QUESTION: I’m a young single female, and my landlord creeps me out. He ogles me a lot and I’ve been getting a feeling that he’s been in my flat while I’ve been at work.
Last week I came home to find him in the unit. OK, I have to say he was fixing a light fitting that I’d asked him to repair (although he didn’t say he was coming round to do it).
I want to change my locks so he can’t just walk in. Am I allowed to do this? I won’t feel safe if I don’t. – JessRabbit, Marrickville.
ANSWER: Unless you have an order from the CTTT to say otherwise, you can’t change the locks without giving the landlord a key within seven days.
However, if the landlord isn’t coming round while you are out, how is he going to know that you have changed them?
It’s a breach of your lease but if you really don’t trust him and you don’t want to move you could change the locks and have a spare key ready to give him if he really does need to get in.
But first, go to tenantsNSW.org.au HEREand download Factsheet 7 which explains your rights and obligations in detail.
In Queensland go HERE or HERE. In Victoria go HERE or HERE.