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Original poster

Tenant has changed locks, gone away and left lights on.

263 replies

Brightonhome · 08/02/2017 12:59

New tenant is two months in to a six month let (to be extended after 6 months) No issues before, although he does have a weird habit of leaving all the lights on all the time (the property we let to him is visible from our house). He has a regular job, and it's his electricity bill, but I still find it a bit odd. He has been away for at least a couple of weeks now with all the lights still on. I sent him a nice text asking him if he would mind me going in and turning the lights off (concerned about overheating / electrical problem) I waited for two days with no answer. I then went over there, thinking he may be ill, to discover he has changed the locks (as is his right) but without telling me. As the owner of the property, I feel a bit uneasy about this. Don't I have the right to a set of keys? I would never enter the property without the tenant's consent, but in the case of an emergency, there is nothing I can do without keys. Not sure what to do now re lights. Am I being overly cautious and worried over nothing? I've been letting this property for six years (two different tenants in that time) with absolutely no problems whatsoever. I have always had keys.

OP posts:
gillybeanz · 08/02/2017 13:40

I'd be worried as leaving lights on is what you do if you have a cannabis farm, it's a dead give away.

You need to gain access to your property, get a lock smith as the tenant has no legal right to change the locks.

EssentialHummus · 08/02/2017 13:44

Another LL here. His leccy bill, his problem.

I have to say that a tenant changing the locks during the tenancy for no apparent reason would rouse my suspicions, and I'd check things very carefully before extending his lease. But, no, you shouldn't have gone round to try the lock, and it's off that you're checking up on his comings and goings.

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 08/02/2017 13:45

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ImperialBlether · 08/02/2017 13:49

The thing is, OP, re the lights - if he lived a couple of streets away, you wouldn't even know. It's nothing to do with you.

Regarding the keys, surely it states in the contract that if he changes the locks he should give you a key?

GlitterNails · 08/02/2017 13:49

Yes, they can change the locks and forcing entry is the illegal act.

Generally on tenancy forums it's recommended to change the locks by swapping the barrel, and putting the old one back at end of tenancy. If the tenant is there during inspections/repairs, then the only way the landlord would know is if they try to gain access when they shouldn't! But it's not illegal to change the locks.

Marcipex · 08/02/2017 13:51

Cannabis farm...

RedBugMug · 08/02/2017 13:51

Don't I have the right to a set of keys?

no you don't.

GlitterNails · 08/02/2017 13:51

Homeowners are often recommended to change the locks on moving in, why should it be different for tenants? There is no way of knowing who has a key from previous tenancies. Of course there are legitimate reasons to do this without jumping to a cannabis farm.

Original poster
Brightonhome · 08/02/2017 13:52

When I say he leaves the lights on, I mean ALL of them. Living room, kitchen, dining room, stairs, landing, two bedrooms, bathroom. I certainly do not spy on the guy, but when that house is lit up like a Christmas tree at 3am, it does catch my eye and strikes me as weird. Yes, it's his right to do what ever he likes in his own home (and I do see it as his) but if he's doing something which may have even an outside chance of causing a problem, then as the owner of the property, I feel uneasy about it. Like I said before, he has the right to change the locks, but not telling me was unnecessary. He may well be abroad with no phone coverage, he may not have received my message (although it says read, and no answer when I call) and I may not have the legal right to enter his home without his permission, but I am not harassing him, neither am I an evil landlord. I feel like there is something amiss here and I'm trying to ask for advice over what to do. Clearly, a few of you think I'm some mad psychotic witch (only three days a month lol) but I'm really not, sorry.

OP posts:
MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 08/02/2017 13:53

If you suspect a cannabis farm (and I think I would want a fuck ton bit more proof than lights on) then the place would be radiating heat.

Do your night vision goggles (I'm making some assumptions about you op) have a thermal imaging setting?

allchattedout · 08/02/2017 13:54

I'd be worried as leaving lights on is what you do if you have a cannabis farm, it's a dead give away

Yup, I agree. That combined with changing the locks (meaning that nobody can access if he is not there) is pretty suspicious. I agree that following the law etc is important, but I wouldn't necessarily say OP falls into nightmare landlord territory. She gave notice but heard nothing and was worried because the lights were on 24/7 but no response from the tenant. As well as the landlord having to give notice, the law does say that the tenant has to be reasonable in terms of giving the landlord access for inspection and repairs. Anyway, I think the lock-changing is the main issue here. I would not extend his lease unless he offers a very good explanation of why he changed the locks without informing you or giving you a new key. He must also immediately hand over a copy of the new key.
That said, I used to live next door to someone who grew weed and it stank to high heaven, so often you will be able to smell it just by standing outside the house.

specialsubject · 08/02/2017 13:54

Disassociate, and I say this as a landlord. Ask to visit the place before the four month point, the result of that will help you decide whether to renew.

Glad my rental isn't in sight, especially with the last tenant!!

TheSnorkMaidenReturns · 08/02/2017 13:54

Cannabis farm fo sho

GlitterNails · 08/02/2017 13:55

Cloecat - If a landlord doesn't get a response after some period of time, if the tenant isn't answering the door/phone and it's gone past the time someone may be away, I would think they would have to contact the police to do a welfare check. They still can't break in unless a court has finished the tenancy.

HirplesWithHaggis · 08/02/2017 13:56

The lights used in cannabis farming are considerably brighter and whiter than ordinary household bulbs. Also a cannabis farm (run by anyone with half a brain) would have the windows tightly curtained/blacked out 24/7 to prevent light leakage. And someone would need to tend the plants daily, you can't just disappear for a fortnight.

(I may have had a previous neighbour who grew... )

chasingrainbows27 · 08/02/2017 13:57

Depends what's written in to your tenancy agreement.

Mine stipulates no changing of the locks and they must let me know if they are leaving the property empty for more than three weeks (stipulated in my mortgage permission to let).

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 08/02/2017 13:58

Quite Hirples. There's a reason people living next to them have no idea and a reason why the police fly over certain areas in a chopper with their thermal imaging equipment.

You would have to be the world's shittest criminal to leave the curtains wide open on your cannabis farm.

brasseye · 08/02/2017 13:59

So you'd never let yourself in without permission but you tried your key in the lock? Presumably that was to gain entry without permission?

He can leave the lights on and he can change the locks if he so wishes.

If you're concerned about his wellbeing/that he's running a cannabis factory/whatever then call the police and let them deal with it.

chasingrainbows27 · 08/02/2017 14:00

But as always on here you will get all sorts of comments automatically hating the fact that you are a landlord, because we are all evil money-grabbing bastards...

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 08/02/2017 14:01

Quite a lot of us who think the op's actions are unreasonable are landlords too chasingrainbows.

It's written on the posts :)

Zucker · 08/02/2017 14:02

If he is paying the electricity bill the lights being left on is his issue. Plus you kinda did try to enter without permission.

gillybeanz · 08/02/2017 14:04

Can you call none emergency Police and ask advice.
They will send round sniffer dogs who can smell the stuff a mile away.
It's ok for people to say mind your own business but the OP would be liable if there was a cannabis farm as it's her property being used.
Ignorance is no excuse ito the law.
I know this as it happened to a friend. A house near us burned down, the tenants had a farm in the loft, it took another roof with it as was a terrace.
I heard the owners were prosecuted and insurance didn't cover it either.
As a ll you are expected to do regular inspections to pick up things like this.
I'd call Police OP. They won't do anything unless they suspect themselves.

JaniceBattersby · 08/02/2017 14:04

If he's running a cannabis farm he will have to actually be there (or have installed a 'gardener' to help out). And you wil clearly be able to smell cannabis if you stand next to the door and sniff.

Aside from that, if you need to get into the property in a true emergency then you can break down the door.

You shouldn't be trying to gain access without permission. If he doesn't change the lock back at the end of the tenancy then bill him, or whatever. Leaving lights on is not a risk at all. What possible emergency could leaving a light on cause?

Original poster
Brightonhome · 08/02/2017 14:05

You've all got me curious now. There is a large boarded loft with a pull-down ladder. He was very interested in this and spent longer than usual up there when viewing the property. Lordy! I'll have another look tonight re loft light. Thanks to everyone who's been polite and given me useful information.

OP posts:
LostMyDotBrain · 08/02/2017 14:05

I'm always leaving lights on. Especially if I'm going away for a few days. Very amused that so many of you would think I was farming cannabis on that basis alone Grin

Back off OP. You've crossed a line trying to gain access without his permission. I'd be very vocal about it if I found out my LL had tried that. It doesn't constitute as even nearly an emergency.