My rights and H&S re the communal front door in a tenanted building?

bouicca21

Others will know better but I think the landlord is required to conduct a health and safety inspection. Maybe you should ask whether it has ever been done?

Fire_Fox

good_tenant36 wrote: »

I rent a 1 bed flat in the private rental sector, it's a FIRST FLOOR flat in central London. I'm on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement.

Currently to open the main front door from inside I have to turn a brass dead-bolt knob two times anti-clockwise and a second separate lock once anti-clockwise! Am I entitled to ask the elderly gentleman to stop bolting the front door and only use the single slip lock? Are the two locks he currently uses illegal - at least from a fire safety perspective? There are no other exits nor any fire escapes in the building except the main communal front door! I'm the only tenant in this 5 storey building except the old boy downstairs. The rest are untenanted flats.

Any advise greatly appreciated. Thanks.

good_tenant36 wrote: »

Thanks for looking at my post.

I assume he has all the locks and bolts because up until I moved in a year ago the old boy lived here all alone. This huge house was once all his own, then apparently he sold it quite recently to his son who lives mostly in Europe (to avoid death taxes later I imagine). It's a 5 storey house, he's in his late 80's and very frail, I assumed he was scared living alone and overly security conscious.

The old guy seems to imagine the property is still all his and still exclusively his private residence. Living on his own in his late 80's he can be forgiven for living in the past somewhat but not at the expense of my Rights as a tenant.

When was the building converted to flats? Is this definitely a legal conversion?

Agree with contacting the Fire Service. Also check Planning on your local council website.

martinthebandit

Your rights?

Really?

Invite the old boy up to yours, give him tea and cake and politely explain your problem, discuss it with him and hopefully come to a solution you are both happy with.

Because if it was my Dad and it came down to a choice of making him unhappy or my tenant I know which I would pick

System

Your rights? Really?

Invite the old boy up to yours, give him tea and cake and politely explain your problem, discuss it with him and hopefully come to a solution you are both happy with.

Because if it was my Dad and it came down to a choice of making him unhappy or my tenant I know which I would pick
- - - -

I'm not sure what you mean by... Your rights? Really?...

Thankfully these days Tenants have legal rights which are protected by law. A landlord can't evict a tenant mid term because his dad isn't happy. My legal rights as a tenant are still valid and enforceable regardless of whether the elderly guy is my landlords dad or not. I have a 12 month Tenancy Agreement so any attempt by the landlord at an impromptu eviction would result in me taking him to court.

All I want to know is whether I actually have any legal rights regarding the double locking of the communal front door as the double locking prevents my intercom from working.

.

TonyMMM

Just try talking to him ......no need for all the "my legal rights " stuff at this stage, that's just going to immediately make things confrontational.

csgohan4

good_tenant36 wrote: »

Your rights? Really?

Invite the old boy up to yours, give him tea and cake and politely explain your problem, discuss it with him and hopefully come to a solution you are both happy with.

Because if it was my Dad and it came down to a choice of making him unhappy or my tenant I know which I would pick
- - - -

I'm not sure what you mean by... Your rights? Really?...

Thankfully these days Tenants have legal rights which are protected by law. A landlord can't evict a tenant mid term because his dad isn't happy. My legal rights as a tenant are still valid and enforceable regardless of whether the elderly guy is my landlords dad or not. I have a 12 month Tenancy Agreement so any attempt by the landlord at an impromptu eviction would result in me taking him to court.

All I want to know is whether I actually have any legal rights regarding the double locking of the communal front door as the double locking prevents my intercom from working.

.

Nope, all it does is inconveniences you and not prevent access for you, as others have said, have you discussed with your neighbor or your LL failing the primary?


Nothing stopping you finding somewhere else where the door is more to your liking when your contract finishes

markin

"Accidentally" snap your key in it, on the inside?

martinthebandit

good_tenant36 wrote: »

Your rights? Really?

Invite the old boy up to yours, give him tea and cake and politely explain your problem, discuss it with him and hopefully come to a solution you are both happy with.

Because if it was my Dad and it came down to a choice of making him unhappy or my tenant I know which I would pick
- - - -

I'm not sure what you mean by... Your rights? Really?...

Thankfully these days Tenants have legal rights which are protected by law. A landlord can't evict a tenant mid term because his dad isn't happy. My legal rights as a tenant are still valid and enforceable regardless of whether the elderly guy is my landlords dad or not. I have a 12 month Tenancy Agreement so any attempt by the landlord at an impromptu eviction would result in me taking him to court.

All I want to know is whether I actually have any legal rights regarding the double locking of the communal front door as the double locking prevents my intercom from working.

.

You missed my point, I wasn't talking about you being evicted I was suggesting that going in blathering on about 'rights' and such like is only going to end with you not getting what you want.

Tea, cake and polite conversation just might do though.