HOUSE BROKEN INTO... LANDLORD TO BLAME?

ron_1

Hello. My student house was broken into yesterday afternoon. The person was scared off by a housemate with nothing stolen. The reason for the burglar being able to enter the property was that the front door lock is poor, with just a card being able to push the lock back and open the door. There is NO bolt lock on the door.

Landlord was informed yesterday afternoon of events, said he would replace/add new lock to the door.

House broken into again this afternoon with laptops and other valuables stolen.

Question is - should the landlord not have changed the lock AS SOON as was possible (which would have been early this morning.)

any liability towards the landlord in this case? Guards called + finger prints taken on both occasions.

Uriel.

ron_1 wrote: »

Hello. My student house was broken into yesterday afternoon. The person was scared off by a housemate with nothing stolen. The reason for the burglar being able to enter the property was that the front door lock is poor, with just a card being able to push the lock back and open the door. There is NO bolt lock on the door.

Landlord was informed yesterday afternoon of events, said he would replace/add new lock to the door.

House broken into again this afternoon with laptops and other valuables stolen.

Question is - should the landlord not have changed the lock AS SOON as was possible (which would have been early this morning.)

any liability towards the landlord in this case? Guards called + finger prints taken on both occasions.

Perhaps 18 hours wasn't a reasonable time frame to have the lock replaced.

Presumably the lock was as it was when you moved into the house?

Your contents insurance should cover you.

brendane

Don't think it would be fair to expect the landlord to arrange someone to be there 1st think this morning. Did you previously inform the landlord that the lock was dodgy

mrcheez

Sorry to hear about this violation of your living space and property, your anger is justified!

ron_1 wrote: »

Landlord was informed yesterday afternoon of events, said he would replace/add new lock to the door.

Did they explicitly say when they would do it? As someone else mentioned, they may not have planned to be there the very next day (although probably should tbh).

ron_1 wrote: »

House broken into again this afternoon with laptops and other valuables stolen.

Knowing what you knew about the lock would it not have been prudent for someone to remain in the property all day until the landlord fixed the lock?

Or could you not have put up something yourself as a temporary measure?

SB_Part2

Don't really think the landlord is to blame here. You knew that the lock was easily opened (and tbh, most standard locks are) but you still left your valuable belongings there.

If the person had broken the lock then yes the landlord should have fixed it ASAP but giving them a few days to add an additional lock or change the lock isn't unreasonable.

ED E

Uriel. wrote: »

Your contents insurance should cover you.

I'd be conscious that the insurance company may dispute that it was secured and thus covered.

pwurple

Who leaves a laptop in a house with a broken lock where a burglar has just been trying to get in the previous day?

Sorry OP, i know it's rough and you are looking for someone to blame... But until that was fixed, I would have been taking a laptop with me.

godtabh

Did you have insurance? Thats what its for

Uriel.

ED E wrote: »

I'd be conscious that the insurance company may dispute that it was secured and thus covered.

They could but if I had insurance I'd be exploring the possibility of a claim.

punisher5112

Nothing stopping op putting in better lock themselves.
I added dead bolt and other better locks myself.
Keys given to ll no hassle and i felt it was safer.

Wanderer78

punisher5112 wrote:

Nothing stopping op putting in better lock themselves. I added dead bolt and other better locks myself. Keys given to ll no hassle and i felt it was safer.

Exactly what I'd do and then maybe ask landlord for refund

colm_mcm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Nothing stopping op putting in better lock themselves.
I added dead bolt and other better locks myself.
Keys given to ll no hassle and i felt it was safer.

Really though.. It's a rental, there's plenty stopping the OP from doing that.
What if the burglar had broken in after the OP went at the lock?

Michael D Not Higgins

Do you have insurance? Because the only reason I can think of that you would be trying to assign blame to the landlord is if you didn't have insurance to cover the stolen items.

The only way I can see it being the landlord's liability would be if you had previously informed him of the deficient lock, he had agreed to replace it and it was never done, then the insurance company refused to pay out because of that.

AlanG

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Your contents insurance will cover your loss. I don't think anyone would consider first thing next morning to be a reasonable time frame to upgrade a lock so it is hard to see how the landlord is responsible.

Uriel.

Uriel. wrote: »

Your contents insurance should cover you.

Slight aside but so people actually get contents insurance in rented houses I've never heard of anyone having it nor had it myself? Must be very rare if something people get at all.

irelandrover

Samir Bewildered Hailstone wrote: »

Slight aside but so people actually get contents insurance in rented houses I've never heard of anyone having it nor had it myself? Must be very rare if something people get at all.

What would you do if there was a fire and all your clothes and belongings were destroyed?

Ive always had contents insurance in rented houses.

ted1

ron_1 wrote: »

Hello. My student house was broken into yesterday afternoon. The person was scared off by a housemate with nothing stolen. The reason for the burglar being able to enter the property was that the front door lock is poor, with just a card being able to push the lock back and open the door. There is NO bolt lock on the door.

Landlord was informed yesterday afternoon of events, said he would replace/add new lock to the door.

House broken into again this afternoon with laptops and other valuables stolen.

Question is - should the landlord not have changed the lock AS SOON as was possible (which would have been early this morning.)

any liability towards the landlord in this case? Guards called + finger prints taken on both occasions.

You should have your own contents insurance

BabysCoffee

I'd blame the burgler not your landlord for the theft.

cruizer101

To be fair to OP yes he should have contents insurance but really how many people do you know got contents insurance when renting as a student.
Also I have a feeling it is very hard to get it in houseshare situation due to multiple randomers with keys. I'd wonder how much you would be quoted for getting it in a student houseshare.

Michael D Not Higgins

cruizer101 wrote: »

I'd wonder how much you would be quoted for getting it in a student houseshare.

Not having insurance is their own prerogative, but with it comes the risk of having to cover loss or damage out of their own pocket.

OP, the most important thing is to get the house secured. Burglars have been known to wait a few weeks and hit the same place again when stolen items have been replaced.

Caliden

Samir Bewildered Hailstone wrote: »

Slight aside but so people actually get contents insurance in rented houses I've never heard of anyone having it nor had it myself? Must be very rare if something people get at all.

The AA do cover for about 100 quid for the year.

muggles

I always had insurance even as a student and when starting to work when renting in Dublin. There used not be many places that would do it at the time but I think Thompson was name of brokers if I recall correctly, they were around Grand Canal. It was very cheap, about 30-40 quid each.

mel123

Securing my possessions after the first break in would be my priority, as in fixing the lock myself/between your housemates. Then i would worry about a reimbursement from the landlord. Hindsight is a great thing, but going out and leaving your house unlocked after an attempted burglary?!?!?

As a side note, i think as renters in this country we have this attitude 'its not my house, therefore i am not doing anything to it, its up to the LL'. We should be treating rented property as our own.

stoplooklisten

First time your didn't know the house wasn't secure, insurance should cover it or landlords responsibility
Second time, you knew for certain the house wasn't secure, you're responsibility.

Not legal knowledge, just the way I'd view things

Mrs OBumble

Samir Bewildered Hailstone wrote: »

Uriel. wrote: »

Your contents insurance should cover you.

Slight aside but so people actually get contents insurance in rented houses I've never heard of anyone having it nor had it myself? Must be very rare if something people get at all.

Yes. It's something adults who weigh up the risks they may face do. Has been raised in this forum many times.

Clampdown

Why are people posting that OP should or could have put in his own lock? Tenants can't just change the locks on a rented property! Most letting agreements nowadays won't even let you put a nail in the wall!

I wouldn't say that the landlord is to blame, it's a really unfortunate thing to have happen, but people suggesting that you should have put in your own lock are incorrect, you are not allowed to alter the property you are renting that way, though I can see why most people would say it would have been wise to take some sort of extra measures. Strange that they came back after being scared away already though, quite brazen.

this might sound bad, but I have a feeling it could be someone you know who did it, either they were familiar with the place or knew what stuff you had. I find it a bit hard to believe a random thief would chance returning to the scene. A friend of mine was told by his housemate that the house was broken into and stuff was stolen, it turned out to be the housemate that did it.

Perhaps a previous tenant/neighbor in that house knew about the dodgy lock?

mrcheez

Clampdown wrote: »

Why are people posting that OP should or could have put in his own lock? Tenants can't just change the locks on a rented property! Most letting agreements nowadays won't even let you put a nail in the wall!

You can discuss these things with your landlord, and suggest that you could secure their property with temporary measures until they can come and replace the locks.

I'm sure any landlord would rather have their property secured (regardless of who does it) than have scumbags gallivanting around inside trashing the place.

Clampdown wrote: »

Strange that they came back after being scared away already though, quite brazen.

I'd assume that any thief that found a property in such an unsecured state would have no problem waiting around until the house was empty and return.

At least the OP's housemate knows what the thief looks like.

punisher5112

Clampdown wrote: »

Why are people posting that OP should or could have put in his own lock? Tenants can't just change the locks on a rented property! Most letting agreements nowadays won't even let you put a nail in the wall!

I wouldn't say that the landlord is to blame, it's a really unfortunate thing to have happen, but people suggesting that you should have put in your own lock are incorrect, you are not allowed to alter the property you are renting that way, though I can see why most people would say it would have been wise to take some sort of extra measures. Strange that they came back after being scared away already though, quite brazen.

this might sound bad, but I have a feeling it could be someone you know who did it, either they were familiar with the place or knew what stuff you had. I find it a bit hard to believe a random thief would chance returning to the scene. A friend of mine was told by his housemate that the house was broken into and stuff was stolen, it turned out to be the housemate that did it.

Perhaps a previous tenant/neighbor in that house knew about the dodgy lock?

This is exactly why i change locks in any property i go into as god knows who has other keys.

I have aded extra security by adding a dead bolt as other lock would be easily drilled or even the door could be easily kicked in.

I wouldnt sleep if i knew all that wasnt done.

Not one ll had a problem with it and I am talking about €50 upwards locks not cheap rubbish.
If I provide a key they see no problem at all and when leave all original locks are replaced.


Who would leave a house knowing it was unsecure its just foolish and really no excuse.
Even getting a locksmith if one cant rectify would work out cheaper in the long run and still have ones personal belongings.

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

This is exactly why i change locks in any property i go into as god knows who has other keys.

I have aded extra security by adding a dead bolt as other lock would be easily drilled or even the door could be easily kicked in.

I wouldnt sleep if i knew all that wasnt done.

Not one ll had a problem with it and I am talking about €50 upwards locks not cheap rubbish.
If I provide a key they see no problem at all and when leave all original locks are replaced.


Who would leave a house knowing it was unsecure its just foolish and really no excuse.
Even getting a locksmith if one cant rectify would work out cheaper in the long run and still have ones personal belongings.

Good luck if you live in a houseshare like a lot of people, you aren't going to have the luxury of changing locks as you please. I live in a house where on average a new person moves in every 6 months.

Kai123

punisher5112 wrote: »

This is exactly why i change locks in any property i go into as god knows who has other keys.

I have aded extra security by adding a dead bolt as other lock would be easily drilled or even the door could be easily kicked in.

I wouldnt sleep if i knew all that wasnt done.

Not one ll had a problem with it and I am talking about €50 upwards locks not cheap rubbish.
If I provide a key they see no problem at all and when leave all original locks are replaced.


Who would leave a house knowing it was unsecure its just foolish and really no excuse.
Even getting a locksmith if one cant rectify would work out cheaper in the long run and still have ones personal belongings.

Are you allowed to do that on rented accommodations?

punisher5112

Kai123 wrote: »

Are you allowed to do that on rented accommodations?

Depends on lease or landlord.