Dispute with LL over replacing locks

Trom

I'm moving out of my flat in August. Unluckily enough a key has just been lost in the post between myself and LL.

LL suggested we change the lock and split the cost which I agreed to, but she wanted to use her own locksmith. Lock is standard euro cylinder and I can change it myself. They cost around £15. LL was insistent that we use locksmith who will charge £60.

Locksmith didn't turn up till two days later and didn't have the right kind of lock - needs to special order and it'll take another 3 days. Property meanwhile not secure.

I've told LL I refuse to pay for locksmith, since this is entirely her decision. She's started spewing all sorts of 'it's to do with insurance' and she can't tell the next tenants that I was the one who last changed the locks and all sorts of pseudo-legal nonsense. She's insistent that we split the cost of the locksmith.

Advice please? What can I tell her to get her to back off. I've already mentioned that it's well within my rights to change my own locks and that because of her decision the property has been unsafe for far longer than needed...

Jowo_2

Who was responsible for losing the key by sending it non-recorded delivery? Who was sending it to who? Surely it wasn't being sent to the property itself?!

Trom

My fault, I was sending it to the LL.

Jowo_2

But how has that compromised the security of the property? Did the envelope contain the address of the rental property? Is it a spare one that you were sending to the landlord for some reason?

Trom

OK, in detail: I sent my moving out letter to the LL, along with a duplicate key. She had had the door changed recently to uPVC and the bloke that did the job handed me all the keys, so she didn't have a copy. I was sending her it to pass on to agents for viewings. So my address was on the envelope and in the letter. In retrospect, clearly !!!!!! on my part - I've had a lot of things on my mind.

The thing is she did get the letter - but the key wasn't in it. I had bubble wrapped it and put it in plain brown envelope which she tore open before checking for any damage she claims. Bubble wrap there, key not.

All around my fault from the start. I'm not trying to get out of paying for the new lock. I'm trying to get out of paying £30 when I could pay £7.50! I'm recently BR and money not exactly plenty.

terryw

These locks on UPVC doors are very easy to change (unless it it some unusual type). Suggest that you ask LL to go with you to supplier to buy lock and then change it in LL's presence.

clutton_2

if you have a key which you can pass on to her when you leave why does she need to get a locksmith in now ???

Trom

terryw wrote: »

These locks on UPVC doors are very easy to change (unless it it some unusual type). Suggest that you ask LL to go with you to supplier to buy lock and then change it in LL's presence.

Have done. She refused.

Jowo_2

Tenants are responsible for paying the costs of things caused through their own negligence, even when done accidentally.

Trom

clutton wrote: »

if you have a key which you can pass on to her when you leave why does she need to get a locksmith in now ???

Neither of us considers the property secure atm, which is why we both want the locks changed.

Trom

Jowo wrote: »

Tenants are responsible for paying the costs of things caused through their own negligence, even when done accidentally.

No problem. However the lock costs £15 - it's the LL's decision to bring the locksmith in and pay £60 and is asking me to pay for half of that. As I see it, I'm only responsible for replacing and paying for the lock. If she wants fancy she needs to pay for that, no?