Unheeded warnings?

lilac_lady

One of my friends (under 65) lives in a sheltered housing complex and told me that one of the residents had her purse stolen because she let a stranger into her flat. The old lady was 92 and opens the main door when anyone buzzes to be let in despite many warnings not to do it..

The police came to take a statement and while they were there someone buzzed and the old lady went to press her entry phone to open the main door!

The dilema is - should the 92 year old be moved to other accommodation for the safety of the other residents who have split opinions on this matter?

I wouldn't like to be the one who has to make that decision.

Errata

A thorough Risk Assessment needs to be carried out first and then decisions and agreements made based on that.
For instance - it could be agreed that ALL residents keep their own doors locked at all times, so if someone is buzzed in for the main door they can't access any of the flats.
I'm afraid this is quite a common problem in the kind of accomodation you descibe, but I haven't come across a foolproof solution.

EdInvestor

lilac_lady wrote: »

One of my friends (under 65) lives in a sheltered housing complex and told me that one of the residents had her purse stolen because she let a stranger into her flat. The old lady was 92 and opens the main door when anyone buzzes to be let in despite many warnings not to do it..

The police came to take a statement and while they were there someone buzzed and the old lady went to press her entry phone to open the main door!

What kind of bell system do they use?

Most blocks of flats have individual bells for each flat.So if someone at the front door buzzed flat 3, only the flat 3 occupant would hear the bell, not every flat in the building.

lilac_lady

They do have an individual bell system but I don't know if the person who got into her flat just pressed all the buzzers and she was the one who actually let him in.

Savvy_Sue

lilac_lady wrote: »

I wouldn't like to be the one who has to make that decision.

You don't. Nor do the other residents. The decision is for the tenant and /or the landlord.

It is possible that the tenant is in breach of the tenancy agreement if she is letting people into the block who are not coming to visit her. In that case the landlord - council, housing association or whatever - could give her notice to quit. That might shock her into heeding the warnings.

It is also possible that the tenant has other risk factors which mean this property is no longer suitable. Again, the landlord could give notice to quit if the tenant doesn't accept this, eg is placing unreasonable demands on the warden.

Normally in such cases the landlord does not enforce the NTQ until other, more suitable, accommodation is found. But it is possible for NTQ to be served if people are allowed into the complex who have no business there, or who are putting other residents at risk.

Primrose

Perhaps it would be better to press for a CCTV system to be installed on the main entrance doorway with a notice saying "Smile - your visit is being recorded for the safety and security of our residents".

flossy_splodge

At least there are others around to sometimes keep a bit of a wary eye on things. I arrived at my eldely father's house this afternoon about 3pm to find the porch door, normally locked was wide open as was the front door!
Heart thumping minutes later as i tentatively entered worried what I was going to find, my father was blithely making himself a cuppa in the kitchen apparently absolutely unaware of what he's done and when I explained he just said" oh well it can't have been open that long!:eek:
When i explained it wouldn't necessarily take long he thought I was being a pain!:cool: