Front Door Lock Needs Repaired - Living in Tenement Building

kbfox

Hi

Seeking advice on getting a front door lock repaired.

I am living in Scotland and renting in a tenement building which contains 12 flats.

The lock to the building front door broke a few days ago and now anyone has access to the building. We live on a busy city centre street. Two nights ago my wife and I returned home to find a man taking drugs on the common stairs of our building. I am very concerned and wish the building to made secure as soon as possible.

I have emailed the company we rent the flat off stating the damaged door lock and my concerns regarding safety and I have asked that they repair the door lock. I am waiting for a reply.

What advice can anyone give me regarding getting the door lock fixed if my landlord refuses to repair the door lock?

I do not know by who or how the door lock was broken.

Thank you.
Jack.

Pixie5740

The factor should arrange the repair (assuming there is a building factor). You report it to your LL and the LL reports it to the factor.

G_M

Your landlord has no control over this lock as it is communal to the nuilding.

Most blocks in Scotland are managed by a 'Factor'. But your landlord (or his agent) should contact the Factor to get the repair done. Follow up your email with a proper letter politely requesting this.

Also worth speaking to other residents. If there are owner-occupiers in the building (as opposed to tenants) they could contact the Factor direct.

cr1mson

When I lived in our Tenement one of the flat owners (no factor) used to arrange stuff like this and then send a bill to each individual flat. Strictly speaking shouldn't have done it this way but for small things no-one objected. Is there anyone in your building who would do this? Then you could forward bill to landlord.

G_M

cr1mson wrote: »

When I lived in our Tenement one of the flat owners (no factor) used to arrange stuff like this and then send a bill to each individual flat. Strictly speaking shouldn't have done it this way but for small things no-one objected. Is there anyone in your building who would do this? Then you could forward bill to landlord.

That person would need to redistribute keys to everyone as well.......

calmacuk

G_M wrote: »

Your landlord has no control over this lock as it is communal to the nuilding.

Most blocks in Scotland are managed by a 'Factor'. But your landlord (or his agent) should contact the Factor to get the repair done. Follow up your email with a proper letter politely requesting this.

Also worth speaking to other residents. If there are owner-occupiers in the building (as opposed to tenants) they could contact the Factor direct.

If there is a factor the OP could try contacting them themselves.

I rent a flat in a factored modern block and have reported issues such as this direct to them to speed up the process.

kbfox

Thank you for your replies.

I have searched on The Scottish Property Factors Register with no results.

I would be prepared to get the lock fixed myself and try to collect the monies owed but as it is a Cisa Lock with a buzzer entry system this may be expensive and I do not know who would pay their share for the lock.

Or I could pay for a simple Yale lock, but that would then require flat owners to physically let anyone in to the building. I am fine with this but I do not know where I stand legally in repairing the lock myself.

Is it not the owners of the individual flats to repairs things of this seriousness?

bris

Most blocks of flats like this in Scotland have no factor and it's up to the individual owners to arrange repairs and split the bill.


If you are having problems getting it repaired the council can help by getting a statutory noticed served on all the owners, but it depends really how the view this, the council may not agree that it is a safety issue.

Pixie5740

cr1mson wrote: »

When I lived in our Tenement one of the flat owners (no factor) used to arrange stuff like this and then send a bill to each individual flat. Strictly speaking shouldn't have done it this way but for small things no-one objected. Is there anyone in your building who would do this? Then you could forward bill to landlord.

One property I rented in Glasgow didn't have a factor but there was a monthly residents meeting where each flat in the block would send a representative to discuss repairs and maintenance. The essentially acted like their own factor and it sort of worked as every property was owner-occupier expect ours and out tight b*stard of a LL never contributed towards anything.

bris wrote: »

Most blocks of flats like this in Scotland have no factor and it's up to the individual owners to arrange repairs and split the bill.

What are you basing that on? All but one flat I lived in whilst in Glasgow had a factor. That said almost no flats in Aberdeen have factors and nobody is looking after the communal areas which is why I won't buy a flat here.

It's quite possible that not having a secure entrance to the block will invalidate certain insurance policies so perhaps that's an angle the OP could try.

jm2926

Ask your neighbours, especially if they own their flat as they will know what the arrangement is. Also write to your landlord asking for it to be fixed

cr1mson

G_M wrote: »

That person would need to redistribute keys to everyone as well.......

That depends on how lock is broken! As it is the main door it will no doubt be buzzer entry aswell as key. It may be that bit that is broken leaving door permanently open!