Floor Fitter has failed to Return keys to my Flat

mtedd

My flat is one of 8 flats in a 3 storey building. The floor fitter was given a key to access the building and a key to get into my flat to undertake work. The flat is being renovated and I currently do not live there and actually live 4 hours away in a different County. He completed the work 24/11/23 and he was paid in full. On 27/11/23 he agreed that he’d return to do bits of ‘snagging’. He said he’d get back in touch with some dates. once this work was done I was going to then ask for my key back. Despite myself and my husband contacting him since Jan (up to and including today) he has failed to return to undertake the remedial work and has also failed to return the keys (I have specifically now asked for the keys back). He doesn’t respond to txt messages and once he recognises a phone number he fails to answer. My main concern is the overall security of the building and the other residents’ flats. If it was just a matter of changing my own lock I’d do it. But I’m concerned about the potential expense of changing the lock on the main front door access point which is connected to a ‘buzz and enter’ system. Should I now go to the Police (though I’m not sure as to what criminal offence has been committed)? I am very stressed and upset by this. Advice would be welcome.

marcia_

 I don't think you can go to the police because he hasn't stolen your keys as you gave them to him. 

 Get a couple of quotes to replace the lock if it's an expensive job. Change your own front door yourself asap. Look on YouTube if you
need instructions. 

Ganga

Call him on a different phone that he does not know and when he answers ask him to return your keys.

bluelad1927

Are the other flat owners aware that someone else has had a key for the last four months. I certainly wouldn't be happy

I think this is now down to you to bite the bullet and get the main entrance locks changed.

Could you be deemed as negligent by insurance allowing an unresolved matter go on for so long?

HampshireH

Have you actually checked your flat since?

Social media does wonders sometimes in getting responses from people.

ThisIsWeird

8 flats? You can bet that there's dozens of sets of keys for these flats flying about, quite legitimately. For each copy of a flat door key given to a friend or family member, there will also be a front door copy. This is unavoidable. If someone lets themselves in the front door, it'll be nigh on impossible to work out where the key came from. I hope that reassures you.
And, if this fitter was dodge, then all he'd have to do is have a copy made before handing back the original.
In practice, there is little you can do, other than safeguard your own flat by changing your own door lock.
Looks like you need to apply some pressure on this guy. If the snags are legitimate (would you like to give us some examples, please), then a letter-before-action may be on the cards. This will need delivering in a recordable way, recorded delivery, email, WhatsApp, via Facebook messages - all of these, I think, show a 'received' confirmation.
The letter should give a date by which you expect all the snagging to have been carried out (list them), and the keys returned. Failing to do so will have you employing someone else to sort the snags, and replace your flat's lock. You will then sue him for the total cost.
'Possibly' you could also threaten to inform the Freeholder that a tradesperson has a building entrance key, with the potential that they may pursue him for these costs too, but I'd tread very carefully before involving anyone else, or telling folk you've given someone a set of keys... Find out the consequences of this first.

GDB2222

I gave some keys to a gas fitter, whom I regard as completely trustworthy. Even so, it took weeks of begging to get the keys back. He was just busy with other things, and I only got them back when I complained to his wife. 

With your floor fitter, the chances are that he has lost the keys- maybe they are in a pile of keys in his van and he doesn’t know which ones Are yours- and he’s too embarrassed to admit it. Plus, you have paid him and want him to go back and do remedial work for nothing. 

Leave him a terrible review on Google and forget about him.