UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,

I am very new to this landlord business. I rented out my home last year. After 2 months I receive an email saying that my tenant had got locked inside the flat. A locksmith was called
and the door secondary lock mechanism had broken. The door had to be bent to get into the flat. This left a draft and a door/frame that now needed to be replaced to meet fire safety standards.

This door is external facing on the 4th floor and is a heavy duty steel door that obviously matches the rest of the building doors. I contacted the housing management who also sold me the flat 1.5 years previously as this was a new block of flats. I wanted the information about the door and the manufacturer so I could contact them. Usually these doors have at least a 10 year warranty.

I was told that the manufacturer/contractor that fitted them had gone into liquidation and they did not have the information about the door. They said I needed to replace the door like for like but could not recommend any contractors. This is now 9 months since the incident and I still have no information on the door.

What are my legal rights in this situation and how responsible are One Housing (the building managers and the company that sold me the apartment) for providing me with this information or at least an alternative.

If this was on the social housing part of the block I'm sure they would quickly source the information.

If I put any old door on the flat (which I wouldn't) this could impact the fire safety of the whole building.

What would you do in this situation?
I feel completely stuck and obviously have a tenant who is disappointed that this issue has taken so long to sort out. Worst they went a whole winter with a leaky door and had a cold apartment.

Hi  is the door attached to your property i.e. Front door or is it a floor door as it's an apartment block. Why did the door get bent was that by the locksmith ? Also did you or tenant sign any paperwork from the locksmith for the damage? Finally do you pay a service charge to the apartments

Hi the door got bent because this was the only way to enter to property. Yes I do pay a service fee, a very expensive one at that. It is an external door attached to my apartmen as a front door. No paperwork was signed as far as I know. But I have email confirmation from the locksmith as to why it was bent. I've been told that it's legally One Housings responsibility but they are washing their hands of it.

More and more agents are doing as little as possible for there money or charging high fees for additional services I would be happy to take a look at your agreement for you and see if you can get this matter resolved. Have you fixed the door. I have had years of experience with locksmiths and never heard or seen this way of entry.

Update on this issue.

The manufacturer has gone into liquidation and after repeated tries I tried to get One Housing to provide me with an alternative door. They refused and now they say I have to source my own door but are ignoring my emails saying I need their permission to put a different door to the ones on the block. Absolute disgrace and I would advice anyone buying from One Housing to think twice. The person I am dealing with is Barbara Coster and she is useless.

Is there anywhere I can make a complaint to. I am completely exposed as the door is still unsafe and I am liable if anything goes wrong.