Hi all,
So I'm just wondering about the rental legalities regarding security. Guessing some of you are landlords or know about this stuff?
Anyway, last month we received a letter to state a tenancy inspection was being done on a certain date and that a master key would be used to gain entry if you weren't home. The option was there to phone and ask for a specific time if you wanted to be home for the inspection although that was an 'opt in' thing.
Now I accept that inspections have to be done, but to just hand out a master key to 40 odd flats doesn't seem overly secure to me!? And how am I supposed to stop this person coming in while I'm sat on the toilet!? Fire safety regs say doors have to have thumb turned locks internally so it's not even like you can put the key in the door inside.
Fortunately I wasn't on the loo, as she'd got the master in the door just as I got to it from the chair! Anyway, I let it go but have been worried since about how many people have access to the key or if any have copies etc. Tbh I don't feel overly safe/secure because of this.
Then last night ~7pm we get a letter stating that all tanks in the flats are being changed starting from today but without a specific time or date - using the master key to gain entry. Surely that can't be legal!? My neighbour was away last night, he could come home to plumbers in his house with the contents of his boiler cupboard everywhere! Again we have been given the option to phone if we wish to be home to try and arrange a suitable day, which I have done and just waiting for a response now.
I get I don't own the place, but surely I have some rights to reasonable security both when home and out - afterall what's to stop the heating engineers nicking something while I'm out?
Again I know it needs doing but to give less than a days notice for some (I'm a high number so presumably not today if they're going numerically), no rough time or even day, no predicted time scale (is it a 2 hour job or an 8 hour one, does mains cold water and all electric need to be turned off for this time or just the hot valve and immersion trip switches??), and to just hand out the master key just doesn't seem right to me. Do other people accept this and enjoy strangers in their house while they're out or on the loo? Can I add any extra security that doesn't ruin fire safety?
Tom
So I'm just wondering about the rental legalities regarding security. Guessing some of you are landlords or know about this stuff?
Anyway, last month we received a letter to state a tenancy inspection was being done on a certain date and that a master key would be used to gain entry if you weren't home. The option was there to phone and ask for a specific time if you wanted to be home for the inspection although that was an 'opt in' thing.
Now I accept that inspections have to be done, but to just hand out a master key to 40 odd flats doesn't seem overly secure to me!? And how am I supposed to stop this person coming in while I'm sat on the toilet!? Fire safety regs say doors have to have thumb turned locks internally so it's not even like you can put the key in the door inside.
Fortunately I wasn't on the loo, as she'd got the master in the door just as I got to it from the chair! Anyway, I let it go but have been worried since about how many people have access to the key or if any have copies etc. Tbh I don't feel overly safe/secure because of this.
Then last night ~7pm we get a letter stating that all tanks in the flats are being changed starting from today but without a specific time or date - using the master key to gain entry. Surely that can't be legal!? My neighbour was away last night, he could come home to plumbers in his house with the contents of his boiler cupboard everywhere! Again we have been given the option to phone if we wish to be home to try and arrange a suitable day, which I have done and just waiting for a response now.
I get I don't own the place, but surely I have some rights to reasonable security both when home and out - afterall what's to stop the heating engineers nicking something while I'm out?
Again I know it needs doing but to give less than a days notice for some (I'm a high number so presumably not today if they're going numerically), no rough time or even day, no predicted time scale (is it a 2 hour job or an 8 hour one, does mains cold water and all electric need to be turned off for this time or just the hot valve and immersion trip switches??), and to just hand out the master key just doesn't seem right to me. Do other people accept this and enjoy strangers in their house while they're out or on the loo? Can I add any extra security that doesn't ruin fire safety?
Tom