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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to offer them a spare key?

37 replies

imnotadoorman · 31/01/2015 22:26

NC as this will out me because I'm constantly moaning about it IRL and I'd rather my previous posts weren't linked to this.

So, I live in a block of flats and moved here last year. The first wee while was fine but before Christmas some of my neighbours got into the habit of buzzing my buzzer in the very early hours to be let in (3 or 4 nights in a row). I don't have a silencer on my intercom and I have never once got out of bed to let them in(it's stupid o'clock and I work full time!). I assumed (wrongly and I feel bad about it) that it was one set of neighbours but on asking my nearest neighbours discovered it was actually them. They promised they wouldn't do it any more but it has started up again.

WIBU to stick my head out my door after letting them in next time they do it and offering them my spare key? I know this is the PA way of doing it but I want to keep the peace as they're generally nice to talk to and I just don't want to fall out with anyone. However, it's disruptive and really unfair, I don't know if it's just me but I assume so as there have been no letters from the factor (which I was initially considering asking for). There's no point trying to speak into the intercom as I am hard of hearing so won't hear the reply (this is the bit that def outs me!). What do you think?

OP posts:

JessieMcJessie · 01/02/2015 06:21

They are obviously fuckwits. You asked them if they were also being disturbed by late night buzzing and they ADMITTED it was them doing it? Surely anyone with half a brain would say "oh dear, that sounds awful" and keep schtum, while realising that the game was up and being glad to have got away with it. Not only that, but you say you never let them in so their buzzing you isn't even helping them! Is another neighbour letting them in?

You are too soft OP. It is beyond antisocial to do what they are doing. Maybe once when drunk and desperate but regularly upon coming home from work?? Get together with the other neighbours and send them a formal request to stop doing it. You might want to have a word with your local community police officer or whatever the non urgent police service is where you are, to see if there are any grounds for them to go round and have a word.

WerewolfBarMitzvah · 01/02/2015 06:40

Get your buzzer changed to one with a silencer. I'm no electrician, but surely you can change out the part in your flat? I had one with various buttons for silencing doors and intercom etc.

I can't believe how rude they are. Do mention to them again how ridiculous their behaviour is.

Lucyccfc · 01/02/2015 06:44

Spare key!!!

Are you serious? I would be banging on their door in the morning and telling them in no uncertain terms to f@@k off.

FishWithABicycle · 01/02/2015 07:02

It will be very easy to adapt your buzzer to be silent at night. Any competent electrician can do it by simply cutting the wire and wiring in a simple on/off switch.

Then tell them that you have done this, so that they know they need to make other arrangements for getting into the building.

Do not give them a key. They can get a new one from their landlord but don't want to pay for it. The issue is probably simply that they lost their own key to the building and their landlord charges them a premium for spares. Landlords often use key types which locksmiths won't copy, to prevent tenants keeping old keys for future crime, so they can't get a new key without asking the landlord and probably paying a £10 penalty charge for it. They think your sleep is less important than this. They are wrong. Do not compromise the security of the building by overriding the sensible systems.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 01/02/2015 07:19

I'm another who wouldn't give them a key. If they buzz you in the middle of the night I would wake them up as early as is convenient for you (7-8am) to want to talk about how anti-social that was. Arseholes.

Dolallytats · 01/02/2015 07:45

If they did that again I would be leaning out of the window telling them to fuck off before turning on them with a powerful waterpistol/bucket of water (acid, rocks, boiling sugar, whatever takes your fancy!)

The cheek of it! Do not give them your key. You may want to keep things pleasant.....they couldn't care less.

Hissy · 01/02/2015 08:05

incidentally, if you don't let them in, how do they get in?

Roussette · 01/02/2015 08:22

OP you sound far too nice. Do you own your flat and they are just tenants and don't own theirs? I wonder if so, and they are treating you like a landlord or something.

I would be absolutely incensed. Yes, once I would accept if they had lost/forgotten their key but after that I would go apeshit at them and say in no uncertain terms "Do NOT ring my doorbell and wake me in the night. You are disturbing my sleep with this and I have to be up early for work. Show some consideration please. If you do it again, I will be speaking to the landlord about your anti social behaviour."

iwanttogotothechaletschool · 01/02/2015 08:32

If you aren't letting them in and they haven't got their key to let themselves in then they must be buzzing other neighbours to get in. It is a wonder they haven't been lynched by someone yet! Speak to them again and tell them it has to stop.

LaurieFairyCake · 01/02/2015 08:42

I'd neveret them in and if I owned my own
flat I'd change the buzzer.

DeliciousMonster · 01/02/2015 08:42

So, they buzz everyone and have probably left their door on the latch so they dont need a key.

How considerate of them.

WaitingForMe · 01/02/2015 09:32

Do you have a management company for the owner of the freehold? I rent out a flat and if my tenants behaved like this the management company has the power to force me to evict them.

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