Locking a Fire Exit?

Question

I am statying in a hostel type thing, There is a fire exit at the front and rear of the house. The Front door only has a handle from the inside, and is only accessable from the outside by means of a key. The backdoor is on the far side of the kitchen. The kitchen door is frequently (approx 21hrs a day).

I have to question the legality of this. any comments?

Also what rights does my landlord have to enter my room almost every time i leave the building and root through my stuff? Do i not have rights to privacy?

- presume you leave it locked
Of course. landlord has a set of key though.
- how about putting a mousetrap in a drawer so when he roots about.....
Or even a used hyperdermic needle i can aquire from a junkie friend...
- Do you have proof they are looking through your stuff?
All my paperwork not being in the same order it was left in isn't proof, i can't exactly prove they weren't like that to start with, but three manual sensors (although they could be reset by hand, if noticed. they where fine till a few weeks ago, still one he hasn't found yet) on the door. And a few sensors in my laptop, logging times, no. of attempts, and if the camera gets wired up... but conveniently the last time he was in my room, my laptop stopped working. i have been partially able to recover logs.
- do you have a written contract with the landlord?
well, i've signed paperwork, but that isn't a true tennancy agreement(But i believe it works in my favour more than theirs)
...

...
Besides, do i not have basic rights to privacy under the human rights act?
- unless you owe rent or you are in direct breach of the tenancy agreement..
I owe nothing. I'm thinking of charging him £65 for my headphones he broke tho. Mebbe for my laptop too. not for replacement, of course. for repair. I've spent in excess of 90hrs manually repairing my partition table. I think £15ph is perfectly reasonable for such a tedious task.

Also no-one know of the (rough) fine involved in locking a fire door?

Oh. and the knobmonkey in his infinite stupidity has decided to paint all of the internal fire doors. even painting the firestrip(on some doors actually preventing the door from closing). Not that any of the doors have been hung with sufficiant quality to enable the firestrip to connect to doorframe...
or the fire alarm be even switched on....

Do you got a house to give me?
I'm staying there because it is marginly cleaner than the streets, a damn sight warmer and until recently, my stuff was considered safe.

Answer 1

Do you have proof they are looking through your stuff? Ask if you can put a lock on your door. A fire door has to be able to be opened from the inside without a key. There is no law saying that it can not require a key for entrance into the building.

Answer 2

Fire doors must be kept unlocked whilst there are people inside the building. they can however be locked, say by the cartaker, at night when he is leaving the building and it therefore empty. Any locks or chains used to secure the firedoors must be kept on a board which is visible to a responsible person whenever the building is occupied.
As far as the landlord entering your room when you are out this is totally wrong. Most tenancy agreements will state that he has to give you 24 hours notice that he wishes to enter and this must be at a time that suits you.
Contact the Fire Brigade on the first point and if the landlord will not agree to the second contact your local CAB.

Answer 3

it is illegal (in the UK) to lock any fire exit-as for the landlord entering your room and going through your stuff-unless you owe rent or you are in direct breach of the tenancy agreement there is absolutely no law in this country that permits a landlord to behave in this way-it is a direct invasion of your privacy.

Answer 4

As long as the door can be opened from the inside it is ligal. Most fire exits don't have handles on the outside... I mean people want to get out not in! Example: fire exits at Target have handles on the inside! Look at fire exits when you go out you will see that it's pretty standard!

Answer 5

If this is in UK then totally illegal...go to local firestation and tell them about the fire exit...they will be only too pleased to take action. How does Landlord get in your room, presume you leave it locked....how about putting a mousetrap in a drawer so when he roots about.....wham.

Answer 6

A fire door is not to be locked at any time , contact your local fire station

As for your Landlord entering your room , contact your local CAB and inform them. they may advise you to complain to the Police as your landlord is breaking the law

Answer 7

you can not lock or block any Fire Exits what so ever they only way it can be locked in less it is from the outside in and not the inside out. About your landlord im not sure i think you should check your lease and see if he/she can do that

Answer 8

regarding the fire doors - contact the local fire dept and ask them if it should not be unlocked at all times..
it might be locked for security reasons.

do you have a written contract with the landlord? if not, no its not illegal but it is most certainly unethical...and i would approach them about it.

good luck :)

Answer 9

If its in the UK phone the Health and Safety executive and report the snivelling little deviant.

Answer 10

looks like somebody put in the lockset backwards. that's a violation. call the construction & secure practices Dept and ask them. they might desire to deliver an inspector out to envision it.