CH1 Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 I had a new tenant move in over Christmas found thru a LA, but managed by myself. I was contacted by new T informing me the lock is faulty and she cannot lock it. As the property is a new build (about 18 months old) and still under warranty I said I'd contact the contractor (builders) and customer service and get back to her, as there had been problems with this lock before. The contractors customer care numbers are only open in the new year but they did have another emergency number that Safegaurd was operating and I had spoken to them but not pushed it straight away as an emergency in case we found another way round this lock and was about to call back the T. But before I could get back to her she contacted me to inform me she already called out a locksmith and had the locks repaired/changed and it cost her £120. Perhaps using Safeguard may have been cheaper than £120... The lock was reported as faulty previously last month by previous LA who informed me the door would not open, so I got the contractor to replace the lock, which they did free of charge, but now this has happened during the holiday season. Prior to current T the property was empty. My question is who pays for the cost of the out of hours locksmith? The contractor/builders? as lock was found to be faulty and defective? and seems to have failed as they only changed it last month. Me? or tenant? She didn't ask my permission before she called locksmith but did keep me informed before and after she took the course of action which she chose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 If the Tenant called out the locksmith, without your permission, whilst you were endeavouring to resolve the situation in an acceptable timescale agreed between the two of you then the Tenant pays. Whether you will get the money of course is another matter. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CH1 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Thanks Mel. Well she contacted me around 10.30 this morning when I was out and all the numbers for the contractors etc were at home and I told her I'd get back to her later today in the afternoon, no specific time scale was agreed. We didn't discuss what course of action she should take but I asked her to call the emergency No's that were left at the property in the meantime. She's says she followed instructions as left in those answer machine messages but I think she missed the 'Emergency Safegaurd number' that the contractor had listed to call in out of hours emergency which I think would have been cheaper than using a private out of hours locksmith. She's not english so may not have grasped the entire message on the contractors answer phone. Problem is I'm no where near the property otherwise I could have sorted it myself or called a locksmith on her behalf if no contractor designated workers or out of hours contractors were available but she already went ahead using a locksmith to solve the not-locking lock issue herself and then informed me of her actions. I just hope I'm she's not expecting me to foot the entire bill, as at this stage I do not know what the customer care team for contractors will say about this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkirk Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 I would foot the bill to keep the T happy but would say not to do that sort of thing again. I'd then try and reclaim the money from the contractor saying it was was a security issued that couldn't wait. Although I do think this was pricey I would use the situation to try and gain something from it, like you are demonstrating you are a good LL (not saying you aren't). I'm also thinking that you actually may have got a proper job done on the lock!! cheers Selkirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climbinghigh92 Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 She has broken her tenency agreement by changing the locks and your not responsible becouse she done it withought your premison while you where sorting out the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenners Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hi CH1, I agree with Selkirk - I would pay for the locksmith as well. The fact is that the property could not be effectively secured because the lock was broken through no fault of the tenants. If the tenant had not changed the locks then they risked having their possessions stolen ........ I know that it is not right that a tenant should be able to spend their landlord's money and I sympathise ...... BUT ..... would you have put your possessions into that property without being able to lock the door ... would you have risked having your own possessions stolen ........ NO ! So, you should have made sure the locks were working before the tenant moved in and started paying you rent ....... as you didn't, in my opinion, the property was probably not fit for purpose or habitation and no rent should have been payable at all (until the locks were working). In summary - sympathise with your tenant and pay up ! Best Wishes Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hi there I have thought alot about this one (I must get out more!) I think that this is one those times where through no fault of your own, you have to do the decent thing at your expense. Lets pretend the lady was late for work and she couldn't lock the door, her (and yours) insurance company wouldn't pay out if she left the flat unlocked and she was burgled. So if you couldn't repair it in double quick time then she would have to take a day off and possibly lose a days wages to protect your property through no fault of her own. If she earned £200 per day and tried to claim this off you then £120 would be cheap! Alternatively she may have had an urgent hospital appointment .... you can see where I am coming from. As you say, you were nowhere near the property, I don't know if this means you live miles away or you just happened to be far away when the call came, but again it is not the tenants fault you were not available to deal with it. Indeed you asked her to try and sort it out, but as you know she is not English and something may have got lost in the translation. Please don't think I'm blaming you, I think you did all you could in the circumstances, but I am just presenting the case from the tenants viewpoint. To continue the Devils Advocate theme, if it all came to Court I think the judge would look at the reasonablness of her action, if she only wanted to go out for a packet of fags then her action would be unreasonable but if it was urgent... If you did live miles away then the Judge might feel a prudent landlord would have a local agent to deal with such emergencies... My view is the same as Selkirks, show that you are a good landlord and reimburse her whilst at the same time makes sure that she knows not to run up another large bill in future. Then I would use all the above arguments to try and justify reclaiming the costs from the builder. Failing that, try checking your insurance policy. Good luck Gee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 IMHO its the landlords responsibility to pay. If landlord can reach agreement for part of the cost to be borne by the tenant then fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grampa Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 This post is 6 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Let's hope the lock is sorted then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smadar Golan Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 If you have called the locksmith for repairing or installing a lock set in your room, you will have to pay him. In case, your tenant calls in the locksmith who installs or repairs any lock set for your room, the tenant is viable to pay for it. Before calling in any locksmith, you must inform your tenant about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Must be very short of work and desperate to advertise and trawl on a forum such as this to a posting that is 6 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Not only desperate but the WRONG information as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave A Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I'd want my locksmith to know the difference between viable and liable! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicks Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Looks like an american company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 That explains everything then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resident Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Everyone seems to be very quiet???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 We're all exhausted working hard counting our increased rental incomes and making preparations for the end of the tax year of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 I have been busy this week painting out a rental property room and doing some minor repairs for my tenant so have not been around much. I have also completed a Legionnaires water risk check on this property. Strong, thick bleach in all the plug holes and sink waste overflows is all you need plus shower heads de-gunged. It's a modern property so quick and easy to do. Anybody come up against lead pipes? Not allowed anymore for drinking water and have to be replaced. I wonder how many properties have had this work done eh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerbut Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Same as Melboy here also ,got a new tenant going in next Monday , he didn't trust me with his deposit and first months rent so he suggested he would pay the monies to the find a tenant agent . He is due to sign the inventory on Monday at 11.00 and sign the Tenancy agreement after that , but as I have not received the money he will have to sign the agreement in the agents office and I will sign and release the keys when the funds are in my account . The agents are 8 miles away ,he will have to go by bus as he doesn't drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Me too. Just had to have the floor up in one of mine to check out a strange leaking pipe and managing my stroppy plasterer (aged 26 and thinks he knows it all about everything) - sometimes there is just not enough hours in a day. Got tenant moving in Good Friday. That's strange one Kerbut - you'd think a tenant would want to avoid agents due to the fees. Do you have an untrustworthy face or is he just odd? Resident - you need to get us some new lanlords with problems - must be plenty out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerbut Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I think he is a bit odd ,he is moving from Kent to Dorset ,having sold his house and going to live off the equity for the rest of his life , he flatly refused to pay by BACS the deposit etc into my bank but as I said before he would only pay it to Martin and co who had to have their Accountant to hold the money as stake holder, he really has caused us and Martin and co a lot of inconvenience, but the boot will be on the other foot on Monday ,I will not be handing the keys over or signing the Tenancy Agreement until the funds are cleared (72 hours ) in my account , when I asked why he would not had over the deposit he said it was because he used to work for the Treasury (yeah , right ) and had to be cautious with money ,I pointed out my wife used to be a bank manager and she would not suffer fools gladly . I have had tenants "kick off " when they are in but never before they are, I might , just might refuse to sign the agreement if he becomes a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Does sound a bit odd but need more info - age, is he a nerd type, ethnicity, what job? Is he going to live off the land or similar? Has he paid a deposit. Personally I would give anyone who 'does not add up' (no pun intended) a miss. He sounds either eccentric or a fibber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerbut Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Yes,you are right ,I think I may give him a miss,yes he has paid the deposit to the agent ,not to me so I will see what his attitude is tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanjones Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 We recently moved into an apartment and the door to our unit only had a keyed doorknob lock. Not being comfortable with that minimal level of protection, we had a Locksmith install a deadbolt. Pursuant to our lease terms, we sought permission from the LL to install said lock. It wound up costing us a $175.00 for the service call and lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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