URGENT advice needed. Letting agent threatening to change locks on my door

IronWolf

I would replace the lock yourself, put back the original one, its most likely the LA will overcharge for a simple lock replacement.

If it is in contravention of fire safety (which I am very suspicious about tbh, if its your front door then its perfectly reasonable to have a mortice lock on it) then Im afraid it will need to be put back.

Edit: I just saw its your front door, I find it hard to believe you are forbidden from having a mortice lock on a front door in any safety laws. Ask them to quote specific clauses.

QuantumSuccess

I emailed the LA asking him to specify exactly what is wrong with the lock. I asked him to tell what sort of lock IS suitable so that I could consider paying my locksmith to put that sort of lock on the door. Here is his reply:

"I will say again, you have damaged a fire door and the lock is not compliant with fire safety regulations. This cost of attending to this will be passed onto you whether you are the resident or not. We will persue (his spelling, not mine) you for this cost which result in court action. I suggest you take some perspective quickly so we can all move on."

GDB2222

QuantumSuccess wrote: »

How is my front door a fire door?

Does your front door open out onto the road? If it's a door inside a block of flats opening out into a communal passageway or staircase, then of course it's likely to be a fire door. The staircase is the main means of escape for other people in the block, and a fire door on your flat gives them a reasonable chance to escape if your flat catches fire.

GDB2222

QuantumSuccess wrote: »

I emailed the LA asking him to specify exactly what is wrong with the lock. I asked him to tell what sort of lock IS suitable so that I could consider paying my locksmith to put that sort of lock on the door. Here is his reply:

"I will say again, you have damaged a fire door and the lock is not compliant with fire safety regulations. This cost of attending to this will be passed onto you whether you are the resident or not. We will persue (his spelling, not mine) you for this cost which result in court action. I suggest you take some perspective quickly so we can all move on."

You really are rubbing them up the wrong way! Why are you doing that rather than smoothing things over?

anselld

QuantumSuccess wrote: »

How is my front door a fire door?

It is probably means of escape rather than an actual firedoor. HMO regs require it can be opened from the inside without a key.

Not sure how the LA could know if it is non-compliant from the outside though!

QuantumSuccess

anselld wrote: »

It is probably means of escape rather than an actual firedoor. HMO regs require it can be opened from the inside without a key.

Not sure how the LA could know if it is non-compliant from the outside though!

It can be opened from the inside without a key....

jjlandlord

GDB2222 wrote: »

There's your answer, then.

These are claims by the agent.

If the door is a fire door, they may indeed be restrictions on the sort of lock that can be installed. I don't know.
Unless the agent has been able to examine the new lock what they are saying regarding it not complying with regulations is not a fact but their simple claim.
If indeed there is an issue with the installed lock, then OP can arrange ofr it to fixed herself.

As for OP's tenancy not being renewed. If they want OP out they will start by serving a s.21 notice, until then their claims are scare tactics.

GDB2222

princeofpounds wrote: »

The section 8 is a nonsense.

The only situation I can think of is that the LL actually wants you out (letting to friends? pushing rent up? refurbishment?) but this would be such a weird way to do it when he could just refuse to renew your tenancy and issue a section 21.

Have the agents threatened a S8 procedure? I thought they just said the tenancy would not be renewed?

I must say that, acting on the truly wonderful advice here from some people, the OP has managed to antagonise the agents, if not the LL too, rather than smoothing things over. The main result she will achieve with all this inappropriate advice is that she will definitely have to find a new place to live. Congratulations to all those who advised this course of action!

QuantumSuccess

GDB2222 wrote: »

Does your front door open out onto the road? If it's a door inside a block of flats opening out into a communal passageway or staircase, then of course it's likely to be a fire door. The staircase is the main means of escape for other people in the block, and a fire door on your flat gives them a reasonable chance to escape if your flat catches fire.

How would me having a mortice lock on my front door stop any of my neighbours from escaping from a dire and using the stairs or communal passageway? My neighbours don't actually live inside my flat and they would not need to enter my flat in order to get to the staircase or communal passageway. I don't understand...

LittleMissAspie

Quantum should be allowed to have a decent lock on the door that does comply with regulations. I can't believe they are chucking you out for this, and how rude their wording is. I didn't think you could get contents insurance without a 5 lever lock?

If a fire breaks out and no-one is inside the flat then there's no problem. If someone is inside the flat then presumably they have a key to hand or you can just leave that particular lock unlocked. I can't open my front or back doors (house) without the keys.