^ I wish I were gadget/technically minded, then I could change my own locks.
I rang my landlord with the police reference number (which they require, so good job I got around to that lastnight), and they agreed to change the locks this very day... Yay! Good news: they've already changed the top smaller latch lock. Bad news: the deadlock needs to be ordered, and may not arrive for a few days, so they're expecting us to sit there with one flimsy latch lock!
I had to make a complaint to my landlord about the carpenter sent to do the job, as he looked me up and down and said: "
Who'd want to rob you?" He then went on to detail how "
crazy" I was to want to change the locks over something like that, and that he thought he should not have to change the deadlock at all. This is after I'd made polite chit chat with him and made him a cup of tea as he worked on the first lock (I guess that's what you get for being nice). I informed him the reason for their change had nothing to do with him, and that he ought to complete the job he was called out for. He then claimed he needed to go to the locksmiths to see about "ordering" a new deadlock, waving bye on his way out with a quick cheeky "
See you tomorrow!" thrown in. I had been made to understand the job was to be completed today on an emergency basis! We were now left with a gaping hole for a deadlock, perhaps till the following day to boot.
When I rang to make my complaint to the landlord - I received a telephone apology, after they'd spoken with the carpenter - he apparently claimed he was just joking around with me. A new carpenter (but from the same company) will be sent to fit the second lock, when it arrives on order. We'll see. I have also been advised to complete an official email of complaint to his company, which I well get to. Right now, nothing is being done for my deadlock, and I've been told they're not sure when the order will arrive either.
In the meantime, we have decided to book our own carpenter and fit a completely new third installation lock, that way, we will be secure while the landlord flaps about completing the original locks. This should not have to be necessary, but we're operating under the assumption 3 locks are better than 2, as the landlord says they are not obliged to change more than the original locks. This is so we are not sitting with only one flimsy latch lock for days perhaps, whilst waiting for the deadlock which is "on order".
How infuriating. The man is employed and payed to simply fit a lock, instead of completing the job as instructed in a professional manner, he chooses to challenge, demean and insult the client. Charming! He must be thick as two short planks, either that, or he was in a hurry to get to the pub and resented doing the job at all!
Right now, we're waiting for the second carpenter (the one we've hired ourselves) to come and do a brand new installation tonight... let's hope he does a much better job! No tea or polite chit chat for this one, as apparently that becomes an invitation for dickheads to put their useless two penny forward where it is not wanted.
Thing is, we should be more secure than before after all this, so that's one good thing that came out of it, and we've had to pay for only 1 out of the 3 locks. Not bad for a day's work. Shopped around, then haggled for a good price too, managing to knock about £40 off the best price. Recessions are good for something apparently.
It's was definitely a Monday alright.
