Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Apartment key: Getting copied ?

Options
  • 01-04-2013 5:06pm
    #1
    Piliger
    Registered Users Posts: 6,741 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    My friend is in a very vulnerable financial situation and is scared of conflict with his low rent landlord. He was only given one key to his apartment, last year when he moved in. He has 'lost' it three times since, having to stay in friend's places (incl me).
    I have tried to help him get another copy, but his landlord won't respond to him except by threatening him. The trouble is that it seems like a special key from Amiens Street people and can't be copied in most places.

    Does anyone know any way of bipassing this ?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Eric Cartman
    Registered Users Posts: 26,280 ✭✭✭✭Eric Cartman


    The landlord is well within his rights to use locks that cant be copied, its a good thing too, while the landlord shouldnt be threatening your friend , I can only imagine how annoying it is for him to have to keep copying keys.

    when you say 'lost' the key what do you mean ? if he's trying to get another key by pretending to have lost it , or keeps misplacing it while drunk etc.. then I have no sympathy , I suggest your friend takes better care of his key and doesn't keep ringing the landlord unless he actually has lost it (boy who cried wolf and all that).


  • Options
    #3
    Piliger
    Registered Users Posts: 6,741 ✭✭✭Piliger


    Eric Cartman wrote: »
    The landlord is well within his rights to use locks that cant be copied, its a good thing too, while the landlord shouldnt be threatening your friend , I can only imagine how annoying it is for him to have to keep copying keys.

    when you say 'lost' the key what do you mean ? if he's trying to get another key by pretending to have lost it , or keeps misplacing it while drunk etc.. then I have no sympathy , I suggest your friend takes better care of his key and doesn't keep ringing the landlord unless he actually has lost it (boy who cried wolf and all that).

    A rather bizarre response. Thanks for the gratuitous insults.


  • Options
    #4
    womandriver
    Closed Accounts Posts: 543 ✭✭✭womandriver


    Piliger wrote: »
    A rather bizarre response. Thanks for the gratuitous insults.

    Actually can't see what's bizarre or insulting in that response.

    It's good advice to take better care of his key. 17 months in current apartment and never once lost the key. It can be done.


  • Options
    #5
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,524 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    If I was a landlord I' be very pissed off with him and charge him for a change of the locks. I wouldn't want three copies of an apartment floating around with put known whose Posseion there in.
    How is it possible to lose 3 keys in such a short period, maybe your friend should look at AA.

    What relevance is it that it is a low rent landlord?


  • Options
    #6
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    Shocking that your friend has lost his key 3 times. I got a key cut in the first place I went, that I was told was by the person living there could not be put. If they don't like the look of you I think they won't cut a security key for you, but they can all be cut by a competent locksmith.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,300 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Piliger wrote: »
    My friend is in a very vulnerable financial situation
    Can he afford to pay for the new keys? Can he afford to pay for the new keys, and the new lock?
    Piliger wrote: »
    He has 'lost' it three times since, having to stay in friend's places (incl me).
    So, I take it he's found it twice?
    Piliger wrote: »
    but his landlord won't respond to him except by threatening him
    It seems the landlord is afraid of having multiple keys to the apartment floating around, that could be used by random people if your friend ever moved out.
    Piliger wrote: »
    The trouble is that it seems like a special key from Amiens Street people and can't be copied in most places.
    Greenmachine wrote: »
    but they can all be cut by a competent locksmith.
    I think it's more the coding of the electronic key that puts most places off.


  • Options
    #8
    Eric Cartman
    Registered Users Posts: 26,280 ✭✭✭✭Eric Cartman


    Greenmachine wrote: »
    Shocking that your friend has lost his key 3 times. I got a key cut in the first place I went, that I was told was by the person living there could not be put. If they don't like the look of you I think they won't cut a security key for you, but they can all be cut by a competent locksmith.

    there are some locks that cannot be cut without having the card that came with the locks to instruct a CNC or laser cutter of which patterns to use.


  • Options
    #9
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    Eric Cartman wrote: »
    there are some locks that cannot be cut without having the card that came with the locks to instruct a CNC or laser cutter of which patterns to use.

    This was a security key. I was advised by the cutter that he may not be able to cut it unless he could read the chip on the original. Reading was fine and he was able to program the copy to work just fine. Like a lot of things, it is not supposed to be possible but is. Same is true of clocking electronic odometres in cars.


  • Options
    #10
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,411 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    ted1 wrote: »
    How is it possible to lose 3 keys in such a short period, maybe your friend should look at AA.
    This isn't the Creative Writing forum. Please don't invent stuff not in the thread.

    Constructive posts only please.

    Moderator


  • Options
    #11
    Piliger
    Registered Users Posts: 6,741 ✭✭✭Piliger


    Victor wrote: »
    This isn't the Creative Writing forum. Please don't invent stuff not in the thread.

    Constructive posts only please.

    Moderator

    Thank you Mod.

    I never said the landlord had supplied replacements. He would never ever do that. My friend found the keys each time the following day, thankfully.

    I know no one who rents who was not supplied with two sets of keys and it must be obligatory somewhere. If not, then it should be. I have two sets and have made a spare set for emergencies. On several occasions in the last 18 months I have needed to get my son to bring me the spare. And in my experience this is not unusual.

    I find it obnoxious and downright criminal for a landlord to impose this kind of uber-control on a tenant and it is shocking to find people here who support that kind of over bearing behaviour.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    Often a landlord will only issue as many keys as there are listed tenants - it discourages subletting or people moving a partner who is not on the lease in.


  • Options
    #13
    Piliger
    Registered Users Posts: 6,741 ✭✭✭Piliger


    the_syco wrote: »
    Can he afford to pay for the new keys? Can he afford to pay for the new keys, and the new lock?
    No new lock is necessary. Just two keys (inside and out) and yes he can afford it - I have offered to help him pay for them.
    So, I take it he's found it twice?
    yes thankfully.
    It seems the landlord is afraid of having multiple keys to the apartment floating around, that could be used by random people if your friend ever moved out.
    I find this an unreasonable basis for refusing a tenant two copies of keys. I know many people renting and they have all been supplied with two sets on signing a lease.
    I think it's more the coding of the electronic key that puts most places off.
    I don't know what this means ... his keys are special ok. They are normal keys buta different shape, and seem to have to be cut by specialists but they have a 6 digit code on each and I would imagine these dictate the cutting instructions ...


Advertisement