insecure door - landlord won't replace

confusedandannoyed

I have a licence for a property at present that I share with three others. We all have separate agreements, its termed a licence - I am unsure whether in reality it is actually a lease as it refers to the Landlord and Tenant Act throughout. However most bills are included in the rent and there is a weekly cleaner fort he communal areas which I guess suggests licence rather then lease.

Recently someone moved out but it turns out that he has returned to the house at least once and managed to open the front door without a key (he shoves a stick in the postbox and manages to turn the lock. He didn't return for any 'bad' purpose merely to collect something he forgot. However this has made me uncomfortable. The landlord is yet to do anything to fix the problem. I am wondering what people would recommend? I realise if I am a licence rather than leaseholder I am in a weaker position. If we are burgled my insurance almost certainly wouldn't cover it and I'm also not best pleased previous residents can come and go as they please. My contract states that I cannot carry out DIY without permission so I can;t go and install a postbox guard myself.

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sorry the thread shouldn't be called won't replace. I don't want the entire door replacing just something to prevent someone being able to use a stick to open the door from the outside.

poppysarah

Write to the landlord. (ring if you like but follow up by letter)

I would look into the price of letter box covers for the inside ...

bris

If it's a security issue then I wouldn't wait for permission to stick a guard up. It wouldn't even be noticed anyway, so don't worry to much about.

chappers

Regardless of what it says on your agreement, it is the nature of your rental that determines the tenancy you have, how and when do you pay rent andwhat notice do you need to give , also does the LL live in any part of the property.
I also would be inclined to just fix up a guard over the letter box

chris_m

How about a hungry (guard) dog under the letterbox?

;-)

tiggerjj

I think I had the same problem in my house, a badly positioned lock in relation to the letter box. If its a catch lock then maybe you can just deadbolt it (using the little black button) when you are inside if you get what i mean. from my understand of your problem that should fix it. You can still get out/open the door without the key, just push the button to the open position?

Hump

Sounds like you're more likely to have a tenancy rather than a licence - sounds like there's a chance you have a 'sham' licence. Assuming the landlord does not live in the property and that all 4 of you have your own rooms (and access to shared kitchen/bathroom/wc etc) then having a cleaner come in once a week to clean the communal areas still doesn't make it a licence (cleaning your room, changing and laundering the bedding and providing meals might). Shelter have a 'tenancy' checker http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/downloads_and_tools/tenancy_checker

missile

Put a letter guard on. A simple DIY job. They are not expensive and LL is unlikely to object.