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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Would you be happy with this? Any landlords around please?

14 replies

Dreamscared · 01/09/2017 21:26

The woman who lives in the flat next door sharing the same hall way as me (just our two flats) is not a very nice person who has drug issues and has been in prison but also has mental health issues.
She has threatened me in the past.

She has not lived at the property for quite a while but was coming back every eight months or so as though she was living there and was claiming housing benefit for there until very recently but this time seems to have done a runner not paying the rent but is still using this address for dodgy dealings.

The landlord is now aware she has gone for so long as they tried to get in touch with her about an issue with no response and the landlord has given notice in regards to property tenancy abandonment.

When this has run they intend to change the locks on her flat and relet but they have said they won't be changing the locks on the communal door.

This means the tenant if she comes back which she might she will have access still to the communal area, be able to get to my flat door, to the area my post is in etc.

I'm a bit worried about that. Wibu to change the lock myself on the communal door when they change the flat locks?
Can I do that and give them a key?

OP posts:

DJBaggySmalls · 01/09/2017 21:29

I agree that would be insecure but I dont think they'd like it, could you just offer to pay?

Smigbot · 01/09/2017 21:51

I think the communal lock should be changed. It wouldn't cost that much for the landlord to do would it?

John4703 · 01/09/2017 22:02

It would sound like a good idea to change the main door lock as well. Do you rent, or own, your flat?

If you can afford to pay for the new lock and sufficient keys I can't see any landlord objecting. I look after two properties and in circumstances like you describe I'd want to have the communal door lock changed.

TakeMe2Insanity · 01/09/2017 22:05

As a landlord who has been in similar scenario I would have changed the communal door as well. I've also had tenants change the locks after a break in and then give me one of the original keys.

Original poster

Dreamscared · 01/09/2017 22:06

Thanks all.
Both rent from same landlord.

They don't see the benefit of changing the lock and won't pay the cost.

My issue is the other tenant has been known to come back months later and if she gets in the main door and can't get in the flat because she has been unknowingly evicted she might just go shit crazy at me and I have kids to think of.

OP posts:

KiteSky · 01/09/2017 22:08

What type of lock is it? It might be easy and inexpensive to change if you change it for the same type of lock.

Original poster

Dreamscared · 01/09/2017 22:15

It's just a basic mortise lock. Landlord changed it a few months ago as the lock was sticking so won't do it again.

The landlord doesn't actually have a key so wouldn't know if I did change it as they have asked me for my key to gain access to the communal area to evict the tenant...

But I can't just change it before the date they come anyway as I would end up illegally preventing access to the other tenant before they did come back so I would have to tell them.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dreamscared · 01/09/2017 22:17

*if they did come back

OP posts:

GriswaldFamilyVacation · 01/09/2017 22:22

If they don't have a key, I'd change it

AnneBiscuit · 02/09/2017 09:06

Won't they need to borrow your key at some stage to get another one cut for the new tennant. If so, I'd wait until they are ready to evict the other tennant, change the lock, and give them the new key to copy for new tennant. In the meantime, if they need access let them in yourself and keep hold of the old lock key so they don't copy that one.

AnneBiscuit · 02/09/2017 09:08

tenant obviously! Bloody autocorrect.

Original poster

Dreamscared · 02/09/2017 12:12

Yes they want to take my key so that they can copy it in order to gain entry to the communal area to evict the tenant.

OP posts:

littlemisssweetness · 02/09/2017 17:19

You can change it and not give them a key while your living there anyway so just do that. And then hand them the key when you move out.

MrsBendyBaker · 02/09/2017 17:57

Fuck that.

I was a landlord for a while and when my old tenant did a runner without paying the last month's rent I changed the locks. It cost less than £200. Your landlord is being a tightwad frankly as far as I'm concerned, though I have no idea whether there is any legal obligation for him/her to replace communal locks.

If you can afford it I'd definitely suggest doing it yourself (with landlords permission of course). It sucks that yo even have to consider it but frankly for peace of mind it's worth it given th amount it's likely to cost and given what an absolute fucking liability your former neighbour sounds like.

Sorry to hear you've been put in such an invidious position. Hope it resolves soon.

Ps if there's a letting agency involved, contact them, they may be able to help, they may recommend the landlord changes the locks for security reasons.

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