Breaking a key in a lock

[Disney_time]

I've never done this in my life, has any dibber done this?

My tenant has managed to do this twice The letting agent is refusing to hold the tenant responsible and wants me to pay up. I did the first time, but I am not sure this time. To my mind, the tenant has used excessive force to break a key.

Over to you dibbers- landlords and tenants. Who is responsible?

[taylaboo]

If its once I would give them the benefit of the doubt but twice! Get the tenant to pay up.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Keys break when bent. Tenant pays.

Tends to happen when the key is used to pull the door shut thus exerting lateral force on it, bending it and then it fractures.

[Talland 2016]

Yep it happened to me when getting home from Florida Disney Marathon weekend
First thought when it happened was
'I really need a wee!'
Luckily DH had just popped to railway station to pick me up & we could get in via the garage

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Disney_time

I've never done this in my life, has any dibber done this?

My tenant has managed to do this twice The letting agent is refusing to hold the tenant responsible and wants me to pay up. I did the first time, but I am not sure this time. To my mind, the tenant has used excessive force to break a key.

Over to you dibbers- landlords and tenants. Who is responsible?

See more...

No never done this or heard of anyone doing this, I am sure it is not a regular accident. I would also have given benefit of doubt first time, but not again.

Unfortunately (having been a reluctant landlord when we went overseas), I find that letting agents always back the tenant, no matter what they do. My last one trashed my house and didn't pay rent for three months, but I still had to argue to keep the security deposit!

[nasty]

Funnily enough my boss did this the other morning when opening up our store! Oops!
And Mr TM is spot on, that’s exactly what she did, opened the very heavy door by pulling on the key.
Make em pay! 😉

[Billy Beatnik]

Once you’ve got the new keys, put some WD40 in the lock as the keys can easily snap if the lock is stiff. It works a treat! Not sure who’s liable though.

[ROBBOTOO]

Could the door have expanded in the heat and caused a problem with the key?

Only say that as my mum has a PVC door and the lock always seems to be problematic if it gets really hot!

[Disney_time]

Thanks all - It won't be the heat beacuse it is a flat in a close. I do agree about the letting agent backing the tenant, though. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with having an agent, but I really don't want to be getting calls from students who can't work the heating all the time. At least the agent fields these calls, and the one thing my agent is good at is getting tenants, my flats are never empty for long. I have asked the manager to call me tomorrow as the girl in the office just says the tenants aren't liable.

[tspill]

I am a landlord and I would hold the tenant responsible for this - even the first time. There is no way I would let them away with this.