Twatty landlord?

[Louiselouie0890]

My door has broke the key is stuck and it won't lock. Its happened before and he fixed it. The locksmith changed just the barrel. We rang a locksmith this time he said if it's happened before it's not the barrel it will be a bigger problem, bigger part not the barrel (nothing we've done)

The landlord is refusing to pay saying locks dont break it's the way we are locking the door??????

How can he decide if he feels like fixing it without even having a locksmith out to say it's our fault/ the doors fault?

Any opinions/advice

Thankyou

Get it in writing from the locksmith that it's not your fault (and possibly a quote for addressing the underlying issue if that's something they can provide), then send to your landlord saying you would need to secure the property ASAP and will need to deduct the cost from your next rent due. Don't deduct anything from the rent without his OK.

Thx pret i will do that. I asked the agency that's manages us how can he have that opinion without even sending a locksmith to see what's up. It's so bizarre. I told them I'll get a professional opinion there reply was it's still doesn't mean he will pay.

Never been in this position before our previous landlady was lovely.

It's annoying but they do have all the power - I've been in this situation twice, once with a kitchen appliance which essentially went 'bang' (not replaced for a month) and the switch to my electric shower breaking. Both times the landlord was dragging his heels, blaming me, making stupid excuses, in the end I presented him with 3 cheap quotes / links to fridges and asked him to choose so I could sort it and know how much to deduct from my rent. Funnily enough they didn't argue so much when I did all the hard work for them!!

What role does the agency play? It's unusual to have both the landlord and management agent involved with one tenancy. Maybe worth going directly through them as your LL is presumably paying them for some kind of service

Also if you have it in writing that the damage is not your fault (even better if you get a second opinion saying the same) you can threaten to take this through small claims court. Obviously you need a lockable door though so get it sorted ASAP and stress how you're being more responsible with the LL's property than the LL himself.

OP. Might be worth posting this question (with a more neutral title) on a landlord forum? Property tribes or landlordzone? Shelter or citizens advice also might be helpful?

I would want an opinion from the same locksmith, and if the barrel has been changed and you have new keys, then presumably if the new barrel is faulty, it can be replaced by the original locksmith as it is not fit for purpose.

I would be a bit if there was a recurring problem after having something fixed and the common denominator was the tenant.

I am both a tenant and a landlord, so can see it from both sides.