tenant changing the locks - wrong?

cran81

Hi All, Just an update on my situation.

So, I changed the locks as advised on here. Landlord said he was coming round yesterday evening. Said that was inconvenient and could he change but he refused. Anyway, I then called my sister and told her what I'd done - she said I was stupid and to change the locks back which I did very quickly. Landlord came and I had it on the latch so couldn't use his keys to come in.

I ended up calling the police - 999. Operator was very unhelpful said that the landlord had a right as it was his property despite me paying rent and that she's been in a similar situation herself. Anyway, sent two policemen round. They came and checked that I hadn't changed the locks!!! Said it would have been a criminal offence if I had! My God was I scared senseless. How lucky was I?

Asked me if he could come in now - I said it was inconvenient and that he wanted his property back,... They told him though to come back another time when we had all "calmed down".

So, is it a case of taking the risk of having police coming round who have no knowledge of the law? Seriously, there was none of the 'she's paying rent she's allowed to live in the property without harassment...'. So, am even more eager to find somewhere to live.

hazyjo

Why was he coming round? Why didn't you want to let him in?

Was it just the barrel you changed?

Surprised the police came out - and wouldn't have thought it was worthy of a 999 call.

Am sure someone will be along with a link to your legal rights (which, as far as I know, allow you to change the lock/barrel, providing you change it back when you move out).

It's difficult for us when we're only hearing one side of the story. Is there a problem with the flat, for example?

Jx

BitterAndTwisted

There's no point in expecting the Police to know anything about civil law as their area of expertise is CRIMINAL LAW.

It's not a criminal offence to be able to secure your own home against unauthorised entry. By anyone, including your landlord. As you have reported before, your landlord thinks that they can move in next week, so I cannot think of any justification for not being able to change the locks.

I can't see the point in starting a number of threads all about the same issue, you being given information about your right to quiet enjoyment and how your landlord needs to go through the process of evicting you legally if you're just going to ignore it and then start yet another thread about it.

PaulLuke

I'm with B & T on this one. I have prety much the same right as your landlord to enter the property while you are living there under a tenancy agreement.

Unfortunately as B & T has pointed out you can't generally rely on the police to know the ins and outs of Landlord and Tenant Law (and indeed why should they know).

As regards changing the locks amounting to a criminal offence the only situation that I can see that happening would be if you caused some form of damage whilst changing the locks!

I suggest you speak to the tenancy relations officer at your local council as, if they are like the one around here, they could end up reading the riot act to the landlord and pointing out that any attempt to force you to move out, even after the expiry of any initial term, without a court order could lead to criminal charges.

G_M

Agree with bitter above.

a) why start a new thread rather than let people see the history by adding ti yourold thread

b) I can add nothing to what you've already been told about the legal position and your rights.

Start standing up for yourself and your rights.

CHANGE THE BLOODY LOCK.

whisper7832

I think what OP means is that the advice they were given on here was wrong - the police checked the locks were still the same ones. How can other posters still advise changing when cran81 would have been in trouble if they had.

What the OP needs to do is get real legal advice not just come on here and hope that the advice they're given is correct. I certainly wouldn't chnage the locks in any situation. But would call the police if the landlord came in without permission.

poppysarah

Your landlord should only come in when you let him. That means he shouldn't need a key whilst you are living there.

hazyjo

Just wondering how the police could check the locks were the same ones. Surely you'd have had keys for both - or was the LL still outside when the police turned up?!

Jx

cran81

The landlord was trying to come. Keys in the door. He thought I'd changed locks. I called police because I was scared. When police came the landlord was still there. He must've told the police I'd changed the locks. The policeman came to me and asked if I'd changed the locks. I said no. He said you know it would have been a criminal offence if you had. I told him to try the landlords keys - he did and they worked.
I started another thread because I wanted to discuss just this topic. Alot of people have said that you should change the locks. But, I'm unclear how that's okay if the police would then charge me with a criminal offence if I had done so.
Unless I was very unlucky then it's not a good idea to be giving advice about changing locks if you could be charged with a criminal offence. If it was a civil offence why did the police even bother checking whether I had.

19lottie82

It isn't a criminal offense to change the locks, or a civil one for that matter, as long as you replace the original ones, when you vacate.

It is however, a civil offense for the LL to enter the property without your permission.

The Police really aren't very clued up on this matter.

If your LL is trying to let himself in to the property, when you have specifically told him not to, i would be changing the locks (well lock barrels) ASAP and don't change them back this time.

WRITE to your LL and LA and inform them that you will onyl be communicating with them in writing from now on.

Call Shelter or visit the CAB for more advice if you want this confirmed.

marliepanda

None of this makes any sense, and honestly I don't believe it. A convenient call to the sister to save you going to jail.

The police would not have charged you with anything as there is nothing to charge you with.

This only serves to scare people from taking correct advice. Either secure yourself in your home or stop complaining when it all goes wrong. You didn't have to 'call the police' if the locks were changed.