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

QuantumSuccess

To add a bit of background....during my nearly 3 year tenancy here I pay my rent by bank transfer and I don't call in the LA or LL to fix anything - so therefore I have minimal contact with them. On the rare occasion I have had contact with them it's been when they've tried to swindle me (ie trying to screw money out of me for issuing a new lease). To be fair it is only the one guy, who appears to be the director of the LA firm (the one whose messages I've posted here) who seems to have severe anger management issues. The other two staffers there, who seem to be his subordinates are normal enough and while I would not describe them as polite they are nowhere as extreme as he is.

angrypirate

QuantumSuccess wrote: »

most recent message, email from LA late this afternoon:

"at this point I am not interested in the lock. I am interested in your attitude which is not helping matters."

Tell him he cant serve you a section 8 for your attitude.

DVardysShadow

fffengcharger wrote: »

i just think fo it.

Link spam moron

GDB2222

KiKi wrote: »

I do understand where you're coming from. But you're still making the assumption that the lock breaches fire regs and is a risk, and we don't know that's the case (and it seems highly unlikely, IMO). The only thing it appears to 'breach' (as far as I'm aware of it) is the LA's preference for the lock on the door - and that's the bit I contest!

Agree about the colour schemes, though!!

TBH, I'd dig my heels in far less if the LA had been professional and polite and courteous. Instead they seem to be acting like bulls in a china shop, determined to get rid of the OP.

Will be interesting to see how it goes!

KiKi

First, I agree the LA's response has been OTT. Maybe there's some history to this we haven't been told about?

Second, there are no fire safety standards for ordinary flats in terms of a booklet saying what types of lock are okay. The LL is given the responsibility of making a fire risk assessment, drawing up a plan, and ensuring it's adhered to. Once the plan is drawn up saying no mortice locks, say, there's no leeway without going through the whole procedure again. If the tenant then shows two fingers over the locks, there's not much room for the LL to manoeuvre, and he'll certainly need to alter the lock when the tenant leaves.

The whole thing's a storm in a teacup, and both sides seem to have egged each other on. People here are urging the OP to get into a totally unnecessary court battle. How ridiculous can that be?

GDB2222

quantumsuccess wrote: »

to add a bit of background....
when they've tried to swindle me .

You've had big arguments with the LA over this?

DVardysShadow

GDB2222 wrote: »

You've had big arguments with the LA over this?

In context

QuantumSuccess wrote: »

... On the rare occasion I have had contact with them it's been when they've tried to swindle me (ie trying to screw money out of me for issuing a new lease).

I'm getting it now. LA has been thwarted on 'his' renewal fees and it has got to him and now he sees the opportunity to get rid of OP and get even.

This is not about locks or fire safety - or even about looking after LL's interests. This is plainly and simply LA looking after LA at the expense of LL and T

GDB2222

Like I said, there's been history. Assuming that the OP actually accused them of swindling then ofc there's bound to be a cooling of the relationship. Now, the OP's been found to have made unauthorised alterations to the property.

QuantumSuccess

GDB2222 wrote: »

You've had big arguments with the LA over this?

No, no big arguments over their lease renewal fees. Not even small arguments.

QuantumSuccess

DVardysShadow wrote: »

In context



I'm getting it now. LA has been thwarted on 'his' renewal fees and it has got to him and now he sees the opportunity to get rid of OP and get even.

This is not about locks or fire safety - or even about looking after LL's interests. This is plainly and simply LA looking after LA at the expense of LL and T

The tenancy agreement has been renewed twice. Each time the LA has asked me to include a cheque for a fairly extortionate fee for "lease renewal". Each time I have totally ignored this request and the lease renewal has gone ahead anyway.....

t0rt0ise

The rules about locks in blocks of flats are clear. The lock has to be able to be opened from the inside without a key and it also has to be of a sort whereby it won't automatically lock when you close it from the outside. This is because the door has to be self closing but shouldn't auto lock as it closes. This is for safety reasons. If someone has to go to get help for some reason, they don't want the door locking as they leave with maybe a baby or someone ill left inside that can't be reached.

So if the lock that the OP has put on the door does not cover these things, then the LL will have the right to forcibly change the lock so as it complies. So the choice is yours, either stop being an !!! and co-operate or pay the cost of them breaking in and changing the lock. If the lock does comply already then they have a right to inspect it.