Keys dont work HELP

Pearly0505

i've just got home from a long day shift and tried to get into my block of flats. and my key wont fit. luckily my partner was home so i buzzed up and he let me in. we just went out to get chinese and tried my key again and bashed it a few times to dislodge any ice. and also tried my partners key. neither work. and cant even get the key slightly in the lock. could they have possibly been changed?
he has carried on out while i am at home phoning 0870 8711222 (the number for the out of hours contact for the building - which is posted in the hallway) couldnt find a say no to 0870 and i have already listened to 3 songs while on hold =[ (can it really be that busy?)
and our letting agent (belvoir) dont have an emergency contact.
And we are due to go out for the day tomorrow to see family. we want to be able to get back into our home.
What can we do? can they really have changed the lock without notifying us? (the lock has been sticking and not shutting properly for the last week - but it has always opened and accepted our keys) i just dont know what to do =[

olly300

Go to a DIY shop tomorrow morning and change the lock yourself.

Or spend £100 or so and call out a locksmith.

Either way do not expect the LA to reimburse you.

BitterAndTwisted

Have you asked any of the neighbours?

Pearly0505

olly300 wrote: »

Go to a DIY shop tomorrow morning and change the lock yourself.

Or spend £100 or so and call out a locksmith.

Either way do not expect the LA to reimburse you.

what for the whole block? and get 8 sets of keys cut for everyone else in here as well?

eventually gave up on the out of hours service, and found a mobile number for someone from the letting agency he said "theres nothing i can do to monday either way" ugh great loads of help he was.
going to ask the neighbours in a sec once i've stopped the tears and composed myself.

cheap_charlie

A long shot I know but if it's been sticking before it might be an idea to give it a squirt of WD40 on both the key and the lock to see if that helps.

It worked on my sister's front door lock which was giving her problems.

katsu

Try a neighbour's key and maybe get some car de-icer spray and spray it in the lock?

Wings

I am a Bristol based LL with key cutting equipment, key blanks and assorted locks.

From your post it appears you are having problems with the main communal door entrance, not the lock on your flat's door. If that is so have you tried other tenant's main entrance door keys?

Your lock appears to be a Yale type cylinder nightlatch lock, if it is then it would worth taking the lock off the door, then ighten up the cylinder to the back of the door, undo 3 retaining screws on the back of the lock, checking all springs, fixings within the same have not become dislodged.

If there is no good reason for the LA changing the lock (if they have), then a change of the cylinder will cost £3.95 with 3 spare keys.

I have based the above on the assumption that the lock is not a security registered lock, in which if it is, then only the LA will be able to deal with the replacement and registration of the new lock.

G_M

If this is the main door to the block, it is probobly nothing to do with the letting agent. There will probobly be a management company (I assume that's the number in the hall) for the block.
1st step is talk to neighbours and check their keys. Do theirs work and just your is at fault? Or do none work and the lock's been changed? Or the lock is broken? Or have other residents been issued new keys recently?

DVardysShadow

G_M wrote: »

If this is the main door to the block, it is probobly nothing to do with the letting agent. There will probobly be a management company (I assume that's the number in the hall) for the block.
1st step is talk to neighbours and check their keys. Do theirs work and just your is at fault? Or do none work and the lock's been changed? Or the lock is broken? Or have other residents been issued new keys recently?

If the locks have been changed by the managing agent and all of the owners have been given keys, then this is very much to do with the Agent and the Landlord, of course!

olly300

Pearly0505 wrote: »

what for the whole block? and get 8 sets of keys cut for everyone else in here as well?

Sorry didn't realise it was the entire block.

I personally would have gone to one of my neighbours before the letting agent.

If you don't know your neighbours then it's about time you start knowing them for issues like this.

flutterbyuk25

As the others have said ask your neighbours to try their keys to see if they work.

Secondly, I live in a block of communal flats and our main communal door has a latch option so you can leave it unlocked. Doesn't yours have the same? If so leave it on the latch when you go out and speak to all neighbours to ask them to leave it on latch (or put up note explaining)

And surely one of your neighbours could buzz you in if your key doesn't work?!