Communal door left on latch

AliceBanned

Hello

I live in a block of six flats. Recently some new tenants moved in and someone keeps leaving the main security door (with entrance phone to each flat doh so totally unnecessary) on the latch so that anyone can enter the building. Worse than this, either deliberately or not it has been broken so that it can't be taken off the latch and I reported an emergency repair (after the following incident).

The other night at 8pm a man was standing outside my flat knocking quite aggressively on the door. As I live alone I didn't respond - I think it may have been a delivery for someone else or someone pretending to be delivering, as nothing has appeared since and I wasn't expecting any delivery. At that time of night there is no way I would speak through the door with the chain or or respond at all as I felt quite vulnerable, especially as he was knocking for so long and so aggressively. There is a spyhole in my door so he didn't know that I could see him but I didn't recognise him and he seemed determined to get an answer. My TV was on and he could probably hear it.

At this point I got more annoyed at the main door being left on the latch. Why would anyone do this?! It is ridiculous. I happen to have met the couple of who moved in recently and I am sure they mentioned that they only have one key between them. I have emailed their lettings agent but not heard back. I also reported that the door needed repairing as it looks like whoever tampered with it made it so that no one could take it off the latch. The housing assoc that owns the block/freehold sent someone round to fix it but the next day someone yet again put it on the latch. I took it off the latch and have previously left a note on the door saying please stop doing this as some people are vulnerable etc and anyone could come in, break into post boxes etc.

I think this idiot will just keep doing it. The housing assoc said whoever is doing it is breaching the lease and could be evicted. They said if it continued they would put in CCTV to catch them but I find it hard to believe this would happen soon, if at all. Maybe it will but it would be much simpler if I could somehow stop this person doing it or get their landlord (it is buy-to-let as most of the flats are) to tell them they have to stop.

Any advice? I genuinely felt scared that night someone was banging on my door but generally feel very safe there. Especially if the outside door is locked.

It is awful thinking when I go away for a few days I have no idea how secure the building is.

TBagpuss

You mention that you have put a note on the door, I think I would put a note through the door of each individual flat.

In the note, ask that people do not leave the door on the latch, that there was an incident recently with an unauthorised person coming itno the comunal area and causing a disturbance and that it is a breach of the tenancy agrement to leave the door in this way, and could also be a security issue.

In the ean tim, report it to the HA each time you find it on the latch, and ask them, in writing, to follow up on their previous advice and install cctv

AliceBanned

TBagpuss wrote: »

You mention that you have put a note on the door, I think I would put a note through the door of each individual flat.

In the note, ask that people do not leave the door on the latch, that there was an incident recently with an unauthorised person coming itno the comunal area and causing a disturbance and that it is a breach of the tenancy agrement to leave the door in this way, and could also be a security issue.

In the ean tim, report it to the HA each time you find it on the latch, and ask them, in writing, to follow up on their previous advice and install cctv

Thanks TBagpuss, very helpful. Will update on thread if this continues.

lstar337

Don't think you can do any more than TBagpuss has already said. Very annoying when people do this type of thing to satisfy their own selfish needs.

If the neighbours only have 1 key then they need to ask their LA for another or go and get one cut.