Burglary in rented accomodation - rights if Landlord is at fault

lynzpower

I have to say, I will certainly change the locks in the next place I move into, if only to prevent this happening.

I find this absolutely abhorrent.

I wouold personally name and shamne the agemt, I know Id like to avoid them in the future, im sure other moneysavers would.

Jowo_2

Nadeshka wrote: »

The police will probably chase up previous tenants and that might hopefully lead to some of the stuff being recovered. Maybe Police involvement will force the EAs to give a damn.

Are you sure they have the inclination and resources to trace and speak to all previous tenants? Remember that the Police are bound to be involved in solely the criminal side of the issue - the burglary. The contractual issues and dispute about their failure to carry out their maintenance duties relating to security are simply civil issues and I'm not sure the landlord/agent will change their attitude.

custardy

lynzpower wrote: »

I have to say, I will certainly change the locks in the next place I move into, if only to prevent this happening.

I find this absolutely abhorrent.

I wouold personally name and shamne the agemt, I know Id like to avoid them in the future, im sure other moneysavers would.

when i rented i kept a spare yale lock mechanism
when you move in you just swap it over,when you move out you swap it back
i dont know why the OP would assume the LL changed the locks for every tenant though

Nadeshka

I am appalled at their behaviour really, and I doubt we'll ever be using them again. We're in London so you can imagine the rents he's being charged as well (which they had the audacity to put up by 18%!).
I won't mention it while it's still ongoing but probably will name and shame once he's moved out and got everything sorted.
I have to say everyone else has been brilliant, the police took it really seriously and we had 5 separate officers come over during the weekend. Even the manufacturers of his electronics have been great and offered to help trace the ones that connect to the internet.
In a way I'm kind of glad he's not having to battle with an insurance company to get them to pay out in these circumstances.
My boyfriend and his flatmate are actually lucky, they both can move out immediately. From talking to the girls in the other flat that was burgled it has had constant maintenance issues which have not been addressed and this is the final straw - but they've got 4 months left on their contract and nowhere else currently to stay.
Thanks everyone for the advice, it seems legally there's not much he can do but he might have a civil case which is probably what I was expecting.

iamana1ias

I'd bet on the agent being Foxtons

lynzpower

custardy wrote: »

when i rented i kept a spare yale lock mechanism
when you move in you just swap it over,when you move out you swap it back
i dont know why the OP would assume the LL changed the locks for every tenant though

I agree actually. LLs dont change locks for tenants as a rule and IMO they probably should do or at least be happy with the T changing the locks themselves.

I think it is a very difficult place for the tenant- all tenants You don't know who will be holding keys or have copied them even a few years ago. I know when I worked in an estate agent the keys were in an unlocked cupbaord (*like a medicine cabinet) in the front office.

Anyone could have broken in and robbed all those keys wouldn't have taken 5 mins. Amazingly most of the keys had the address written on the tag - shocking.

If I were a landlord personally I would change the locks as a yale is only 8.00 or so down at B&Q and would mean Peace of mind.

I would be investigating the PI though, after all, your boyfriend WILL have many losses, form what was stolen, to the new costs of setting up utilities and credit referencing checks etc.

lynzpower

iamana1ias wrote: »

I'd bet on the agent being Foxtons

Yeah - me too - that was my first thought !

Nadeshka

lynzpower wrote: »

Yeah - me too - that was my first thought !

It's not Foxton's but tbh these agencies are all the same, I doubt there's much between them. He might look into the civil issue, but the main hope is that someone else moves in so he doesn't have to pay more rent - which seems terrible!
Just when I thought all those jokes about Estate Agents were unjustified!

custardy

lynzpower wrote: »

I agree actually. LLs dont change locks for tenants as a rule and IMO they probably should do or at least be happy with the T changing the locks themselves.

I think it is a very difficult place for the tenant- all tenants You don't know who will be holding keys or have copied them even a few years ago. I know when I worked in an estate agent the keys were in an unlocked cupbaord (*like a medicine cabinet) in the front office.

Anyone could have broken in and robbed all those keys wouldn't have taken 5 mins. Amazingly most of the keys had the address written on the tag - shocking.

If I were a landlord personally I would change the locks as a yale is only 8.00 or so down at B&Q and would mean Peace of mind.

I would be investigating the PI though, after all, your boyfriend WILL have many losses, form what was stolen, to the new costs of setting up utilities and credit referencing checks etc.

fair point,or at the least offer it as a service along with the £100's in fees they take

elvis86

I have to say this really concerns me! I'm currently attempting to get my letting agents to attend to an issue with our french windows (they won't lock). Admittedly they're 4 stories up and not easily accessible, but still, very worrying.:(

I've just emailed my letting agents and told them that having reported this 10 days ago with no response, and having raised the issue again today, I may be forced to instruct a contractor myself if they fail to respond in a timely fashion. Would people agree that this is reasonable?