I think my landlord or someone else may have entered my property without my permission and this has made me feel very uncomfortable. Obviously at this present time it's just a suspicion.

I think this because I have a coin meter for my electric, it doesn't seem to read the amount of coins entered well but it says not to exceed 80 coins.

I have been in this property over 7 months and at a guess I have probably put in 150-200 coins and it doesn't sound anywhere near full, leading me to think someone might have let themselves in without my permission to empty it and I don't know how many times they have done this if it is the case.

I have emailed my Landlord to ask what the procedure is with the meter and that it's never been emptied since I have been here (to my knowledge) It will be interesting to see his response.

What also concerned me a little was on Monday I heard 2 people talking and they were knocking on the door of the flat that's right next to me and the lady wasn't in, they let themselves in, after that they knocked on my door and I said just a minute as I had just got out of the shower and they said oh sorry wrong door, I found this very odd too.

If people acting on behalf of the Landlord or my Landlord have been in here without my prior consent and without giving the required 24 hours notice, I feel it would make it untenable for me to stay here as not only is it a breach of tenancy but I would feel it's a breach of trust and a lack of respect, nevermind not obeying the rules of the tenancy.

Thanks for reading.

Try putting a little bit of cellotape over the crack between your door and the frame. If you have a door handle, sprinkle some flour on it. That will show if someone has entered through the door or tried to use the door handle.

If it shows that someone has been entering without your knowledge, either get a camera inside the door, change the locks or call the police.

change the locks as it may not be your landlord but a previous tenant who has a spare set of keys! Keep the original locks for when you leave.

Would I need the landlords permission to change the locks?

Not as long as you do no damage and put the original lock back at the end of your tenancy

I have discovered that some important paperwork has been taken from my folder. Some important medical letters, solicitors letters and my tenancy agreement are all missing so someone has definitely been in.

I emailed the landlord and informed him of this and asked whether he or anyone acting on his behalf has been into my flat. Unusually he didn't reply so that is worrying.

I'm very concerned about all this now, I will be speaking to the other flat tenant about people entering her flat too as it's very odd how they had a key to enter her flat and would no doubt have entered mine if I didn't respond when they knocked.

If someone has been in without your permission and removed items : report a robbery to the police.

As above : change the locks (you may need to check with the landlord if your lease requires you to provide them with a set of keys - even then it will stop the possible problem of a former tenant having copied the old keys.

I have discovered that some important paperwork has been taken from my folder. Soke important medical letters, solicitors letters and my tenancy agreement are all missing so someone has definitely been in.

 

I emailed the landlord and informed him of this and asked whether he or anyone acting on his behalf has been into my flat. Unusually he didn't reply so that is worrying.

 

I'm very concerned about all this now, I will be speaking to the other flat tenant about people entering her flat too as it's very odd how they had a key to enter her flat and would no doubt have entered mine if I didn't respond when they knocked.

Then it's theft of your personal belonging.

Report it to the Police

I will report it to the police, can't imagine they will do much though as there no forced entry.

The Landlords silence baffles me, he's usually quick to respond and I heard from him regarding emptying the coin meter but as soon as this has been mentioned I've heard nothing.

If he or anyone acting on his behalf has been in then the trust and respect is gone, even if the locks were changed I'd never feel the same living there.

I now want to give notice on my tenancy which would be a months notice, but if I don't find anywhere else and I went to my local council then I doubt they would help me as they'd probably class me as intentionally homeless although I feel there are very good reasons to end the tenancy now.

Put a camera in your apartment, connect it to your broadband, set up a public IP address with DynDNS or similar, record the camera and at the same time watch it live from anywhere. Some of these camera have also a way to email/text you when somebody enters the room.

get to the police and report incident

Bit late for cameras, the landlord replied stating "I will contact you next week about emptying the meter I normally empty the coin box which has a lock on it at random times"

The only way my meter can be emptied is by entering my property so he's obviously been going in without permission which is a breach of tenancy.

Even though at the bottom of the email he says

"I have given no person entry rights and I would not enter without informing you first"

Yet he says he normally empties the coin meter which has a lock on at random times.

It has always had a padlock on the coin meter and I never been informed about it being emptied.

Also he's offered no solutions, doesn't seem shocked or alarmed that other people have been in my property, nothing at all. Just said there's two locks on the door yet he only gave me one key and the other lock has never been mentioned.

I'm finding all of this very alarming and the landlord isn't showing any respect or offering any apology or helping in any way and his email I think doesn't add up.

Have a read here http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlords-right-of-entry/

Then read part two as well

http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/tenants-right-to-live-in-quiet-enjoyment/

You may want to read up on the attachment as well although old maybe of use to you

He may get into serious trouble by using a key without consent, its called going equiped

So not only have people been in my flat, my landlord seems to have been in without permission which it seems is not only a breach of tenancy but could be harassment too, this is a serious matter then.

If I were to end the tenancy on the grounds of harassment and breach of tenancy would I be classed as intentionally homeless?

Yes...

Due to the fact you are over 18 and in a contract and have the ability to write to your LL to make sure they stay out unless they make an appointment

Even though it's exceptional circumstances? I already have health issues so this is the last thing I need.

Change all the locks on the door and keep the old ones for the end of your tenancy. You could even get a locksmith to change the barrel of the lock, so the lock looks the same but needs a different key.

If you did that and the landlord then contacted you about you changing the locks you would have proof that they had attempted to enter as the lock would look exactly the same and the only way they would know would be if they attempted entry.

It's not just 1 person who's been in the property, the landlord has been in there too without permission.

Without evidence of who is entering, it is unwise to accuse the LL, but when you report to Police you can say that LL may have spare key to empty the meter.

A single unannounced LL entry does not constitute harassment.

Set up a video cam or leave laptop open & recording.

If you give Notice because of LLs minor breach of Contract, you will be deemed 'intentionally homeless' by Council.

Other remedies are avail to you!

The meter has been emptied you can tell there's not much in there and it wouldn't hold 150-200 coins maybe more and in 7 months it hasn't been emptied with my permission, I haven't even heard any requests to empty it.

Also the landlord asked in his email this morning if I'm using both locks then said this afternoon in another email he didn't give me a key for the second lock as it would prevent a quick exit if there was a fire which contradicts what he said earlier.

Something smells very fishy and if I had two locks I would only lock both when out as I'd only need one locked if I was in.

Have you reported the theft yet to the Police !

Something def whiffs, either someone is entering without T permission or OP is angling for social housing (hence concern about being 'intentional homeless'.

The T/OP has several options:

report theft to Police

gather evidence via covert camera

temp change entry door locks

enlist support of Council Private Res Officer

I assume LL is the named Gas account holder, but AFAIK the T may have right to check coin prepayment meter is set to permitted gas resale tariff, or perhaps have the coin meter replaced with a prepayment key/card meter, even quarterly bills in Ts name, thus removing reason for LL to access property in order to empty coin meter.

I spoke to the lady in the flat next door last night, she confirmed that she hadn't given permission to anyone to enter her property so someone has been in there without her permission and obviously it's not the landlord because he would have said something when I told him about it and the voice I heard when they spoke to me when they knocked on my door wasn't the Landlords.

Also she said someone was messing with keys outside my flat yesterday and she thought it was me but I wasn't there all day yesterday so it was someone else and she couldn't say if they had been in or not.

She also said that the landlord empties the coin meters now and again but he has said to me that he's never entered my property without asking first but as the electric coin meter says do not exceed 80 coins and I've probably put in 200 or more then I suspect he has been in here at least once maybe more without my permission.

The thing is there isn't even a lock on the main door of the property building, there is a coded lock but the landlord used the excuse when I moved in saying people kept forgetting the code so I don't bother with it now.

I don't want to live in social housing, I have lived in private accommodation for years and I'd like to keep it that way.

So someone is entering your building and may be emptying coin meters, so report incident to Police, I doubt it is limited to your block of flats, your neighbour can attest to unknown visitors.

You could poss report anon via the Crime Stopper's line. Be a resp citizen & good neighbour.

I spoke to the lady in the flat next door last night, she confirmed that she hadn't given permission to anyone to enter her property so someone has been in there without her permission and obviously it's not the landlord because he would have said something when I told him about it and the voice I heard when they spoke to me when they knocked on my door wasn't the Landlords.

 

Also she said someone was messing with keys outside my flat yesterday and she thought it was me but I wasn't there all day yesterday so it was someone else and she couldn't say if they had been in or not.

 

She also said that the landlord empties the coin meters now and again but he has said to me that he's never entered my property without asking first but as the electric coin meter says do not exceed 80 coins and I've probably put in 200 or more then I suspect he has been in here at least once maybe more without my permission.

 

The thing is there isn't even a lock on the main door of the property building, there is a coded lock but the landlord used the excuse when I moved in saying people kept forgetting the code so I don't bother with it now.

 

I don't want to live in social housing, I have lived in private accommodation for years and I'd like to keep it that way.

Having dealt with a few dodgy landlords - they are not going to tell the truth if you ask them to confirm an illegal thing they've been doing. If you ask 'have you entered mine or the neighbour's property without our knowing', he is going to say no even if he has. I would also check with the neighbour whether he arranges in advance to empty the meter or knocks on the door and she lets him in.

In any case, as has been said, you need to make a report to the police - this can be done online, and get the locks changed. And regarding being rehoused - yes you would be considered intentionally homeless, as a change of locks is a simple, easy fix.