Hi, I'm a tenant in a property, i have my own individual agreement, as do the other two lads living with me. I left the property the other day, and moved into another property that i was intending to move into at the end of my contract, due to a number of arguments with one of my housemates. I have not, however, terminated my tenancy. The housemate with whom this argument occurred has now bolted the front door, and is preventing me accessing the property to move my belongings out, claiming that I need to ring to ask to be let in, and that tomorrow he is having the locks on the front door changed so he can regulate when I am permitted to enter the property. The majority of my belongings are in the room, which is unlocked, including medication that I need for a number of potentially severe illnesses that I have. I believe that if the locks are changed I should seek legal advice, as I AM still a tenant at the property, and my tenancy runs until september. The fact that I am no longer occupying the room should have no bearing on the matter whatsoever as far as I can tell, but I thought I should ask advice here before taking any further action regarding the situation. Thanks.
1. The landlord (L) granted each of you an individual Letting Agreement. 2. So no-one else (esp. the other tenant [X]) has any right to interfere with it. 3. As you say, your tenancy is still running despite your absence from the premises. 4. Each Letting Agreement probably prohibits T from changing locks- so X is in breach. 5. Anyway, I doubt that any Letting Agreement includes the common parts- so the front door is outside X's jurisdiction! 6. Could you contact L urgently and explain that? Might X be in league with L?
I have contacted L regarding the situation, originally about paying the bills that I owe up until moving out. He told me to contact X to deal with it, to which X responded "Deal with L, locks changed weds". I have tried to ring L today, however he is working so cant answer. I have emailed and texted him all info. I feel there is the potential for him to take X's side, as X has a history of "playing up to a crowd", and is likely to claim that it is because he is "scared of me", despite the fact that I have never given reason for this. If,howver, L realises he will be footing the bill for this lock change he will probably be less than pleased. L's response to the door being bolted was "He cannot compromise the security of the premises", however the door has NEVER been bolted during the day, it is being used as a means for X to exert his "authority" over me.
Explain to L that HE has duties to you as tenant. Failing to ensure unobstructed access for you might constitute a beach by him of his obligation to allow you what's technically described as "quiet enjoyment". So it's up to him to head-off litigation by you (or even prosecution for imputed harassment) by (a) pulling rank on X and (b) insisting that X ensures unobstructed access for you. X's acts could be 'imputed' to L (i.e. it's as if L is responsible for acts in his name, even if unauthorised).
