Tenants changed the lock. Who pays?

amalis

so landlor, who paid for insurance to cover emergencies and who actually has 24/7 emergency insurance number on the phone should be paying ridiculous money for an insured repair?

fairy_lights

amalis wrote: »

so landlor, who paid for insurance to cover emergencies and who actually has 24/7 emergency insurance number on the phone should be paying ridiculous money for an insured repair?

Have you asked the tenant why they didn't contact you first? If they didn't have your number then I don't see what alternative they would have had.

amalis

fairy_lights wrote: »

Have you asked the tenant why they didn't contact you first? If they didn't have your number then I don't see what alternative they would have had.

I now remember I asked them to store the insurance emergency number and arranged for htem to have rights to call by themselves. If they did not do it , is it really my fault?

Smodlet

amalis wrote: »

so landlor, who paid for insurance to cover emergencies and who actually has 24/7 emergency insurance number on the phone should be paying ridiculous money for an insured repair?

Yes, if landlord did not provide tenants with insurance company's emergency locksmith number. Take it up with your insurer if you are unhappy and perhaps consider changing to an insurer with less restrictive terms. It is hardly your tenants' fault you took out insurance which does not cover work done by anyone not on their approved list.

ETA: Cross posted so did not see above note re insurer's locksmith's number. If you did not remember the terms of your insurance policy, is it reasonable to expect your tenants to do so?

amalis

Smodlet wrote: »

Yes, if landlord did not provide tenants with insurance company's emergency locksmith number. Take it up with your insurer if you are unhappy and perhaps consider changing to an insurer with less restrictive terms. It is hardly your tenants' fault you took out insurance which does not cover work done by anyone not on their approved list.

ETA: Cross posted so did not see above note re insurer's locksmith's number. If you did not remember the terms of your insurance policy, is it reasonable to expect your tenants to do so?

I did not have to look for insurance documents, I called my insurer this morning to find out, same what I would do have they called me when locked out

Smodlet

amalis wrote: »

I did not have to look for insurance documents, I called my insurer this morning to find out, same what I would do have they called me when locked out

So, by your own admission, you were not aware of this restriction yet you expect your tenants to be? Seems a little unreasonable though I do understand, from your point of view, it would have been much better had the tenants called you first.

They may have been afraid of waking you; might even have thought it better not to disturb you. Perhaps a conversation with them to ensure there is not a recurrence of this kind could be in order, during which you could explain the situation from your perspective and come to some arrangement to share the cost.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I am sure you will make it clear to any other and future tenants the procedure you expect them to follow in such a situation. You could even make it part of any future tenancy agreement (including all relevant phone numbers) then you would have redress.

Red-Squirrel_2

amalis wrote: »

I am very upset now. Checked my Home emergency insurance and the lock changes are covered. Emergency call outs are also insured. So, have the tenants called me before I would have called the insurance company and it would have coasted me gbp50 only. Girls were also informed about the insurance and I sent ther a copy of the document.
The insurance company will not reimburse now for work done by anyone else

You've only remembered this days later, bit much to expect them to have remembered this when they were locked out in the most extreme weather we've had for decades!

Pay up, let it go, move on.

(It would have COST £50, coasted means something different, fyi.)

Smodlet

I get the impression English is not the OP's first language, RS, and I am so not having a dig at you. Many posts on these boards are very difficult to read, most of them from those for whom English is their first language, I find.

Apologies if this is not the case, OP.

AdrianC

Smodlet wrote: »

I get the impression English is not the OP's first language, RS, and I am so not having a dig at you. Many posts on these boards are very difficult to read, most of them from those for whom English is their first language, I find.

Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't.

To my mind, excusing second language skills is a lot easier when we're talking about a consumer or tenant than when we're talking about somebody who is running a business in this country.

ACG

Why not get a couple of quotes yourself and then pay them that? And advise them in future to call you about problems - it will be a bit of a lesson for them at the same time.

But I have been a landlord and had 2 tenants, both were a nightmare so you could suck it up. Added to the fact, you can bang it through the books and save some money on your tax bill.