Question for legal types

[onedsla]

I was wondering if anybody knew of a legal basis for a complaint:

I returned home yesterday evening carrying countless bags of shopping to find that the entry system on my apartment block had been changed and I could not gain access to my flat.

A trip to the site office revieled that I needed to hand over a refundable deposit for a new key fob transpoder. As it happened, they'd only take cash and being a card user I wasn't carrying enough to pay the deposit.

After about 10 minutes convincing them that I didn't want to go to the nearest cash point (about a mile away) they reluctently handed over the fob and I managed to into my flat.

A couple of frozen items that I'd purchsed (namely ice cream!!) had melted. Hardly the end of the world, by annoying none the less

Question is, have the estate management company technically breached any laws with their policy to effectively charge people to get into their own homes? The flat in question is rented, should that make a difference.

[benjc]

Your Landlord, along with the other owners of the block would have approved the upgrade to the security.

It is down to your Landlord to provide access to your flat, thus it is their responsibility to pay for the new entry fob.

Not telling you it was happening was probably an oversight on the landlords or the agents behalf. Either way, it's not down to you to pay, as when you leave the flat you will be handing the keys/access fobs back!

[Cooperman]

My wife and I own several flats and it's my understanding that the rent is all inclusive of management charges. It would be surprising if this were not so. If the management company does not own the flat, but merely manages it for the owner(s), then you should take issue with the owner of your particular property. The management company may well be entitled to make changes, but that would come out of the management fees paid by the owners. It seems as though the management company is trying to obtain additional fees from parties with whom it has no contract.
My advice is to contact your owner or the managing agents who may well not be the management company. In my case, for example, I pay an agent to let the flats, vet the tenents, collect the rents, check that the tenants are looking after the property in accordance with the leases. I pay the management company for the property maintenance and the up-keep of the exterior and common areas.
I think you are not required to pay this yourself. If anyone should pay it's your owner, but he's probably paid already in his annual fee.
I hope this helps.

Peter

[onedsla]

Thanks for the feedback.

- I'm obviously not intending to drag a matter over a £20 & some melted ice creams through the courts, but it's the principle, timing and lack of communication which has pi$$ed me off.

Judging by the queue of angry residents at the estate office, nobody seemed to be aware of this change. I believe it may have been replacing a broken system rather than upgrading a new one.
Cheers,

[Raify]

You should be glad you didn't experience the 'new lock fiasco' at my block of flats!

Common door lock was replaced in the day (when most people were out) so new keys were cut and posted through everyone's letter box. Great, except you can't get in when you return from work.

Solution? They hooked open the door, all evening

2nd problem? When the postie + milkman arrive in the morning, their door keys won't work...

Solution? New keys are waiting for them, pinned to the notice board, just inside the open door, labelled: "Postman new keys" "Milkman new keys"

It seems that a village somewhere is missing it's idiot.