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Original poster

Have I been a complete dick?

34 replies

TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 14:05

I feel like shit. I live alone in a block of 8 flats with a communal door then 8 individual doors to the flats. The communal door has a lock like the one in the photo. If you know how they work skip the rest of this paragraph. If not - The lever is meant to be up and the little round thing left down, so the door is locked and can only be opened by a key. If the lever is pulled down and the round thing up, it leaves it open, and if the lever is up and button is up then the door is deadlocked and the key will not override it.

A few months ago I got home & the door was deadlocked. Luckily the next door neighbour let me in. Last week I got home and again, the door was deadlocked. This time it was 1am, so when I knocked on the door no one heard. Luckily my parents live a mile away so I walked their and managed to wake them up and stay there. Two or three times since I've went to leave my flat and it's deadlocked.

Last night I got home at half ten (rather merry after a night out) and again, deadlocked. Someone came out for a cigarette so I got in, but in my pissed state I handwrote a note saying that someone kept deadlocking the door and would they pack it in, and then stuck another one underneath saying I had been locked out the house all night last week. I also stuck a little note on the round bit saying to leave it down.

I've woke up sober this morning and I feel like an arsehole. I want to go and get the note but I'm too scared to run into any neighbours. I'm frightened I'll have upset or offended them and went way overboard.

Have I been a dick? Should I brave going to get the note?

Have I been a complete dick?
OP posts:
joopy79 · 29/12/2018 14:07

I think you need to explain to the other flats not to lock you out! A note is fine as long as it's polite

ScreamingBadSanta · 29/12/2018 14:07

No, I think whoever is deadlocking the door is the dick in this situation!

Sparklfairy · 29/12/2018 14:08

It's not on locking you out of your own home! I would have done the same as you- sober! Grin

AlpacaLypse · 29/12/2018 14:08

No you haven't been a dick! Unless you used bad language in your notes they are entirely fine. Someone clearly doesn't know how to work the door properly and sending a note round to every flat is the only way to get the message across. It's awful that you were locked out of your own home alone at night.

Atalune · 29/12/2018 14:10

Absolutely not a dick move!

Birdie6 · 29/12/2018 14:12

You haven't been a dick at all. This lock is just plain ridiculous - no communal door should be able to be deadlocked by anyone. Being locked out ( specially at night) is dangerous and you shouldn't be put in that position.

There must be some kind of owner's committee or an on-site manager who oversees things like this. Find out who is in charge of communal property / maintenance, and put a request in writing to have the lock changed so it can't be deadlocked by anyone . Good luck !

Original poster
TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 14:16

Ffs, *there. Why are the mistakes only obvious once it's posted Blush.

Definitely wouldn't have sworn, but might've been more rambling than I would've been sober, and probably wouldn't have stuck an extra note on the little round thing of the lock sober. Why didn't I just wait till this morning to write it?

OP posts:
Original poster
TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 14:19

I know the name of the firm in charge of maintenance, Birdie. That's a really good idea, I'll give them a ring and see if it can be swapped for one that isn't deadlock-able.

OP posts:
BedraggledBlitz · 29/12/2018 15:24

Yanbu. Stupid type of lock and stupid prat for deadlocking it.

If it's someone that didn't realise, then your note did everyone a favour.

Branleuse · 29/12/2018 15:45

id be fucking furious if i kept being deadlocked out of my flat

you have not been a dick

marvellousnightforamooncup · 29/12/2018 15:50

It can't be only you it's inconveniencing, I'm sure other flat owners will have been locked out too. It's the wrong lock for a communal door. You did the right thing.

VimFuego101 · 29/12/2018 16:05

That's a ridiculous lock for a communal property, I hope they can switch it for you.

Original poster
TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 16:43

This has made me feel a bit better, thanks everyone. I still haven't left the flat in case I bump into a neighbour Blush

OP posts:
Mississippilessly · 29/12/2018 17:39

Not a dick at all. Fucking stupid situation.

Mississippilessly · 29/12/2018 17:39

I meant the lock and people deadlocking it btw - not you!

ILoveChristmasLights · 29/12/2018 18:03

Why are you bothered about the neighbours knowing you wrote it!?

Anyone stupid enough to deadlock a communal door NEEDS telling and everyone else is probably grateful you’ve done it.

Definitely get it changed, it’s bloody ridiculous on a communal door.

Heuschrecke · 29/12/2018 18:14

I totally agree with PPs, that type of lock should not be on a communal front door.

The only dick is the LL who had it installed it in the first place.

ineedtostopbeingsolazy · 29/12/2018 18:25

There's a dick who is deadlocking the door. They should not be doing this.
Try and get the lock changed.

icannotremember · 29/12/2018 18:31

You're not the dick here! This is really shitty behaviour on the part of whoever is deadlocking the door. They should get a real dressing down IMO. And pp are right, that lock should be changed asap.

Original poster
TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 18:46

I'm definitely going to ring and try and get it changed. I've taken the note down but I've left the little one on the button saying to leave it down there. The rest of my neighbours were all elderly until recently when a couple moved in who smoke, so possibly that's the problem. Maybe they just don't know how to use it.

OP posts:
Violetroselily · 29/12/2018 19:15

Whoever has deadlocked it is a cunt

SayNoToCarrots · 29/12/2018 19:23

Fucksake what twats deadlocking the door

Original poster
TynSoldier · 29/12/2018 22:31

Left the little button's note on, my friend's round for a drink, went to let her in... and someone has deadlocked the fucking door!

OP posts:
AnoukSpirit · 29/12/2018 22:55

Even children are capable of correctly operating one of those.

It definitely needs replacing.

You clearly need a gigantic poster and notes on every flat's doors in the meantime.

hmmwhatatodo · 29/12/2018 23:00

Perhaps they are doing it on purpose?