Council have asked me to move my keysafe, for the carers round the back of the block of flats.

[patsy999]

Does anyone know if the council are in the wrong here. I have a keysafe for the carers, which i was given permission for when i moved in 6 years ago.
Next door keeps complaining that it makes a noise and they have written to me asking for it to be moved round the back.
The back way isnt very safe in the winter as there is a very dim light round there, but the councils answer to that was the carers can use the torch on their phones.
I cant get the new keysafe fitted till fri the 2nd, so the carers cant use the keysafe till then.
Its a block of flats, with a communal back and front door.

Are you sure the letter is from the council and not made to look like it is?
Before the council act in any way regarding any noise issue, there is a long process to go through - record keeping, noise monitoring by the environmental team etc. For something to be a noise nuisance, it has to meet a certain threshold.

I can't see you getting a letter instructing you to move a key safe would happen without anything happening else prior to this. I think your neighbour is trying it on.

The care company should do a risk assessment and provide you with a copy of the report. You can then provide the council with a copy of the

I presume it was a man from the Council. A woman would have known it's not just about seeing where you're going, it's about staying safe

He was from the councils anti social behaviour unit.

I'd refuse to pay. They can bill the neighbour. Why can't the new keysafe go on the front?

If they approved they can't suddenly unapprove it can they?

Ask the council to produce the risk assessment they have done and shared with the care service.

I wouldn’t be moving it. Definitely argue it

The ones Age UK fit have a rubber cover, push buttons and then a dial to turn. I don’t think anyone would call them noisy.

It will be loud if they slam it shut (which is easy to do if in a rush) but I think you could try to mind something to muffle it? Or ask them to close it quietly? What times are people accessing the safe?

It will still be noisy round the back! And another resident will complain- tell the council that!

Are you sure it's the key safe itself?

My neighbours have carers come and they always seem to do their handover chat loudly directly underneath my bedroom window before 6am.

Perhaps it's more that the key safe location is the gathering point rather than because of the noise of the box.

I’m wondering if the grumpy bloke who complained about the noise of a key safe being clicked open is also the person that smashed your key safe 🤔

Its unclear how a key is “safe” if the cover is smashed off?

If you need to replace the broken key safe, then a reasonable compromise is to assure the council that you’ve bought one that does not make noise and you’ve asked your carers to be mindful of other residents when entering.

Relocating the key safe is a suggestion that is not viable for you or the care givers.

Sorry Op but your post made me laugh_ the Anti social behaviour unit? I can only assume you live somewhere very quiet and well behaved if he could find time for this.

This sounds utterly bonkers! Part of my job is arranging keysafes for people and I have never ever heard of neighbours complaining about noise from them
I think you need to ask your social worker to talk to the ASB team. If you don't have one, then take it to your local counsillor. .

I think I'd take a different approach, your visit will be shortened by request and that's not acceptable as care visits are already on the tight side. Plus the addition risk of it being out of sight. There are videos on youtube on how to get into them without the key code so that then puts you at additional risk.

Has nobody considered a smart door lock instead?

Are you sure it wasn't a neighbour claiming to be from the asb unit? Does the letter look genuine. It seems very odd. I'd call adult social care on Monday and ask them to liaise.

He seems confused about the role of the unit he works for - apparently demonstrating antisocial behaviour rather than remedying it….

If there is another key safe there how do the neighbours know it's yours? I would talk to the social services team that put it in and discuss the issues it's likely moving it will mean carers won't come.

Another person wondering how noisy a key safe can be. Ours is silent.
I work as a carer and I would be refusing a job that means I have to walk along a dark alleyway alone to get to. I wouldn’t move it, or would change it for a quiet one and just ask the carers to be quiet whilst entering. Is it just that they allow the doors to slam shut once in? I’m at work now (on a break!) and there’s a lot of doors slamming but the key safe is silent.

The care company need to speak to him and if necessary, his boss

A key safe is not antisocial behaviour. Ridiculous.

I would email in complaining and also copy in your local councillor. Don't just give in without a fight.

I've never heard the likes of this lol. It's the equivalent to complaining someone turning a key in a lock. It is a very low sound that I am so surprised you could hear that through a wall. Presumably care calls are also during normal hours Ie 7am-11pm it's not as if other people aren't using the door.

Is it that they don't like the safety element of a master key in a keysafe at the front door?

Even if the key safe blares out the opening of the 1812 overture, which of course it doesn’t, it would only be noisy for a few seconds, I think the complaining neighbour is being completely unreasonable. I bet the bin men, postman ringing bells, people talking as they use the front door, the front door closing, supermarket delivery staff, Amazon delivery drivers and all the rest make far more noise. But the neighbour can’t do anything about them, so he is picking on the OP.

He is bullying you.

He's also putting your carers at risk by expecting them to use the back way.
Don't let him. And don't waste your money.
Start by contacting the care agency and get them on side. They'll fight this for you.