Housing association to fit new flat fire door AND new locks.

[JenniferBooth]

We had our flat door modified in 2019 to meet regulations and it has a self closer. An inspection officer came round unannounced on 12 JULY and checked it said thankyou and left. Received a letter last Friday and these doors have to be replaced URGENTLY (July was four months ago) i rang them today and we will also have to have new locks fitted and will be given three new keys. (DH says we can sort a locksmith out later) Has anyone else had this done? Im very concerned about the security aspect of this. They are doing a lot of the estate

I dont need to take time off as i dont currently work (gets out bingo card for the usual comments that will come not meaning you just because im quoting you) but i do have an elderly mother who has just been widowed after 59 years and things to organise. I have in the past told the HA dates i cant do and then they have sent letters wanting to do the exact dates that i couldnt

I am in housing health and safety. You will not be permitted to change your locks in a new fire door as all new fire door sets meet test standards as installed not when altered particularly if the person altering it is not a specialist.

The door will though have a modern mortice lock which is most likely secure by design ie very secure.

The HA will not have a key to your front door.

The electric meter cupboard is not yours and if your neighbour has there meter in there then of course they also need access.

Please give access for the HA to do the works - my team spend literally hours and thousands of pounds that could be spent in modernising houses on no accesses.

And my sympathies on the death of your family member - your HA will be respectful of your grief.

Sorry for my poor grammar- I am a bit tired.

The electric meter cupboard is not yours and if your neighbour has there meter in there then of course they also need access

It IS ours Every flat has its own meter cupboard next to the flat front door but they all open with the same key. Each tenant is supossed to have their own key When our door was modified in 2019 contractor wasnt given enough keys so told us we had to share with the druggie underneath us.

a. HAs need to make sure contractors have all materials required before they start the job
b. if we are expected to share important things like keys with neighbours then SH need to stop using estates as a dumping ground for those with problems and the general public need to stop cheering these decisions on.

Cost DH £200 to have the lid of his mobility scooter shed repaired when the druggies tried to break into it. A cost he shouldered himself

But thankyou @GettingTooOldForThis im reassured by what you said about the mortice lock

You can buy electric cupboard keys, they are all standardised.

It wasnt Delia Balmers house either. It was council It said so in Episode 1 In Episode 2 you see her changing the locks after reporting John Sweeney to the police.

Im guessing you think she shouldnt have done that.............it not being her house

I grew up in a council house in a single parent family. I have no such attitude, and it really doesn't help you (or anyone else for that matter) to make such assumptions.

Type social housing and mumsnet into Google and have a read of what comes up.

You’re doing this all wrong. Stop asking for permission and complaining on mums et. When the contractors come to change the door, remove the existing lock, let them do their job for installation and then reinstall your lock. You shouldn’t draw attention to this, just do it on the sly.

Well they would

I have a flat -so I dm the leaseholder -not a renter. It may be that communal cupboards are shared by 2 leaseholders.

Actually returning to fire doors. Post Grenfell then external and communal doors were upgraded.but now it's been made clear that the doors from flats to communal areas need to be upgraded AND this must be paid for by the flat owner. So that's a nightmare to organise for many blocks. (Ours is 27 flats and we own share of freehold)

Bloody hell how much will that cost the owner

It's unclear currently as needs to all be scoped out

But they did seem to say that actually remedial work would be okay (so £300 per flat) versus whole new door £800?)

I have been putting off responding to the emails about it -but I am also on the management committee too so probably best get on with it.

Sigh

Sharing an electric cupboard key is really no big deal, what exactly can the druggie neighbour do with that key or in that cupboard?

And yes of course owners are often required to share things. Those in flats will likely share electric cupboards, I've had a shared drive (never again), many houses share a back of house path for access, and more.

He could lose it while high but i forgot druggies and weed smokers are worshipped on here. They are the only SH tenants there seems to be any respect for. He was also violent and used to throw furniture at his girlfriend. He would also be the type to refuse to give it back.

And every time we wanted or needed to top up we would have had to knock on his door and ask for it assuming he was in and vice versa. How is that practical? And he would be even less likely to be in if he had been arrested......again.

A lot of people on here think SH should only be for those with major problems Well if people want it that way then dont be too surprised when their neighbours wont go along with ridiculous expectations like this. Wanting SH to go in this direction has consequences, Thems the breaks!

i made it quite clear each flat has its own electric cupboard. And sharing a drive is not the bloody same.

Sheesh woman, get two fucking cupboard keys. You really do have a giant chip on your shoulder.

This happened in 2019 RTFT. I have many talents but time travel isnt one of them. I would have been happy to get my own key but contractors should also come with all the materials to do the job

So in 5 years you havent spent £2 on a key, instead you like to moan and denigrate people?

I'm out

Not unusual for people that live in flats to share an electric cupboard. I share one with 3 other households the cupboard outside my flat so I can't see why sharing is an issue.

Of course we sorted out a key Put the fucking wine down

No thanks. I'll leave that to other people.

I'm a HA tenant OP and my contents insurance went down when my front door was upgraded. This is because HA's use composite doors now which are 1000000x more secure than the ones they used to use. They also now use 5-point mortice locks. This is a good thing, honestly

Cool Thanks for posting. Security was the main thing i was worried about

Our HA has keys to all flats in case of total emergency - ie flooding but tenant not at home . We’ve had a lot of fire updating to doors, central alarm panels etc and the building is pretty new. There are constant new regulations that have to be met since Grenfell.
Our HA would be fine with access being given if you are at work or someone sitting in for you. Do you know why they insist that the tenant has to be at home for this. Doesn’t seem reasonable as long as the work gets done. Can you check what locks will meet the terms of your contents insurance. I’d hope your new locks will be compliant . They should be. Our area is as rough as anything - open drug dealing on the streets, stabbings etc so I understand you wanting a damn good lock. But it does sound as if the work has to be done to meet the latest regs. Expecting only the tenant to be home while it’s done though,does not sound reasonable. Especially if they’re as unreliable as the contractors who work for ours who don’t show up.