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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:
diddl · 08/02/2017 14:56

I would have thought that leaving lights on 24/7 would be a sure sign of a property being empty & no deterent at all-sure, you wouldn't even need to take a torch when breaking in!!

MissLupescu · 08/02/2017 14:57

The tenant can change the lock as long as he puts the original lock back when he leaves. If any damage is caused by doing this you make a claim on the deposit.

In case of an emergency..... Well, I suppose you wouldn't be trying to use a key if there was a fire etc because you would be ringing the fire brigade or police to kick the door in.
What other 'emergency' would require the landlord to enter without the emergency services?

As for repairs, a tenant can still refuse access, which is his right. It's then the landlords right to serve notice on the tenant. And then it's the tenants right to wait for a court order to vacate to make sure the eviction has been done legally.

That's how it works.

As long as the tenant returns the property back to the landlord in the same condition (less wear and tear) as per inventory on check in then, and no illegal activity (which is a matter for the police) then what he does within his home is irrelevant.

MackerelOfFact · 08/02/2017 14:58

I'd think he was either laying dead or growing weed (possibly both), and either scenario is worth notifying the police about so that they can check it out.

Yes OP is a landlord, but she's also a neighbour and has a right to be concerned about what might be going on with this guy.

If he is just fond of artificial light and just likes to leaves his lights on for kicks though, the landlord has no right to interfere.

MissLupescu · 08/02/2017 14:59

And you can't grow weed by using ceiling lights.....if there is a farm in that house it's most likely in the loft.

He's probably on holiday

NerrSnerr · 08/02/2017 15:03

If the OP thinks he's ill, dead or growing cannabis then she should call the authorities. Landlord or not it's not up to her to police him.

Lights being on 24/7 isn't a usual sign of a cannabis farm though, they wouldn't just have normal lights on. It seems everyone on here is an expert though.

MissLupescu · 08/02/2017 15:08

^^ exactly.

And those telling the OP to go in and change the locks are giving some very bad advice.

Even as the property owner, you've signed over some of your rights when you decided to go into a contract with a tenant in exchange for money - it doesn't matter what your tenancy agreements says.

That's why there are statutory laws, to protect people from unfair clauses written by piss takers....

Elendon · 08/02/2017 15:09

How do you know he is away?

Are you going by at night or early morning?

Do you suspect someone else is living there?

Are you sure the keys are the proper keys?

Do you not have a letting agent to handle these things?

Are the electrics up to scratch? And if not, then why not?

A good landlord provides a safe and secure home for their tenants and the vast majority of landlords do and the vast majority of tenants look after the property.

Personally I hate the terms landlord and tenant.

riceuten · 08/02/2017 15:12

Yes, he can change the locks. He must allow you access within a reasonable timeframe.

And you "possibly overheating lights" sounds like a pretty pathetic excuse, to be brutally honest.

OnceUponATimeInLondon · 08/02/2017 15:13

NarkyMcDinky sounds like I have a case against several former landlords!

limitedperiodonly · 08/02/2017 15:13

Perhaps the mice are scared of the dark.

JanuaryMoods · 08/02/2017 15:13

What other 'emergency' would require the landlord to enter without the emergency services?

On Monday the neighbours of the house we let out notified us that there was a flood in the house we let out. Water coming out of the front door. No one in. DH went round, let himself in and turned off the water to prevent any more damage and texted them.

If our tenants had changed the locks they'd be evicted ASAP. As it happens they were very pleased that DH went in and prevented even more damage caused by their carelessness. But then we are all reasonable people.

OnceUponATimeInLondon · 08/02/2017 15:16

JanuaryMoods exactly same problem previously with flat above mine. Was very glad landlord had keys as occupants were on a two month holiday and not sure my electrics would have lasted long with water pouring through the fuse box from their ceiling...

JustAnotherPoster00 · 08/02/2017 15:18

But I agree that a tenant changing the locks on a rental house without letting the landlord know isn't on at all. You need to have words with him about that when he gets back.

How's that gonna go?

While you were away I tried getting into the house, you've changed the locks Hmm

Id be calling the police on the landlord

Telfordmaybe · 08/02/2017 15:19

JanuaryMoods But these things can happen to homeowners when they go away on holiday too. Emergencies don't only happen to tenants.

What happens if there is water flooding out the front door of a house occupied by the owner, but owner is away?

I don't think you have to be unreasonable to want to make sure no strangers have got keys to your home.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 08/02/2017 15:20

If our tenants had changed the locks they'd be evicted ASAP.

As is your right to do. However it's also the tenants right to change the locks.

Telfordmaybe · 08/02/2017 15:21

In no properties I have rented, has a background check been carried out on the landlord. How can a tenant be sure the landlord hasn't got a criminal background, in debt etc?

Why would I want this stranger to have a key to my home??

MissLupescu · 08/02/2017 15:22

unfortunately, not everyone is reasonable. Tenants and landlords.

If a flood happened then you claim from the deposit and claim on your insurance. if you're a trust worthy landlord and the tenants have no problem with you having a set of keys to turn off the water in case of a flood then that's great.

But unfortunately, you could be like the OP who decided that it was her right to try and enter the tenants home when there's no sign of a flood.

That's why lots of tenants change the locks

SnotGoblin · 08/02/2017 15:22

Wow.... he was right to change the locks and makes me rethink my choice not to do so when I moved in.

I leave a string of LED fairy lights on ALL THE TIME and would be royally pissed off with my landlord/lady entering to turn them off (or pestering me about them when I wasn't there).

Butt out.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 08/02/2017 15:23

Mine is 30 days. Not sure if that is a standard time frame.

A lot of insurance companies don't allow you to leave a place unoccupied for a month. That is probably where it comes from.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 08/02/2017 15:24

If I didn't already hate renting, this thread has really hit home just how much I hate it.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 08/02/2017 15:25

Wow.... he was right to change the locks and makes me rethink my choice not to do so when I moved in.

As has previously said it depends who is in your lease. There can be perfectly legal clauses that say you can change the locks but you must give LL a key.

Gallavich · 08/02/2017 15:26

You're a massive liar op! You said you wouldn't go into the property without his permission but that's exactly what you were trying to do, until you found he had changed the locks.

Cannabis farms use specialist lights, not just leave all household lights on Hmm

Op you're being a ridiculous busybody and should learn how to landlord properly.

MissLupescu · 08/02/2017 15:26

I'm sure lots of people wouldn't leave a house for 30 days without a friend/neighbour/relative checking on this and watering your plants etc.

Just because you're a tenant it doesn't make you any less adult than a homeowner.

JumpingJellybeanz · 08/02/2017 15:27

I expect the tenant changed the locks so he doesn't get micro-managed by his landlord. I'm sure he already has a mother and doesn't need the OP texting him to remind him it's after lights out.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 08/02/2017 15:27

In the instance of a water leak you can call the police. Entering a property to prevent significant damage (as a water leak could do) is one of the few reasons the police may enter without a warrant.