Shared house -no key!!

9 replies

moaningminnie2 · 03/10/2014 23:36

DS is in a shared house this year and has only just moved back even though the tenancy started in July and some of his flatmated moved in then.Problem is the lead tenant has moved his gf (who is not on the tenancy agreement) into his room in the summer and given her DS's key.DS cannot get back into the house if no-one else is at home.This girl and her bf keep say they will get him a key cut but they haven't yet.And anyway the GFs key belonhgs to DS, she shouldn't even be there.Ds doesn't like to rock the boat, but I think he is going to have to
What is the legal situation?

OP posts:

Isthiscorrect · 04/10/2014 16:35

Wow! How cheeky is that! I have no advice at all except to say can you post in legal? They may well be some people there who could offer help? Good luck. I'm fuming for you. How outrageous.

Unexpected · 04/10/2014 17:17

Your ds needs to tell the other tenant that he wants HIS key immediately. There is no question of him waiting for them to have a key cut for him (if this is even possible, what kind of key is it?). If anyone is going to be without a key, it is the other tenant's gf. If they don't give him a key, he should tell them nicely that he will be contacting the LL on Monday to get another key as he cannot continue to pay rent for a house which he cannot access, except when someone else is home!

Unexpected · 04/10/2014 17:18

How many students are sharing? How do the others feel about having an extra person in the house?

JeanneDeMontbaston · 04/10/2014 17:32

He needs his key. And he needs to toughen up a little - if he won't rock the boat over this he is going to get walked over all year. It is obviousy not legal. In fact, many of my contracts have said it is a breach of contract to distrubute keys to non-tenants. It's unlikey the agency would look happily on them cutting another one, either.

Kez100 · 04/10/2014 19:11

Some certain types of key cannot be cut except by the owner. We were told this, when on a halls tour, one girl said she'd get a key cut rather than wait to lose it and pay £20 to the Uni for a new one. The Uni said these keys cannot be cut, so she would have to look after it!

Not sure if house shares use keys like this but it maybe why they are taking so long about it. He needs to demand his key or turn up at the agency on Monday morning.

exexpat · 04/10/2014 19:16

Yes, he needs to rock the boat. It is not reasonable not to have a key to your own home!

The issue is probably that it is a security key which can't simply be copied at Timpsons or wherever - they will have to ask the landlord for a new one, and that would involve explaining why they need another key, and they don't want to let him know about the girlfriend.

If they say they have lost a key, the landlord may insist on changing the locks at the tenants' expense, and would still only give them the same number of keys as there are tenants on the lease.

Mrsgrumble · 04/10/2014 19:20

Ring the landlord . Not on. Bills need to be split as shared resources even further stretched ie toilet etc. no way would I let it go.

mumeeee · 04/10/2014 23:10

I agree he needs to tell the other tenant to give him his key back immediately or he will phone the Landlord. DD2 shared a house in the second and third year of uni and also shared a flat after leaving uni which she is still sharing. Anyway my point is that there was never lead tenant. They all had their keys given to them by the landlord or they picked it up from the agency if they were moving in later than the others. This tenant should never had had your DS.s key in the first place.

SavoyCabbage · 04/10/2014 23:14

I would tell him to either
A) ring the landlord, explain he's just arrived and ask for his key
B) take the key from the gf right now.

Our keys had serial numbers on I'm sure so you couldn't swap them about.

I can't believe the nerve of the couple. Cheeky bastards.

Flip