Moving tomorrow, key doesnt work!!!11111

alisara

Hi

I am moving out of a private rental tomorrow (long story posted before about situation with landlord)

Anyway new tenants are moving into the address i am living in now on saturday.

i have a house to move into tomorrow. i received the keys on tuesday, and today went to the house with dd to clean etc got in no problem. closed the door all ready for the big move in the morning but wait for it......

i left something behind (a bag of food) and went back to get it put my key in the lock and door wont open, seriously wont open. i tried and tried for 15 minutes and couldnt open it.

I went away for a coffee, went back and to no avail

I called the landlady who happens to work abroad, she texted me and said to text my current address and she would send her father around to sort it out - that was at 3pm today

I texted her again at 7, she said her father would come later with keys and to sort out, no father arrived and it is now nearly eleven so i have just locked up and gone to bed

i texted her again to say going to bed - no reply (i was really nice in the texts incidentally)

my dd and i are so stressed

removal men (paid for)
are coming in the morning at 10, current landlord wants us out as new tenants will be arriving

i feel dreadful, just feel like saying nothing to removal men maybe they can sort lock

so scared could be homeless tomorrow and terrified of the landlord in this place i am vacating

what the hell do i do

i just dont know what to do

PasturesNew

Look up an emergency locksmith's number and have it ready in your pocket "in case".

Well, I'd get 3 numbers, just in case.

Heck, grab the whole yellow pages or print out the page from yell.com ... you can't be too careful.

alisara

Pastures new, do you think this will be ok?

and would it be expensive?

also, really panicking but would the landlady go mad, she does not seem the type, just so scared after my last landlord

PasturesNew

Guesstimate £60-80 for an emergency call out... but you need to call all the contacts you have asap to let them know if you can't get in you're ordering a locksmith and you expect them to reimburse you - might make them get a wriggle on. Dad was probably supping halves down the local and never got the call tonight. He'll probably be there at the place waiting tomorrow, as if there's no problem.

monkeymonkey_3

Aw, try not to panic. As Pasturesnew said, at least you've got time to find some locksmith's numbers incase the worst comes to the worst. You won't be homeless, so try not to stress. If the key worked once, then there can't be anything drastically wrong, surely? Maybe it's just that it's a lock you're not used to and you were panicking?

whitewing

My back door key will open my front door, but won't lock it. (Or the other way round, I can't remember). That caught me out once.

Werdnal

If you do need a locksmith (my brother is one), take something with you as proof you have a right to enter the property. They should not really open the door unless you have ID and proof of tenancy/address.

They should be able to open it without damaging the lock, but if the lock is jammed or faulty, it will need to be replaced. Check with the locksmith whether the lock damage is wear and tear and whether he/she thinks it was age related - try to get some proof if possible. Then negotiate with your LL regarding the cost. I don't see why you should have to foot the whole bill, if the lock itself was on its last legs. However, you may have to meet them halfway, as you need urgent access, and given time, the LL may have been able to replace the lock more cheaply.

You are looking at £60 minimum for emergency call out. In my brother's case that covers the first half hour's labour, and/or opening the door - whichever is quicker. Any spares or replacement lock is extra. You will obviously also need to get additional keys cut for your LL.

alisara

Well just had the door banged down by the dad, well not literally.... by the way at 11.15!!!!!!!!!! not a good start

there is something wrong with the lock, now I dont feel such an eejit, and he will have it fixed for us by 10am, so move will now go ahead

i am so relieved though, but ragin ragin ragin, and so embarrassed I have afro hair so it was all wrapped up (only another lady with afro hair could imagine what i looked like) big crazy nightgown and slippers on - am mortified that anyone could see me not looking my glam self lol

only thing is my sister is staying with me tonight and is raging

Wee_Willy_Harris

Or you could use Whitewing's back door key?

G_M

On a seperate point:

Your landlady is abroad? There is no agent managing the rental (I guess since you are texting the LL)? You pay your rent to....?

In a circumstance like this you may be legally liable to PAY THE LANDLADY'S INCOME TAX on the rent. See here.

I assume you have an address in England (if taht's where the property is) for the serving of Notices on the landlady?

alisara

GM

I live in N.I and it is a private rental not managed by an agent, been there done that and never ever again. My landlady lives here in ni as well, but not giving to much away she would work abroad 1 week each month.

I have met her and liked her a lot actually, she gave me the tenancy agreement and i met the previous tenants as well.

The rent comes out/will come out once a month into her bank account by dd the 1st months rent and deposit I gave to her