Tenancy Lost key

[pork911]

Wings said:

pork911 said:

So given this dearly held duty of your's which presumably extends across tenancies and for your properties, other than being cheap why would you not use security keys and locks?

I do on several properties, mainly Ingersoll locks where spare keys are only supplied to a registered person/s. Other properties are mainly with Yale, Union, Legge type nightlatches, mortice locks and latches. I also have several key cutting machines, with spare cylinders, locks, latches and lock spindles etc. etc.

By coincidence I had a tenant today lock herself out, I am working at a property in the next street, she phones a local locksmith (based 150 feet away from house), who charges her £60 to say the lock needs replacing. Was not the lock, but a worn key, tenant now wants recovery of the locksmith's bill.

seems like you've got lots of gear while not having security keys on all - strange to me, your perogative

[Chrisgr31]

We had a discussion about security keys yesterday in the office. I dont do management at all but some of my colleagues do. One had had to order a replacement security key, and it was a total nightmare due to the need to proof who she was, get the documentation etc, and then there was the extremely high cost of the key itself.

Conclusion was that having security keys was a pain and better to have normal keys and change locks regularly!

[pork911]

I've no idea why anyone would find it a nightmare and the cost is nothing for the control.

The alternative is changing locks yourself (or getting a locksmith to do it) and never knowing how many keys are floating round.

You can set it up however you want. I've never had to set foot in the locksmiths for anything. All done by email from the address they hold on file as mine. You can also have one master key for many locks (which should of course be tightly controlled).

Once set up its all down to the tenants. The costs of anything thereafter is down to them and should be clearly flagged. After that it's amazing how rare it is for keys to be lost, and when they are, they pay.