Mr Riding was a bailiff employed by Alfred Wormold who Elsie Tanner witheld her rent in the spring of 1963. Wormold had imposed an increase of ten shillings a week on his tenants which they all thought was exorbitant. Elsie was the only one to take action, further prompted when Wormold found out that she was sub-letting a room to Christine Appleby against the terms of the tenancy. Elsie had amassed six weeks' back rent when Mr Riding first appeared on the doorstep of 11 Coronation Street but on that occasion the sympathetic neighbours chased him away before he could gain entry. He returned a week later and arrived at the house shortly after the arrival from London of Dennis Tanner who, not knowing what was going on, cheerfully let Riding and his men in.