Seriously SCARY situation

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

I have never changed a lock in 20 years and a number of house moves. My parents never changed a lock either. I don't deny it makes sense to but people who are "horrified" by the fact that people don't do it immediately need to get out more.

Rileybaby

G_M wrote: »

I hesitate to seem unsympathetic, but.... surely you can make a few common sense decisions in life by yourselves? Do you have to be advised everything?

As for your friends - I don't know an can't answer your questtion.

I love in my 3rd home and have never changed my locks until I've changed doors / windows etc! So OP don't beat yourself up xx

[Deleted User]

I am a natural cynical saddo so I've always changed locks pretty quickly after moving in, thinking that you don't know who the previous residents gave keys to. And perfectly prepared to accept that its overkill.., but I've always known there wasn't a chance of anyone unexpected walking in unless I left the door open.

But it does sound a bit strange that someone would separate for 3 years, go away for 18 months and just expect to be able to walk into a house they used to live in. I suspect there is a lot more to the story than you have been told. But you've changed the locks and will be able to pursue this through your solicitor from Monday. Don't panic until you've been told there is reason to.., and it sounds like you won't have reason to. The vendor may have. But that's not your concern.

Riggyman

bob_bank_spanker wrote: »

I'm sure the OP has enough on their plate without your needless input that doesn't actually help. Your point has already been made a number of times in this thread.

You Sir, are a Clown

BlessedNotStressed

It's all very well banging on about changing the locks but this man was aggressive, angry & virtually treated us like squatters! He was pretty big built, so I'm sure he'd have absolutely no problems kicking the door down!

Muttleythefrog

VintageHistorian wrote: »

Just because it's something everyone in this forum would do, doesn't mean the wider world does it.

Indeed... just happened to see this thread and read out of interest... I'll get to the latest posts in a minute but I used to work at a law firm where 50% of the business was conveyancing and I never heard anyone including myself (as a client) advised to change locks. Ultimately I did myself after buying but that was because promised keys were not surrendered. So I suspect you might be right and that what sounds standard here in this forum may not be out there across the land... not sure. Anyway I'll read on... interesting case..

ETA. With any luck op you'll get good communication with your conveyancer and they'll be able to put your mind at rest along the line suggested here. The theory proposed by some here sounds most likely eh... let us know what you learn. In the meantime whilst changing locks should he turn up you might have to call police on grounds he's threatening to enter your house or something... whatever it perhaps takes for them to realise you're not considering it a civil matter that they may try to pass it off as.

moneyistooshorttomention

VintageHistorian wrote: »

To be fair to the OP, I don't think we would have prioritised changing the locks were it not for this forum. It would have been on the list of "things to do in the first year", but not for the first evening. I mentioned it to quite a lot of friends and colleagues and most were very surprised we had it as the first thing to do, several said they'd never changed the locks at all. Just because it's something everyone in this forum would do, doesn't mean the wider world does it.

There are people that don't automatically change locks on moving. I recently went to stay with a friend that had moved house since last time I stayed with her. She'd had that new house for literally months - and then I discovered she'd not changed the locks yet and wasnt planning to. She is in her 60s too:eek: - ie I thought she would have learnt to do so years ago. She has done so now:cool: - which may be connected to my comment that I'd be locking myself in my bedroom at night until she does so and refusal to leave my handbag there in her house if I go out....

It can take some people years before the penny drops that one changes the locks instantly on moving house. Mine were changed literally the day I moved in here (which was a great relief when it became clear that the neighbours were acting like they owned the garden part of my property....just in case their misplaced feelings of "entitlement" extended rather and I'd found them walking round my house too....).

NeilCr

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

There are people that don't automatically change locks on moving. I recently went to stay with a friend that had moved house since last time I stayed with her. She'd had that new house for literally months - and then I discovered she'd not changed the locks yet and wasnt planning to. She is in her 60s too:eek: - ie I thought she would have learnt to do so years ago. She has done so now:cool: - which may be connected to my comment that I'd be locking myself in my bedroom at night until she does so and refusal to leave my handbag there in her house if I go out....

It can take some people years before the penny drops that one changes the locks instantly on moving house. Mine were changed literally the day I moved in here (which was a great relief when it became clear that the neighbours were acting like they owned the garden part of my property....just in case their misplaced feelings of "entitlement" extended rather.....).

No. Just don't agree.

I know loads of people who have moved (including three "serial" movers and me, twice) and not one of them has changed the locks. And not one of them has had any problems. Afaik the country isn't awash with people having issues with previous owners/next door neighbours/exes walking through the door with an unhanded over key

I can see why you might but it would be interesting to see any statistics to show why you must

AnotherJoe

Getting back to the fundamentals here, I'm somewhat surprised by the comments that as long as the LR entry is In the OPs names that they are OK.

Because that implies that if someone forges sale documents to your house and manages to sells it and get the LR entry changed as a result, tough luck you've lost it !

moneyistooshorttomention

True. This does go both ways indeed. There is the possibility that this man is the legitimate part-owner of the house and, from his pov, one can see how he would be feeling at not being able to access a house that is still part his (in actual fact if not legally iyswim).