Entry buzzer - perhaps an odd question...

CP26

This is my first time renting so forgive me if the following question is a bit naive or possibly just downright stupid.

Just before I moved in there was apparently a problem with the entry buzzer to my block of flats. An engineer came and 'fixed' it but also managed to re-wire it and take away all the numbers. So when I moved in I had no idea which one was the buzzer for my flat...or anyone else's. It has remained this way for the last 4 months.

So who is responsible for this? My gut and logical brain says I should just go out with a marker pen/stickers at a reasonable time on a Saturday and start pressing until the problem is solved.

Now it's not a major problem in the grand scheme of things really but I am curious if anyone should be sorting this issue out at all.

I know that some of my fellow flat dwellers are shift / night workers so probably wouldn't appreciate me buzzing randomly to fill in the blanks. But it seems daft to leave the buzzer pad blank...particularly as my bedroom is right outside the main door so I get to hear a fair amount of the late night 'oops wrong buzzer' conversations that happen whilst people try to figure it out. I also get buzzed for other flats fairly regularly and I hate the idea of people just being buzzed in to find the flat they need because it's easier.

Any ideas for a baffled first time renter? (Landlord owns the flat as a share with a housing association I think, and my tenancy is fully managed by an EA)

acs_2

ultimately there will be a management company who are responsible for the flats, gates, grounds, security etc and whilst many try and sherk their responsibility, its them who need to sort the problem.

Id suggests speaking to your landlord who will be paying service charge to the management company, and can filter it back to them.

if you're in a council flat, you should have an estate manager who it would need to be reported to.

Hope that helps

Lord_Baltimore

Well, it's a security issue and I'd rather sort it myself rather than wait for someone to turn up in a couple of months time.

As long as you wear a hi-vis jacket, a daft helmet and cone the area off for several days it should be an easy job .

Even the grumpiest tenant ought to realise you're doing everyone a favour.

CP26

Thank you for your suggestions...we have a notice board with some possible housing maintenance contact details so I could see if that yields anything before I disturb my night working neighbour.

Given what I've been reading on these forums I'm pretty relieved that the only issue is a lack of numbers on the entry system (touch wood).

I've only really thought about when some woman claiming to be from the National Office of Statistics wanted me to walk around the building to knock on number 21 for her. 1) I'm on the ground floor and I have never actually been anywhere else in the block, let alone upstairs so have no clue where 21 actually is and 2) I was in my PJs. She got rather shirty with me when I suggested she call the people in 21...obviously not a planned appointment then! Another flat dweller arrived at that point to get in so I gave up and hung up...although I hope he didn't just let her in to wander round. Been tempted to accept the takeaways I've been offered though...

acs_2

yeh...rule number one of flats/buzzers.... 'alright mate, can you just let me in, My brother lives in flat 22'

Ive had this before and although I may sound a bit of an ar5e, Id rather be a bit ar5y over potentially letting a criminal in!

G_M

For goodness sake!

Just press the buzzers briefly with a friend in your flat till your own buzzer sounds.

Then stick a label on the button.

If during the process other flat-owners respond, do them a favour and label their flats too!

CP26

Forgive me...I did not mean to cause so much exasperation on a Monday night!

Buzzer bingo is indeed the quickest solution however unless I opt to try and remove the buzzer pad cover to write on the paper strips I am essentially resorting to vandalism of a sort by sticking things all over the pad or drawing directly on it so I did want to exercise some caution. Thank you to those who provided both practical and humorous solutions.

Kynthia

Maybe put a note up saying what time you're going to do it so that people are prewarned. Then pick the least likely time someone would be sleeping such as 2pm on a Saturday afternoon?

david39

Assuming that the number pad was wired with some logical layout for the benefit of the original installers, ask the immediate neighbours on either side of you what their numbers are and, if their numbers are separated by a number in the middle, then that is most likely to be yours.

TBagpuss

I would knock on your immediate neighbours doors and ask if they know - if the electrician's fix is recent then people who have lived there longer than you may know which numbers are which.

AndyPK

Are they not in some sort of order 1 2 3 etc.
maybe difficult if two columns.