Landlord allowing himself into the property

barnaby-bear

paul2012 wrote: »

Looking for advice for a friend..

She got home late Friday evening to find her front door open, she obviously panicked at first thinking she had been burgled (last thing she needs when 7months pregnant) however she then realised who ever had been in and left the door open must have used a key as there was no sign of forced entry.

So she rings landlord to see if he has been round he denies all knowledge she then asks who else has a key as someone has been into the property using a key he goes quiet and says he has been round to look for a letter. So the landlord allowed himself into my friends property without her permission, rummaged around looking for some post and then left the door opened and unlocked and then lied even further by trying to say he hadn't done it. The door has a yale lock and a key lock he left the yale lock up and just pulled the door to he admitted he didnt know my friend used the key lock and he only allowed himself in as he thought she was away on holiday. So he clearly hoped she wouldnt notice and had no intention of telling her.

My friend rang up crying as he left muddy footprints on the cream crapet and she was on her hands and knees trying to scrub these up (she has OCD) and is know worried wondering if he took anything etc..

Surely he can not do this? Apparently she is not allowed to change the locks without his permission but surely there is something she can do?

I changed the barrels - but you can make it very clear the LL shouldn't be there - scared the c**p out of mine when the neighbour and son and all their tattoos :-) came rushing round with a baseball bat on hearing my alarm.... http://www.maplin.co.uk/compact-pir-alarm-31613
It's not aggressive as in the LL will only ever find out when the alarm blares i.e. if he shouldn't be there.... if changing the locks might be confrontational....

cwcw

Yet another example to highlight why all tenants should change their locks as soon as they move in as a matter of course. Only bad landlords like this one would ever find out, and if/when they did, they'd be in the wrong by illegally trying to gain unauthorised access and breaching the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment.

pinkshoes

I'd say nothing to the LL, but I would change the lock barrel immediately. The LL should never find out they were changed! If he does, return any post to sender, as he no doubt hasn't told his mortgage company he's renting it out!

Fire_Fox

paul2012 wrote: »

I have just mentioned this to her and she said the letter he is was looking for is from his mortgage lender, what would it mean for my friend if he does not have consent to let?

Very little unless he gets repossessed. Just return any letters addressed to the landlord to sender making not known at this address, open all letters addressed to the occupier. There is a sticky on consent to lease if you check.

MarilynMonroe_2

I would definitly change the locks. I would be worried as to if he has been in before. Where was the cream carpet? He wouldnt even need to enter the house to see if a letter had been delivered, it would be on the doormat... something seems fishy to me x

nrsql

Why would he have pinned the yale lock open? Sounds like he was coming and going a number of times - maybe moving stuff in or out.
Heal marks in the kitchen sounds like he was carrying something heavy.

If the letter is that important is he phoning every day to find out if it has arrived? Maybe he is going round every day to check while you are out?

Landlord is obviously untruthful and doubt if complaining will help - just change the locks - don't tell him that you have done it, when he mentions it ask how he knows and why was he trying to gain access?

BobQ

nrsql wrote: »

Why would he have pinned the yale lock open? Sounds like he was coming and going a number of times - maybe moving stuff in or out.
Heal marks in the kitchen sounds like he was carrying something heavy.

If the letter is that important is he phoning every day to find out if it has arrived? Maybe he is going round every day to check while you are out?

Landlord is obviously untruthful and doubt if complaining will help - just change the locks - don't tell him that you have done it, when he mentions it ask how he knows and why was he trying to gain access?

If you think he was really up to no good, have a look in the loft in case he is using it to store illegal material and popping round to get it from time to time.

MarilynMonroe_2

Tell her to also get one of those CCTV stickers, that say the proeprty is protected by cctv (even if it isnt) might put him off x

Callie22

BobQ wrote: »

If you think he was really up to no good, have a look in the loft in case he is using it to store illegal material and popping round to get it from time to time.

I would think it more likely that the 'very important letter from the mortgage company' is what he's after. And I'd also think that given that, it is possible that the OP's friend will be looking for somewhere else to live in the next few months regardless of what she says to the landlord about letting himself in. Something about this suggests that he's up a certain creek, paddleless.

Trazy

I had a landlord who let himself in one time when I was ill in bed, he actually came into the bedroom and gave me the fright of my life.:mad:

I couldn't move out of that property fast enough after that