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Can I have a lock on my door?

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velvetpoet7

Junior Member
i rent one bedroom in a three bedroom home. i have two roommates. one is who i consider my landlord, although she does not own the house herself, she pays rent on it too. i make my rent check out to not her, but the woman who owns the home. the other roommate just moved in a little over a week ago. i share a bathroom and rest of the house with them.

the new roommate is SKETCHY. S-K-E-T-C-H-Y.
and she kind of scares me. she is one way when the landlord is at work all day, but another way when its just me and her. she lies constantly. i dont even have to know her to tell she is lying, her lies are so outrageous.

issue:
she is coming into my room when i am not home and using my computer (and who knows what else). i found the evidence on the internet history. i took the power cord off and hid it, but she found it anyway.
she has already started blaming negative things that she has done on me, and talks **** about me when i am not around.
i want a lock on my bedroom door. now, i can lock it only from the inside. i want a key lock, and i would plan on giving a copy of the key to my landlord - i am not worried about her, it's only the new roommate.
can i legally do this? can i just go out and buy the lock and put it on and give her a key? what should i use as proof that i can do this, if i can? i have searched, and only found documents concerning tenants issues, not roommate issues.

any help is GREATLY appreciated. thank you.What is the name of your state?
 


xylene

Senior Member
It is not hard to install a door lock. You could easily do so if the lock is a modern type.

This would damage nothing. Worst case you are asked to remove it.

Your computer can easily be password protected, and should be.:rolleyes:
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Is there a reason you haven't asked your Landlord? (You know, the one you actually pay the rent to, who also happens to OWN the house)
 

velvetpoet7

Junior Member
i was under the impression that i would not be dealing with the actual house owner. i guess i could, but that would be going behind the other one's back. she is VERY anal about the house. she made a comment to me the other day that when i walk into the house, my shoes stir up dust and i am responsible for cleaning up that dust. craziest thing ive ever heard.

i have always been afraid of the password thing on the pc because i did that one time and the computer would never let me sign on again. it permanently locked me out.

i will try the password thing tho, and just save everything to disk before i do it. i would rather have documentation before i change the lock though. i want to do everything right. i want to know i am not doing anything illegal. i know she will not understand.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Even if one of your roommates approves the lock, you can STILL get in trouble with the property owner. I would write a letter to the OWNER, with a cc to the roommate your are concerned with. That keeps her in the loop.

As for the password - don't forget it ;)
 

xylene

Senior Member
As for the password - don't forget it ;)
Use a chordic password like - asdfuiop1

and write it down in a way only you would understand "My right pinky pees, Another pinky left, 1 time."

You get the idea. There are zillions of VERY secure passwords that are also easy to remember. :)
 

MIRAKALES

Senior Member
...afraid of the password thing on the pc because ... the computer would never let me sign on again.
Purchase a computer case with a secure lock or an ability to attach a secure lock. Put the computer in a safe place that does not have easy access, like a closet. If necessary, put the locked computer case in a locked chest. Since the roommate uses your computer and possibly other items or information and secure lock box may be warranted.
 
Yes..you can get a lock to the bedroom door...

However you must give a copy of the key to the tenant in charge of the HOUSE that is renting the house or buying the HOUSE.

Roomate life is awful. I tried renting a home by rooms many, many moons ago to college students. My brother was to be my "tenant" (a college student at the time) then his friends HIS tenants.

What a freaking nightmare that was. At least for CA. they HAD to give him a key to the rooms (as the tenant on the lease to me) in the event of fire, or something go wrong...lol
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
However you must give a copy of the key to the tenant in charge of the HOUSE that is renting the house or buying the HOUSE.

Roomate life is awful. I tried renting a home by rooms many, many moons ago to college students. My brother was to be my "tenant" (a college student at the time) then his friends HIS tenants.

What a freaking nightmare that was. At least for CA. they HAD to give him a key to the rooms (as the tenant on the lease to me) in the event of fire, or something go wrong...lol
Granny -
Our OP has NOT said that the other tenant is her actual landlord...so your advice is merely a guess.

So, let's ask the OP.
OP - do you have a written agreement with anyone...and if "yes", with who?
 
Oh..I didn't think the one going into the room was the actual contractual tenant. I thought the two were renting rooms? Then of course there would be the tenant renting the house and sub-leasing the rooms.

You are right...need more.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
The only person who can give permission to alter the house (by adding a lock to the door), and the only person who can require a key to that lock, is the OWNER of the property. The roommate does not have any right to access OP's area of the house, she is not the owner or landlord no matter how bossy she may act. And OP does not have to advise that roommate of the plan to add a lock, nor ask her permission.

There is not prime tenant/sub tenants, OP pays rent directly to the owner.
 
As long as the knobs and screws are intact (upon vacating) they can too have a lock to that bedroom. This is the responsibility of the actual tenant renting the home. The "single" person that is the actual tenant in charge and responsible is too entitled to a key to that room. Same thing for apartment mgrs. to each unit in the complex.

In this case it may be very likely that this woman is subleasing where the owner is unaware of entirely. In which case you are correct. However...the owner may not care if her rent is being paid.
 

applecruncher

Senior Member
I’m not understanding why she thinks she can just go in your room and use your computer. Probably snooping around, too. Why haven’t you told this person “I don’t want people in my room for any reason. It’s an invasion of privacy, and if anything is damaged or missing, I don’t want the brouhaha that inevitable follows. I don’t invade your privacy, so please respect mine.” Or write her a note. Talk to the owner. And yes, you need a lock. I know of roommate situations where locks solve the problem. I wouldn’t worry about tension because it’s not like the two of you are gonna be best buddies anyway.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Ok Grandma - one more time - the poster DOES NOT pay rent to a tenant. The poster pays rent DIRECTLY to the landlord. The bossy roommate does NOT, according to anything posted, have any OFFICIAL responsibility for the house and the poster is NOT required to provide her with a key, or get her permission to install a lock. The poster needs to contact the OWNER of the house, the person to whom she pays rent, for permission.
 

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