Starting to feel unsafe in my home

MarkM88

Is there anything I can do? 

I live in a building that is separated into 4 blocks. Each block has its own main door and inside there are 2 flats on the ground floor and 2 on the top floor. So 16 flats in total. 

On 3 occasions now someone has tried to get into my flat with their key. 

I’ve also been informed that all our main keys we all have work in each other’s blocks but we all have our own keys for our own flats (thankfully ha). 

So I can only come to 2 conclusions, either they are drunk and going into the wrong block and thinking my flat is theirs, or an old tenant with keys for the main door still. 

I have expressed frustration to my housing officer, but I can’t really see what else I can do? 

I don’t know who it actually is as I feel unsafe when it happens I don’t want to go out and see or go to the window. 

I’m not sure the police would be interested if I can’t say who it was. 

Ross_Alumni

Sorry to hear this @MarkN88

We once had something somewhat similar, in that two older men were trying to gain access to where we live even though we didn't recognise them at all when looking through a window. This was at 1am/2am in the morning so we assumed that they were just people who had had too much to drink and thought they lived here. 

The advice given to us was to speak with them from a safe distance if we were worried, so through an open window or safely from the other side of the locked door. Is that something you could do? Just to ask who it is and what they are looking for?

woodbine

If it's possible that former tenants still have keys for the main door could you suggest that the lock on that door is changed?

MarkM88

@Ross_Scope yeah it could be a good idea to try and see who it is or try and peak through the window if it happens again. 

@woodbine I’m going to contact the housing officer again and discuss the lock situation. 

janer1967

I would suggest cctv or one of those doorbell that you can see who is there 

Even putting up a false cctv camera could deter someone though if they ars drunk probably wouldn't notice 

But with real cctv or the doorbell you can identify them as well as deter 

Sorry this is making you feel unsafe in your newplace 

MarkM88

@Teddybear12 yes I’ve sent an email to him and asked if he can call me as soon as he can. 

@janer1967 I’ve been thinking of a ring doorbell or something along those lines. 

I think I might need the landlords permission to put one up? 

Also because my door is opposite the other ground floor flat in my block I’m not sure if that would cause issues with having a camera pointing forward and capturing them too. 

janer1967

Yes that could be a problem but you can ask the question 

Are they just trying your door or the others as well 

Do you have a chain on the door so if they opened the lock they still couldn't get in might make you feel safer 

MarkM88

I think they seem to be trying mine and no there is no chain but I could look into that too. 

I could also try and speak to someone at the police as someone else told me they should have someone responsible for home safety. 

janer1967

You could talk to police but to be fair I'm not sure how quick they would respond 

I would ask housing 9f

Officer about a chain easy to do and doesn't impact others 

leeCal

If you have a multi point locking door you can lock it with the front door key and leave the key in at night, that way a key from the outside won’t work. NB remove the key before going out as you’ll find you can’t get s key in from the outside either! A locksmith would be needed £100 plus! 

If its just a yale lock then these are simple to change and have a deadlock of course, ie a locking snib. Another precaution is to have an actual mortise deadlock fitted. Also as Jane has mentioned a security chain is a good idea.

best wishes ?