Who pays for locksmith when T locked self in?

[Amanda]

Hello again,

As we all know, i am a bit of a fusspot and like to make sure i give correct advice at all times, so here goes.

I recently put a slightly dithery older lady tenant into a flat which is owned by another old and slightly dithery landlady. She is managing the property herself but called to ask my advice.

Basically, the tenant recently locked herself into the communal entrance hall. The landlady couldn't open the door from the ouside with a key. She asked her if the little catch on the inside had been moved, the tenant said no.

So the landlady called a locksmith thinking something was wrong with the lock. As soon as he arrived, he again asked about the catch on the inside and the tenant said yes, she could now see it and disengaged it. Voila, the door opened.

My landlady has now received a bill for £88 from the locksmith and she feels the tenant ought to pay, but as they are both quite old the landlady doesn't want to ask her if she's not entitled to. Basically, the tenant was being a bit of an idiot and she could have saved the landlady from calling out the locksmith had she engaged her brain (and the lock).

Can the landlady ask for the cost of the locksmith to be paid by the tenant?

Sorry its a bit longwinded and probably a bit of a nonsense, but my landlady is quite concerned and i'd like to be able to alleviate her worries.

Thank you!

[oaktree]

I don't see why not; the lock wasn't faulty and presumably the tenant accepts that she locked herself in albeit not on purpose. As there was no fault the landlord had no duty to repair.

[PaulF]

The tenant unfortunately is liable to pay the call-out fee but it might be wise to have a word with a relative of the tenant in question if possible to see if this lady is in fact capable of looking after herself!

[Amanda]

Thank you

Thanks for your replies.

The situation has now resolved itself as the tenant actually offered to pay the call out charge in the end.