A "stranger" has a key to my house. Martin and Co don't care.

[Lokai]

By law, am I not supposed to receive a letter, text, phone call, or something to say they will be coming to my property? Rather than just randomly letting themselves in?

Yep they are 100% supposed to give you notice. You would think if someone was going rob you they would have done first time.

Agency aren't been very helpful I would get the locks changed. Worst case scenario the agency won't cough up, small price to pay in my opinion.

 

[Derek W]

 

[Destination]

What type of locks do you have on the front door?
Is a cylindrical barrel?
If so just replace it.
Do so now.

You have to provide a copy of the key.
In your sitautaion, I would be very concerned someone popped over with a key, to check contents, then might pop back later with a van and clear the whole house out.

Take action now, do not wait.

If not, might have been the landlord checking the property, this is fine, but it is illegal. Should not have entered without your permission and a prior arrangment. In this case, I would change the locks, wait for him to try again, he will complain he can't get in, you then ask about his previous illegal entry.

Thirdly, from a crime pov, assuming no one knows who entered.
Ask burnsy if you should be making a police report about this.
I would have assumed yes, from a crime prevention aspect.

 

[adolf hamster]

Change the lock, if you then get a complaint from the landlord out of the blue about it then you can come back with "you should have given me notice you were coming", and if it isn't the landlord snooping then that'll stop them just walking in.

There's the potential of a court claim (with a decent defence/mitigation) versus the cost of having all your stuff nicked.

 

[rebel rebel]

I probably could get someone to do it, but is that my responsibility? And am I allowed to change locks myself on a rented property? And can I charge it to the agency?

Are locks changed before a new tenant moves in? Could the previous tenant still have access to the property if they have cut a key?

Locks are rarely changed before new tenants move in, and if you change the locks you're meant to notify and give the lettings agents the new key. But if you're worried and don't trust the agency, I'd change the lock yourself and not tell them.

 

[agnes]

Not sure if you remember, but I created a post a while back where a psycho neighbour told me she had a key. She has since moved out but I never took the risk. I changed the locks and gave my landlord a key and explained why I had done this. No problems.

 

[MadMouse101]

Get the locks change,

Try placing a bit of hair over the top edge of the door so you can just see it and if it is not there when you get back you need someone been in.

 

[fiveub]

The front and back door locks look similar to this:



And I know someone has definitely entered the front door, due to the way the front door was locked. It wasn't locked how I usually lock it.

 

[Monkeynut]

Wait for them to enter and use your rape face.

 

[fiveub]

Wait for them to enter and use your rape face.

That'll clear em off!

 

[dowie]

Within 2 days, they should have an explanation, or some resolution at least.

I am sure this is something the Police would get involved in, but I'd rather it just be resolved via the agency, but that maybe the route to take if they don't care. - At this point they don't seem to care, I will call them tomorrow more firmly expressing my concerns, and will ask about the locks too. Even if they refuse to put me through to management.

why not tell them that - you're going to have to call the police and report it and you're going to have to change the locks as you're going to have some issues with insurance if someone else has a key... they're denying accessing it so if you're taking that denial at face value you have to conclude someone else has a key (previous tenant) ergo the locks have to be changed

 

[Destination]

Okay very easily changed, with door open, undo screw on the side of the door.
Insert key, rotate thru thirty degrees, pull key out with cylinder in it.
Stick in new cylinder, and rotate and then replace screw.

It'll take all of three minutes.
Buy a couple if cylinders and replace for your own peace of mind, get antibump or whatever for secuirty.

 

[fiveub]

why not tell them that - you're going to have to call the police and report it and you're going to have to change the locks as you're going to have some issues with insurance if someone else has a key... they're denying accessing it so if you're taking that denial at face value you have to conclude someone else has a key (previous tenant) ergo the locks have to be changed

Great point, I will use this tomorrow over the phone. I am just shocked that the safety of the tenant, and the property just isn't a priority to them. A world we live in I guess, as long they are getting my rent money, that is all that matters to them!

 

[Hitman_Leon]

Change the barrel, before you get it done you can leave a key in the lock on the inside while you are in. That should prevent the lock being opened from the outside. Test this by locking the door while you have it open with one key and use another to try and unlock the door from the other-side while the key you locked it with is still in the lock.

 

[fiveub]

Okay very easily changed, with door open, undo screw on the side of the door.
Insert key, rotate thru thirty degrees, pull key out with cylinder in it.
Stick in new cylinder, and rotate and then replace screw.

It'll take all of three minutes.
Buy a couple if cylinders and replace for your own peace of mind, get antibump or whatever for secuirty.

Are the locks all pretty much a standard fitting? - From looking at the back and the front door, they look pretty similar, just a different handle, and locking mechanism. But I assume the actual cylinder lock is the same across all doors?

 

[cainer]

set up a webcam inside your front door?

 

[fiveub]

Change the barrel, before you get it done you can leave a key in the lock on the inside while you are in. That should prevent the lock being opened from the outside. Test this by locking the door while you have it open with one key and use another to try and unlock the door from the other-side while the key you locked it with is still in the lock.

I am sure that will work, I don't have another key to test it, but I guess the person with the other key can test it for me.

 

[MadMouse101]

Watch Home Alone and set traps.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Probably a pervert installing hidden webcams in your bedroom.

 

[davieg]

Just out of interest how do you lock that kind of lock any different to anyone else, I cant honestly see any way of doing it differently, obviously don't post your secret spy intrusion techniques, but I just don't understand how you can lock them differently than the one normal way?