Make the Seller Pay for Lock Change?

Alarae

We have just moved in to the property and the Seller has neglected to leave the patio door key. They have admitted to accidentally packing this, and said they would post it on. Unfortunately the key they have posted is not the right key (no idea what it is!) so we are still stuck. It's probably lost in their move so no idea if they will actually find it again.

We wouldn't mind except we have to get our sofa in through the patio and it's currently stuck in the garage as we have no way of getting it in!

A locksmith has quoted approximately £125 to open the door and change the lock. Is it possible to make the Seller pay?

I know a lot of stuff is buyer beware, but the patio doors do work other than the fact the Seller has taken the key. Obviously we will pay if needs be as we need to get access regardless, but surely all keys should have been provided?

kuratowski

I don't see how you can force them to pay... you're not going to go to court for the sake of £125!! Just pay up. And I doubt this will be the last thing you find around the house that you have to pay to fix.

Alarae

I understand that. I doubt it would be hard to do a small claims for the money, but it's whether we had any right to all the keys on completion would be the point.

I'll probably call the agent and discuss it with them. She has been a lovely seller so may offer to pay anyway, but if not it's something we will have to take on the chin I suppose!

G_M

Oh for goodness sake. Just get on with your life. This is not worth the agro!

HampshireH

Sounds like a genuine mistake. I would just be grateful she has been a lovely seller and get on it I think

Marvel1

I would change the locks anyway on all the doors .

Silvertabby

You should have changed all of the locks as soon as you moved in.

You have no idea how many 'spare' keys there are out there.

00ec25

cjdavies wrote: »

I would change the locks anyway on all the doors .

and this is precisely the response I would give you if I had sold a property to you and you tried to lumber me with a locksmith's bill.

why not look upon it as an opportunity for you to master a key basic DIY skills and learn how to change a lock yourself anyway given you now own a house and that kinda comes with the territory - try You Tube for example....

HampshireH

I am guessing they arent asking for a lock change. They don't have a key.

Its the gain access which will cost - having the last lock snapped is not as easy as just changing the barrel yourself.

jonnygee2

I would change the locks anyway on all the doors .

How can you change a lock when you can't open the door?

Alarae

I'm certainly not being pedantic about it! Obviously we are going to change the lock but as another poster mentioned it is gaining the access in the first place which is the problem, we could change the locks ourselves if we already had a key.

I wasn't implying I wanted her to pay for us to change the locks regardless, just if the fact she hasn't provided full access was a point.

This forum is always a wealth of knowledge and experience which I appreciate, which is why I posed the question. The rather flippant tone on some posts wasn't really asked for though.