contact, helping to ensure the leak was fixed as soon as possible. With limited time, waiting for the management company to reach out was ineffective. #### **How OSINT Helped Solve the Problem** The PI quickly got to work by utilising Cradle, our OSINT tool designed to gather public records and connect the dots between people, properties, and businesses. The first step was to find out who owned the flat above. The PI downloaded the title register for the upstairs flat from the land registry, providing the property owner’s name. With that information in hand, they plugged the available information into Cradle, looking to find further details about the individual. The PI saw numerous results for multiple registered companies via Companies House, showing the property owner was the director of numerous businesses, some of which were property-related. Several of these properties were connected to a single business address, however, it was unclear if they operated from this address. Google searches for some of these companies returned phone numbers. However, when called the PI was informed that no one under the property owner’s name was known or available. The PI needed a more direct way to contact the owner. Specifically, they wanted their home address or personal phone number. Unfortunately, the owner wasn’t listed on the edited electoral roll, and there was no personal landline or mobile number available in a phone directory. Despite this setback, the PI’s search didn’t stop there. They knew that landlords often have multiple properties registered with the local council. Using Cradle’s HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) records, the PI found several properties registered to the owner’s name. While many of these properties were tied to the previously identified business address, the HMO first registered provided a contact address for a residential property. With a possible home address location, the PI quickly visited the address and found the owner at home. With the owner located, the PI explained the situation and provided a phone number for the impacted landlord. This enabled the two property owners to address the leak, saving the tenant from further disruption and the landlord from even more extensive damage to their property. #### **The Power of OSINT in Property Investigations** This scenario demonstrates the value of OSINT tools like Cradle in private investigations, particularly for cases involving properties. In a situation where time is critical, the PI was able to quickly connect publicly available data from sources like land registry, Companies House, and HMO licences to identify the property owner. Instead of waiting for a delayed response from a management company, OSINT allowed the PI to resolve the issue efficiently, reducing the impact of the leak on the customer and their tenant and preventing further damage to the property. [OSINT](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/tag/osint) [HMO](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/tag/hmo) [Case Study](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/tag/case-study) ## Similar posts Careers ### [Top Tips for Crafting an OSINT CV That Lands You the Job](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/top-tips-for-crafting-an-osint-cv-that-lands-you-the-job) Learn how to craft a standout OSINT CV with key tips on structuring, highlighting achievements, and using actionable keywords to land your desired... Sham Ahmed Feb 26, 2025 OSINT ### [Preparing for the Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence: Using Public Records to Show You Took Reasonable Steps](https://publicinsights.uk/blog/preparing-for-the-failure-to-prevent-fraud-offence-using-public-records-to-show-you-took-reasonable-steps) Prepare for the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence with effective OSINT and public records checks to demonstrate reasonable fraud prevention steps. 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