Tenant called locksmith on bank holiday

JuanBallOfWimbledon

Probably would have been better to put all the info into the OP. It’s impossible for people to properly advise if they’re dealing with a post where initially it’s not an emergency because it’s in a safe cul-de-sac, then because there’s a bolt, then because there’s 2 bolts, then because the tenant has form for calling out emergency tradespeople, then because the tenant was happy it wasn’t an emergency but changed their tune when asked how it happened. 

However, if all of the above is true and accurate, the letter @canaldumidi suggested above sounds fair. 

lookstraightahead

missile said:

rahrah21 said:

Tranboy said:

But how much is the bill?

£426 which is a lot for a basic barrel change 

I would terminate tenant's contract at earliest opportunity

Like that's a good solution 🙄. A landlord isn't a tenants boss. They're not doing the tenant a favour. 

lookstraightahead

So op, did you organise for someone to come the next day then, or just say you would sort it out the next day? Maybe they thought it would take you a while. If you had given them the name of the locksmith that you were contacting that's one thing, but to leave things hanging because you wanted a nice bank holiday is not a perk a landlord gets. 

However, they can't withhold rent. 

tooldle

rahrah21 said:

Tranboy said:

But do you know for certain that is all it was?

the bulk of the charge is because the company was out of the area so most of it is call out charges. the barrel change was approx £40. hence my concern why T chose to go out of the area, and not even by a short distance. 70 miles or so. 

Maybe this was the closest available locksmith? We've only tried to get a locksmith out once. Our situation was 6.30pm on a weekday. We tried all the local companies without success. In our city the locksmiths tend to be one man businesses and if as happened with us, the locksmiths concerned are doing something else (in the pub watching our national side play in the Euros) options are limited.

GDB2222

Tranboy said:

missile said:

rahrah21 said:

Tranboy said:

But how much is the bill?

£426 which is a lot for a basic barrel change 

I would terminate tenant's contract at earliest opportunity

Would you be this mercanary with your mother in law?

Much more so!

GDB2222

tooldle said:

rahrah21 said:

Tranboy said:

But do you know for certain that is all it was?

the bulk of the charge is because the company was out of the area so most of it is call out charges. the barrel change was approx £40. hence my concern why T chose to go out of the area, and not even by a short distance. 70 miles or so. 

Maybe this was the closest available locksmith? We've only tried to get a locksmith out once. Our situation was 6.30pm on a weekday. We tried all the local companies without success. In our city the locksmiths tend to be one man businesses and if as happened with us, the locksmiths concerned are doing something else (in the pub watching our national side play in the Euros) options are limited.

You don’t need a locksmith. Any handyman can do that job in five minutes. Anyone with a screwdriver can do it. Undo one screw. Take the old lock barrel out. Put the new one in. Do the screw up.  The lock barrel costs a few £££.

£426 for that job is just plain ridiculous. 

It’s an uneasy relationship between LL and T, but it’s best to try to get on. An incident like this makes both parties unhappy, so it’s best if the T leaves and finds somewhere else to live.

aoleks

I’m not exqctly sure what you’re expecting here, OP, you’re clearly wrong on this one. Where the property is located ia conpletely irrelevant, I must be able to lock the door at all times. That was an emergency, whatever you think, and the bank holiday has nothing to do with it…

GDB2222

aoleks said:

I’m not exqctly sure what you’re expecting here, OP, you’re clearly wrong on this one. Where the property is located ia conpletely irrelevant, I must be able to lock the door at all times. That was an emergency, whatever you think, and the bank holiday has nothing to do with it…

The tenant was able to bolt the door. Why is that insufficient?

canaldumidi

canaldumidi said:

Letter politely explaining

* not an emergency as door could be secured overnight with bolts, and alternative exit/entry available

* LL had offered repair in reasonable timescale - next working day

* LL had explicitly not authorised emergency repair - tenant made unilateral decision so is responsible for related costs. (Tenants cannot just employ contractors at LL's expense......)

* tenant has not established if repair was necesitated due to wear and tear, or tenant damage

* even if it had been an emergency, unreasonable to employ a locksmith 70 miles away

Consequently LL rejects T's request for reimbursement..

If T accepts this, all well and good lessons learned all round.

If T disputes this, and continues to claim money and/or deducts from rent, S21 Notice followed by deposit dispute when tenancy (eventually) ends.

On reflection, if tenant deducts from rent, S21 AND S8 for rent arrears. Relationship is broke and further problems will arise if T stays.

Keep records in case this ends up at arbitration or court: Text/emails etc to/from tenant. Verbatum notes (if texts deleted) with who said what, when etc (why do the police make notes torefer to in court....?) especially relating to you not agreeing its emergency requiring immediate callout AND promising to arrange a locksmith next day.

Keep copies of all future communication. If by phone, make notes.

Tranboy

GDB2222 said:

Tranboy said:

missile said:

rahrah21 said:

Tranboy said:

But how much is the bill?

£426 which is a lot for a basic barrel change 

I would terminate tenant's contract at earliest opportunity

Would you be this mercanary with your mother in law?

Much more so!

Even after she let you buy her council house cheap under the right to buy scheme? Kerching....