Where do I stand?

ergonomics

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, and sorry if it's long.

I am in college in UL and moved into student accomodation last Sunday. I am living in one of a few blocks of flats, all run by the same company, and am sharing with one other person - a Chinese student. To access the apartment block one needs a key card to get in and the same key card grants access to your own flat. A normal key is then provided so you can lock your bedroom door. All nice and secure.

On Thursday I was returning to my home town of Kilkenny for the night so I locked my bedroom door and went to leave the flat but I couldn't get the apartment door to close. I went down to reception and a man, who I presume is one of the management, came up to investigate with me. Upon looking at the door he pulled something out of the lock which was stopping the lock from engaging and thus the door wouldn't close. I asked what it was and he said something along the lines of 'some entreprenuial student who hasn't paid their rent yet'. I panicked and thought maybe the person who stayed in the flat last year was trying to get back in for free but didn't worry about it too much since the management of the apartments now knew about it.

Today my flatmate told me that her Visa card is broken and she will be getting a new one in 10 days. As her card is broken she has not paid her rent yet but she is being allowed to stay in the flat regardless. The only problem is she doesn't have a key card/key to her room. As she is starting college on Monday she was proposing that she blocks the lock (she had blocked in on Thursday) when she goes to college and that this will be OK as my room is locked.

I think this is disgraceful. First off, she either should be given a key or she should be told that she can't move in until her rent is paid. She is putting my belongings (and me) at risk, as well as her own stuff, by leaving the door open, but I know she has no other choice. Sure my door is locked but I mean, if someone really wants to get in here a lock isn't going to stop them. Even though the door to the apartment block only opens with a key card if someone stands outside and says they're waiting for a friend people who actually live in the apartment will just let them in. I've done it, and I've been let into buildings the same way. Thus any chancer could be let in and all they have to do is check each flat in the hope that they'll strike lucky and they will when they reach my flat.

I'm far from happy with the situation, it is Limerick after all, and I'm going to talk to management on Monday but I want to know where I stand. Can I demand she be given a key or demand that she be moved out? I will move either but frankly I don't see why I should as I have paid everything in full. What can I do or what do you advise that I do?

antoinolachtnai

Personally:

I would write a note to management right away and put it in the letterbox and say you are unhappy, just to put it on the record in writing.

Then I would meet the management guy on monday and say you are unhappy and why, explaining that you are unhappy that your flat and room are being left insecure and that you will regard the management as being responsible if something happens.

You could ask whether it would be ok for you to put your own lock on the door. They will almost certainly warn you not to do this. (You should definitely not do this without them saying it is ok.)

Wait to see if they respond with an offer to get a temporary keycard for your flatmate. If they don't, don't be too surprised. Then write a letter outlining what happened at the meeting and stating that you are unhappy with the situation. Be sure to mention your suggestion that you would be prepared to fit your own lock but that they warned you that would not be acceptable.

Don't get into any arguments with anybody. Keep smiling throughout. If you realise you are not smiling anymore, then stop talking. Realistically, you are going to have to live and deal with these people for at least the rest of the year. But by having all this on record, you will at least have a case with the small claims court or the PRTB if you are unlucky enough to suffer a break-in.

Make sure not to get in a dispute with your flatmate.

You can buy these battery-powered free-standing alarms in Argos for around 25 euros that might be some sort of deterrent. Not a great solution, but maybe better than nothing.

Victor

Ask them to move you as soon as is practical, its possible the locks on the bedroom doors aren't the most secure.

iguana

ergonomics wrote:

I'm far from happy with the situation, it is Limerick after all,

You had my sympathy up til there. You are aware that Limerick has one of the lowest crime rates per capita in the country, right?

The credit card story sounds dodgy. Any cc machine will allow the user to enter the numbers manually. It could be kosher, but it just doesn't sound it.

Do not allow your flatmate to leave your door unlocked and make it clear to her that you will not leave it that way if you find it as so. Give her your mobile number and tell her to come find you and borrow your key when she needs it, and to give it back to you when she is done. Make sure she knows the onus is on her to find you and get/return the key. When you are away for the weekend let her borrow it, and tell her she has two weeks to sort it out, or you will request her to be removed.

Larry-K

Sorry to change the subject, but a word of advice...

Don't tell people where you live if you're also going to tell them that your door's unlocked...

We don't want all the U.L. students checking all the doors in their building now do we...

It only takes one of them to find it...