Non-latching front door

[unlatched]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ca

Hi, our front door won't latch. It's a very old door with a handle/latch that you can't find easily anymore and when you can, it's over $100. The internal parts that would latch are completely missing. The only way right now to keep this door closed it to use a deadbolt that only bolts from the inside, or if you're on the outside, to lock the deadbolt below that one that doesn't open from the inside. I'm afraid to bolt it from the inside in case the back door closes all the way when I go out there. I've got a baby, and when I go outside to get firewood (this house doesn't have a heater), sometimes the door closes all the way, and it automatically latches. You can see why I am scared to bolt the door from the inside, and it's an inconvenience to prop open the back door, go out the front door, lock from the outside then go around the back and hope my dogs didn't knock aside whatever propped it open. Also our dogs have escaped when I've been in the bathroom and the door's blown open. But I can't sit right in front of the door all day and not go pee! The floor's too slick for something to sit against it. I've tried putting our tool box in front of it and it slides with enough wind or if the dogs go shove it aside.

A slight wind blows the door open. In a storm yesterday, I couldn't keep it closed, so it was very cold inside. When my husband got home, we were able to bolt it because someone would be inside if the other got locked out.

The only way we can afford to get the front door to latch is to use this wrap-around metal piece to cover a couple of the holes for the current handle, and drill a new hole for a new handle in a spot the lined up with the spot in the door frame for the little metal piece that holds it closed.

Because the door is antique, the landlords won't let us do this, and they won't replace the handle either because they said it's too expensive and not their responsibility. (Let's not even get into how they're using the garage here for their personal storage, and part of the backyard, and they gave themselves an easement to come here whenever they want without notice to pick produce that they aren't growing.)

What are our options about the front door? Or are we stuck pretty much having a door that won't stay closed? Do the landlord have any obligation to provide a lock? Can they overrule us drilling a new whole to do it ourselves (by this, I mean a professional)? It doesn't seem right that we wouldn't be allowed to have a door that stays closed without risking me getting locked out with a baby inside.

 

[Banned_Princess]

You have to send a certified letter detailing the problem, why it disrupts the habitability of the unit and demand something be done to remidy the problem.


Send 2 in 1 month, and if no action... sue the LL, to fix it.

 

[Banned_Princess]

wait, so you wont bolt the door closed, when your inside, incase you get locked outside?

lol.

why dont you hide a key to the deadbolt outside, incase of that happining??


Sounds like you can in fact close the door, you are just afrade to.

 

[unlatched]

No reading comprehension?

The wood for our fireplace is out back. The back door locks automatically if it closes all the way. Since it's a door with whatever that mechanism is on top that closes automatically, this has happened (though thankfully only when both of us were home and one of us inside). If the front door isn't unlocked, there's no other way inside. It's not feasible to carry a 3-month-old while I'm getting logs. The fire is the sole heat source in this house.

There are two deadbolts that work on the front door. The one on top ONLY locks from the OUTside and can NOT be unlocked from the inside. The one underneath it ONLY locks from the INside and can not be unlocked from the outside. It's two one-way locks. The only way to have the front door lock so that I can get back inside if the back door closes all the way is to prop open the back door first, then go out the front door, locking the top one, then going around the back door and hoping the dogs didn't knock aside whatever's propping it open.

But if there was a fire or something (and I don't mean in the fireplace), then I can't get out the front door because the top lock is locked and can't be unlocked from inside. So in this regard, yes, I am afraid (yes, that's how it's spelled, not how you spelled it) of locking the door. I'm afraid of my baby and me being unable to get out the door in am emergency. Sure, it means that if I get locked out the back door, I could open the front. But what if there's an emergency and we're locked in?

If I'm outside getting wood so we're not freezing, and the bottom lock is locked, and the back door closes all the way, then my baby is inside and I'm locked outside. I'd either have to break a window (and the damned windows I could get in aren't the kind that open, and the ones that do open are situated about 5 feet from the ground), or wait for a locksmith to get out here from the nearest town. If you've ever had a baby, you'd know how awful it would be to have your baby needing you and being alone for a couple hours while you're outside unable to get to her.

How would you like it if the only way you could get your front door to stay closed being to lock yourself inside unable to get out in an emergency or to risk being locked out both front and back with your baby inside?

Do I need to draw a picture to illustrate this?

 

[atomizer]

Lose the "tude" and you might get some help here.

Get the picture?

 

[Banned_Princess]

No reading comprehension?

Top of my class. I just skimmed your post for relevance. basically there was none.

The wood for our fireplace is out back. The back door locks automatically if it closes all the way.

Bring the key. does it have a key?

Since it's a door with whatever that mechanism is on top that closes automatically, this has happened (though thankfully only when both of us were home and one of us inside). If the front door isn't unlocked, there's no other way inside. It's not feasible to carry a 3-month-old while I'm getting logs. The fire is the sole heat source in this house.

Ask that that lock be removed and replaced with a safer lock.

There are two deadbolts that work on the front door. The one on top ONLY locks from the OUTside and can NOT be unlocked from the inside. The one underneath it ONLY locks from the INside and can not be unlocked from the outside. It's two one-way locks.

Ah ha. so lock it from the inside when your inside and outside from the outside... OR change one of the one way deadbolts, to a two way deadbolt.

The only way to have the front door lock so that I can get back inside if the back door closes all the way is to prop open the back door first, then go out the front door, locking the top one, then going around the back door and hoping the dogs didn't knock aside whatever's propping it open.

yea. I get it.

But if there was a fire or something (and I don't mean in the fireplace), then I can't get out the front door because the top lock is locked and can't be unlocked from inside. So in this regard, yes, I am afraid (yes, that's how it's spelled, not how you spelled it) of locking the door.

So then follow my first post, and certify letters to LL about your fears, and sue him to fix it if he doesnt.... OR change one of the deadbolts, to a new deadbolt. and have the back door lock changed to like a chain lock.

I'm afraid of my baby and me being unable to get out the door in am emergency. Sure, it means that if I get locked out the back door, I could open the front. But what if there's an emergency and we're locked in?

If I'm outside getting wood so we're not freezing, and the bottom lock is locked, and the back door closes all the way, then my baby is inside and I'm locked outside. I'd either have to break a window (and the damned windows I could get in aren't the kind that open, and the ones that do open are situated about 5 feet from the ground), or wait for a locksmith to get out here from the nearest town. If you've ever had a baby, you'd know how awful it would be to have your baby needing you and being alone for a couple hours while you're outside unable to get to her.

How would you like it if the only way you could get your front door to stay closed being to lock yourself inside unable to get out in an emergency or to risk being locked out both front and back with your baby inside?

Do I need to draw a picture to illustrate this?

on and on.

whatever lady. sounds simple enough to me to change a deadbolt on the front to a two way deadbolt, then remove auto lock from the back door and replace with a chain. Done and done.


Provide LL with new keys.

 

[unlatched]

The back door is some stupid spring-loaded thing that doesn't have a key, and can't be unlocked in any way.

The two deadbolts on the door were built in to the top part of the door. It's one of those doors that splits in the middle so you can have the bottom closed and the top open. Dutch door, I think it's called? The top part had those locks built in. They can't be removed without being sawed out. The lock guy who was here today was blown away by the locks in this place being how they are. He said he has never seen such a whacked situation with the locks. The only way to get the front door to stay shut without those 2 bolts that are on it is to drill another hole, whether to put in a new doorknob or to put in a third deadbolt.

The guy who lived here before us, who was the person who had this house built and is the dad of the owner of the house, was known locally for being a bit whacko. He had the house built around a massive organ and writing desk, both which can't be removed without tearing down walls, and the locations of them don't make any sense with how this house is laid out. And there are other things that are unusual.

Look, I need to know if we have a legal right to a front door that stays closed. It won't do any good to sue if there's no law saying we have a right to a doorknob that works. If we have a right, I need the law codes to cite. Maybe just telling them the codes will get them to act.

 

[Banned_Princess]

you have the right to a habitable dwelling.

if the door doesn't close, that violates your right to habitability.


the problem is the door does close. yea its alittle inconvenient, but it works.


I personally, if found in your predicament, would send the certified letters, I would note that if he doesn't fix it, you will call the fire Marshal.


Maybe that will motivate him. go more with the fire escape hazard, then... the door wont close.