6 months Assured Shorthold Tenancy - Changing locks....

mrmagoo38

Ryan_Holden said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Comparing it with lighting a fire in the living room is ridiculous and unnecessary.

"if my tenant changed the locks I'd serve them notice" - Another landlord that thinks they are god.  

It's completely valid, it's an extreme example of course, but it is to show that the tenancy agreement does not have to detail everything that you are not allowed to do in or to the property. 

I don't think I'm God, what a breathtakingly entitled thing to say.

It's not the tenant's property so why is there an assumption they have an automatic right to make modifications (that will affect the landlords liability) without permission?

A landlord has a right to protect themselves and their asset.

Example: The tenant goes away for the week, it's a flat, there's a water leak reported by an adjacent neighbour. The landlord or their contractor uses their key to gain emergency access to stop further damage to their property and the neighbours property only to find they can't get in because the locks have been changed.

The landlord can't break down the door and as a result has to call a locksmith. In the meantime the water makes it's way to the neighbours property and ruins the cieling when it could have been stopped.

Who is going to pay for that damage? I doubt the tenant is likely to say "Hey, let me take a share of that because I impeded your ability to serve your duty of care".

I agree with what you're saying. But safeguarding my child is more important to me than caring about the landlords asset. If we go to extremes. I will probably not change the locks, out of respect for the landlords asset. But we need a solid and safe measure to ensure that nobody can enter when im asleep. A flimsy chain on the inside is not very reassuring. I want to know that NOBODY can enter this property when i and my child are asleep, NOBODY, including the landlord.
I dont know who the landlord is, their motivations, their proclivities etc.
Why are people protecting the landlord?
So, renting a property means that a landlord can (potentially) enter this property, silently, whenever they want????
How is that protecting people???
I might as well rent out a tent.
Oh and, safety concerns regarding emergency entry by firefighters and police is silly. They can easily smash windows.
Im also, a naturally deep sleeper, which compounds the anxiety.

MultiFuelBurner

Robbo66 said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

35har1old said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

mrmagoo38 said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

If you only see this as a temporary 6 month let then yes change the locks. Doesn't matter if you fall out with the LL

If you want to stay longer just use bolts for when you are there no point having a situation where you have to explain you have changed the locks 

Dont bolts require drilling into the door?
Im not sure im allowed to do that...

That's why I said you will have to make them good. When you leave.

Making good a door could prove expensive

Is filling 6 small holes for a bolt and a coat of lightly rollered white (probably gloss white if a new build on the inside expensive) £10 all in expensive.

As the majority of new build doors are now either composite/upvc double glazed then yes could prove expensive to rectify any drilled holes

UPVC on a new build...ewwww really

Most at metal and wood filled and painted with a roller easy.

Comments aside leave the bolts for the next person.

MultiFuelBurner

mrmagoo38 said:

Ryan_Holden said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Comparing it with lighting a fire in the living room is ridiculous and unnecessary.

"if my tenant changed the locks I'd serve them notice" - Another landlord that thinks they are god.  

It's completely valid, it's an extreme example of course, but it is to show that the tenancy agreement does not have to detail everything that you are not allowed to do in or to the property. 

I don't think I'm God, what a breathtakingly entitled thing to say.

It's not the tenant's property so why is there an assumption they have an automatic right to make modifications (that will affect the landlords liability) without permission?

A landlord has a right to protect themselves and their asset.

Example: The tenant goes away for the week, it's a flat, there's a water leak reported by an adjacent neighbour. The landlord or their contractor uses their key to gain emergency access to stop further damage to their property and the neighbours property only to find they can't get in because the locks have been changed.

The landlord can't break down the door and as a result has to call a locksmith. In the meantime the water makes it's way to the neighbours property and ruins the cieling when it could have been stopped.

Who is going to pay for that damage? I doubt the tenant is likely to say "Hey, let me take a share of that because I impeded your ability to serve your duty of care".

I agree with what you're saying. But safeguarding my child is more important to me than caring about the landlords asset. If we go to extremes. I will probably not change the locks, out of respect for the landlords asset. But we need a solid and safe measure to ensure that nobody can enter when im asleep. A flimsy chain on the inside is not very reassuring. I want to know that NOBODY can enter this property when i and my child are asleep, NOBODY, including the landlord.
I dont know who the landlord is, their motivations, their proclivities etc.
Why are people protecting the landlord?
So, renting a property means that a landlord can (potentially) enter this property, silently, whenever they want????
How is that protecting people???
I might as well rent out a tent.
Oh and, safety concerns regarding emergency entry by firefighters and police is silly. They can easily smash windows.

Have you heard bad things about LL's or had a bad experience to make you this concerned.

Please note I advocate you putting your own door bolts on so I am not saying do nothing.

mrmagoo38

I dont care (that much) if the LL enters when we are out. Its paranoia when im sleeping. Nothing about the LL raises that much suspicion, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

mrmagoo38

I still like my plank of wood idea, lol.

mrmagoo38

Im doing the wood thing guys. The plank will be a solid 2x4 which needs to be about 5ft long.
Going from the bottom stair to the door.
Thanks for all your comments, enjoy the summer.

Ryan_Holden

tmrmagoo38 said:

I agree with what you're saying. But safeguarding my child is more important to me than caring about the landlords asset. If we go to extremes. I will probably not change the locks, out of respect for the landlords asset. But we need a solid and safe measure to ensure that nobody can enter when im asleep. A flimsy chain on the inside is not very reassuring. I want to know that NOBODY can enter this property when i and my child are asleep, NOBODY, including the landlord.
I dont know who the landlord is, their motivations, their proclivities etc.
Why are people protecting the landlord?
So, renting a property means that a landlord can (potentially) enter this property, silently, whenever they want????
How is that protecting people???
I might as well rent out a tent.
Oh and, safety concerns regarding emergency entry by firefighters and police is silly. They can easily smash windows.
Im also, a naturally deep sleeper, which compounds the anxiety.

Has your landlord ever tried to access the property inappropriately or done anything to justify this 'concern' that you have? 

Edit - just seen that you've said you've no reason to think this landlord would ever do this. So yeah, you are being paranoid and I'm afraid IMO that's very much your problem, not the landlords.

You have the right to 'quiet enjoyment' of the property but you don't automatically have the right to exclude the landlord from having emergency access.

Your best bet is to call your landlord and ask if you can change the locks. They may say yes. They may say no. If they say no, you have to accept that.

Or move.

mrmagoo38

Ryan_Holden said:

tmrmagoo38 said:

I agree with what you're saying. But safeguarding my child is more important to me than caring about the landlords asset. If we go to extremes. I will probably not change the locks, out of respect for the landlords asset. But we need a solid and safe measure to ensure that nobody can enter when im asleep. A flimsy chain on the inside is not very reassuring. I want to know that NOBODY can enter this property when i and my child are asleep, NOBODY, including the landlord.
I dont know who the landlord is, their motivations, their proclivities etc.
Why are people protecting the landlord?
So, renting a property means that a landlord can (potentially) enter this property, silently, whenever they want????
How is that protecting people???
I might as well rent out a tent.
Oh and, safety concerns regarding emergency entry by firefighters and police is silly. They can easily smash windows.
Im also, a naturally deep sleeper, which compounds the anxiety.

Has your landlord ever tried to access the property inappropriately or done anything to justify this 'concern' that you have? 

Edit - just seen that you've said you've no reason to think this landlord would ever do this. So yeah, you are being paranoid and I'm afraid IMO that's very much your problem, not the landlords.

You have the right to 'quiet enjoyment' of the property but you don't automatically have the right to exclude the landlord from having emergency access.

Your best bet is to call your landlord and ask if you can change the locks. They may say yes. They may say no. If they say no, you have to accept that.

Or move.

No, sorry. I wont be accepting anything. There will be a solid plank of wood between the bottom stair and the door when i am sleeping. Have a nice day. Enjoy the summer.

Ryan_Holden

mrmagoo38 said:

Ryan_Holden 

No, sorry. I wont be accepting anything. There will be a solid plank of wood between the bottom stair and the door when i am sleeping. Have a nice day. Enjoy the summer.

And while to me that seems mad, that plan is absolutely fine to do and if it brings you peace of mind, it's great.

You wouldn't be in breach of any tenancy agreement doing that so happy days.

But you asked if you could change the locks, and you can't, unless you get their permission. And if you ask and they say no then that's your answer that you have to live with. 

user1977

Ryan_Holden said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Comparing it with lighting a fire in the living room is ridiculous and unnecessary.

"if my tenant changed the locks I'd serve them notice" - Another landlord that thinks they are god.  

It's completely valid, it's an extreme example of course, but it is to show that the tenancy agreement does not have to detail everything that you are not allowed to do in or to the property. 

I don't think I'm God, what a breathtakingly entitled thing to say.

It's not the tenant's property so why is there an assumption they have an automatic right to make modifications (that will affect the landlords liability) without permission?

A landlord has a right to protect themselves and their asset.

Example: The tenant goes away for the week, it's a flat, there's a water leak reported by an adjacent neighbour. The landlord or their contractor uses their key to gain emergency access to stop further damage to their property and the neighbours property only to find they can't get in because the locks have been changed.

The landlord can't break down the door and as a result has to call a locksmith.

Why can't they break down the door? Why hasn't the neighbour already kicked the door in or got a locksmith round? There is no general requirement for landlords to hold keys. Landlords of commercial properties may have similar concerns but hardly ever are permitted to hold keys.