Should a landlord pay for a locksmith?
4 years ago | 44 comments
Broken front door key in lock?
2:25 PM, 27th October 2022, 3 years ago
12
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Hi Property 118, We wondered what your thoughts are.
We have recently let a property out to a nurse who doesn’t come from the UK. She’s a bit demanding even wanting her bins emptied and didn’t realise until she was told by the letting agents that she has to put them out for emptying.
So a few days after she moved in she broke the key in the front door of which it cost us £50, luckily the barrel wasn’t damaged so just a call out fee.
Can we charge this back to the tenant as it wasn’t our fault?
We think she is going to be a tenant that is going to complain every few days, as it is she complaining the radiators are getting hot, so an engineer needs to visit.
We can’t pop in as we live down south.
We were looking at selling this property after April, now we are going to.
Thanks,
Susan & Paul
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Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3514 - Articles: 5
6:47 PM, 27th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Who’s AST are you using yours or the agents?
It sounds like you have left the agent to it all so read it through yourself and make sure you know what yours and your tenants responsibilities are exactly.
Sometimes a tenants expectations need to be managed. If she has not rented before it maybe a case of it being a renting difference between countries – which is where the contract is key.
If anything the Agent should be managing all this (if you have a managed service) and be directing the tenant to the AST. Damages or callouts where the LL is not at fault are charged back to the tenant – just make sure the agent didn’t agree to pay for this on your behalf first.
Your agent may not be clear on their responsibilites either….
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
11:09 AM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Reply to the comment left by DSR at 27/10/2022 – 18:47
It’s only £50 don’t worry about it.
Member Since February 2020 - Comments: 194
11:54 AM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 28/10/2022 – 11:09
That £50 could be the tip of the iceberg and it could soon turn to an avalanche!
The OP needs to manage her tenant’s expectations and responsibilities better.
Member Since September 2022 - Comments: 149
12:00 PM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Long distance landlording …
Sounds like a nightmare,at the whim of the Tenant and management company ?
I would personally sell and if you really wanted , buy something closer you can manage yourself..
Or just sell up and enjoy the money ? ? depending on your age and outlook.
Member Since April 2021 - Comments: 120
1:16 PM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Maybe where she comes from bins are collected from wherever they are like in the old days (I remember when!!) so maybe she needs educating to the UK way which your agent “should” have done amongst other things like checking smoke alarms are working etc. I’ve also experienced foreign tenants thinking radiators are too hot. Maybe in their country they are less so. If the rads have thermostat valves, get her to turn them down, otherwise turn down the room/flat thermostat & again educate her.
With regards the £50, I’d go the carrot vs stick route & either you or the agent should explain that the cost by rights is down to her, but in this instance you’re prepared to either recover the cost from her deposit versus having her pay now, or waive it as a gesture of goodwill.
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
1:37 PM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Perhaps the key just broke, it’s rare but they do sometimes. May not be the tenants fault. Just saying.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 17
3:09 PM, 28th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Reply to the comment left by DSR at 27/10/2022 – 18:47
The LA came to us to tell us what had happened and did we want it sorted out which we said yes, we were on holiday at the time and since back my wife realised that the tenant should probably pay.
Member Since July 2020 - Comments: 16
8:59 AM, 29th October 2022, About 3 years ago
The £50.00 is cheap for a locksmith to come out, so your lucky so let it go but needs to be noted and she need to be informed that it is not a hotel and boundaries need to be set, the main problem is long distance, why did you do that?. sell bye nearer, or just sell
Member Since September 2014 - Comments: 30
9:32 AM, 29th October 2022, About 3 years ago
The key might have been an old key that just broke, and the agency should have had a copy of the key for this type of situation.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 17
10:07 AM, 29th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Reply to the comment left by treeman at 29/10/2022 – 08:59
We bought there as we already owned one in the same street, more rent to value but less growth, it’s served us well. We are downsizing our portfolio anyway so this one will be sold next year