Does anyone else think this is ridiculous, or is it my fault?

[Nymphomanic]

I am sick but I have work. I pull myself out of my house in Albany, go to class, go to a society I have to go to - do loads of things. I leave my room unlocked because I always leave my room unlocked. I know and trust the people I live with and most people in my house leave their rooms unlocked. My key is in my room.

I get home at eight, feeling awful but knowing that I must start an essay, the books for which are in my room. I we have had a spot inspection and my room is locked. With my key and books inside. None of my housemates' rooms are locked because they were in when the spot inspection happened. I ring Albany reception, no answer. I ring lots of numbers. Eventually David Russell reception inform me that they cannot unlock the room tonight and I must wait until tommorrow to be given access to my room, key, books, etc. They also said it was my own fault for not reguarly locking my room myself.

I'm sick, stressed, furious and probably going to have to sleep on the common room floor. Does anyone else think that locking someone's key in their room is a deeply nasty thing to do?

[hr]

I read most of the night and go south in winter - wasteland

[Jam-bo]

It's not really their fault that you left your keys in your room. They are just doing their job.

Surely though the night porter will have a key for such incidents?

Edit - Just realised it's albany - no night porter I assume. Harsh.

[Nymphomanic]

Quoting Jam-bo from 21:16, 12th Mar 2007
It's not really their fault that you left your keys in your room. They are just doing their job.

Surely though the night porter will have a key for such incidents?

Edit - Just realised it's albany - no night porter I assume. Harsh.

But spot checks are not expected in Albany - and there is no rule saying they can lock my door

[hr]

I read most of the night and go south in winter - wasteland

[Garnet]

There's a number at the albany park reception that you can phone and i am sure there must be someone to come and let you in. I know there has been the few times i have left my key somewhere.

I don't think they did it on purpose they probably forgot it was unlocked when they came in. I do the same it's a pain to have to get my key card then get my key out especially since i am usually carrying books etc.

I'd try get in touch with them again they should be able to let you in.

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[Cain]

in the nicest possible sense, think of this as a learning experience.

I hope that you'll take your key with you at all times and lock your door.

I'm also not sure why you're blaming the inspections people for locking you out when you were the one that left the key in your unlocked room. It's their responsibility to you to ensure the safety of your room and equipment. That means locking the door behind them.

If you had locked the door, they came in and inspected, left the door unlocked and them somebody found their way into your room who was not meant to be there, i wager that you might be quite upset.

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[maenad]

Um ... I'd always take your key with you, but that is poor service not allowing you back in. My housemate left her key at home and called someone who came and unlocked her door that afternoon. Everyone makes mistakes.

Since when did Albany have 'spot inspections'? As far as I know no-one's ever come to our house outside the advertised inspections and even during those certainly no-one's inspected my room.

[hr]

Tommy can you hear me?

[Thalia]

Surely someone in albany has a master key? Don't you have an RA you can ring? Have a look around the office and see if there's a number to ring after hours.

Oh, and fife park does the same - at random they will pick some houses and check inside the bedrooms as well as the common areas. But as far as i know, they don't check every house, just some of them.

[hr]

You've been nothing but an angel every day of your life and now you wonder what it's like to be damned...

[Freaker]

I remember reading somewhere that they are allowed to perform those checks once a year only for each flat. I do wonder what they are looking for specifically, though, and how the residents will be informed...

There should be a RA on duty all night, who should open the door for you. After all, you could just as well have lost your keys and still need to get into your room. They might be a little grumpy at being woken up if this happened in the middle of the night (which it didn't at 9pm...), but then I would offer them a piece of chocolate from my then-open room as a small thank you .

Very unhelpful of David Russell Reception, though - you would expect them to be more forthcoming; us students are their paying customers after all, whether we have our keys on us or not. Hope you managed to either open your room or find a comfortable place to sleep, though .

[hr]

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

[blimey]

Quoting nymphomanic from 21:21, 12th Mar 2007


But spot checks are not expected in Albany - and there is no rule saying they can lock my door

[hr]

I read most of the night and go south in winter - wasteland

They can do spot checks (it's in the contract) and they are legally obliged to lock your door - otherwise they would be liable if anything was stolen! You'd be more pissed off if that happened post spot check!

[Thalia]

You'll find the same happens in catered halls - the cleaners are supposed to lock the door after they've cleaned, whether the door was open in the first place or not.

[hr]

You've been nothing but an angel every day of your life and now you wonder what it's like to be damned...

[Batman]

Yeah, I remember in my first year in hall taking a shower (room mate was "playing away")left keys in unlocked room.

Came back and found that the door was locked.

Luckily cleaner walked by and after a quick flash let me back in.

Quoting Thalia from 08:29, 13th Mar 2007
You'll find the same happens in catered halls - the cleaners are supposed to lock the door after they've cleaned, whether the door was open in the first place or not.

[hr]

You've been nothing but an angel every day of your life and now you wonder what it's like to be damned...

[hr]

Have you ever danced with the Devil in the Pale Moonlight!

[munchingfoo]

Quoting Freaker from 04:43, 13th Mar 2007
I remember reading somewhere that they are allowed to perform those checks once a year only for each flat. I do wonder what they are looking for specifically, though, and how the residents will be informed...

They are looking for health and safety breaches. Too many multiple socket adapters, electric heaters, minifridges etc.

If any of the offending items are found they have a contractual right to take them and return them at the end of your contract.

I had an issue with this. Although I could see why it had to be a surprise, I am sure any landlord must provide 24hrs notice before entering accom. It may be different for uni accom. with constant reception/security/RAs though.

[hr]

Tired Freudian references aside - your mother played my mighty skin flute like a surf crowned sea nymph trying to rouse Poseidon from his watery slumber!

[Gubbins]

When I signed the contracts for catered halls (a few years ago now, but I don't suppose it's changed), they are allowed to inspect your room and are legally bound to lock it afterwards. They are also supposed to give you 24 hours notice of any impending visits except in a case of emergency. I think there is also someone that should be on call 24 hours a day, although you may have to read the fine print to double-check this.

[hr]

...but then again, that is only my opinion.

[Nymphomanic]

It's cool, I got let in eventually but I had to call nightline and get them to call admin and say I had a cold and needed to be let in. The guy who let me in was very helpful and apologetic though (which made me feel really bad, as he had to come all the way across town).

[hr]

I read most of the night and go south in winter - wasteland

[pea]

In McIntosh at least, we don't get 24 hours warning anymore. The only warning we get is either hearing the RMs further down the corridor or a friendly phone call from a friend...

As for this situation, I think it's a lesson that even if you don't want to lock your door all the time, you should at least have your keys with you. At least you got in in the end.

[hr]



I'm a little pea, I love the sky and the trees...

[Captain_Spanky]

[img]http://lelombrik3.free.fr/Photo/attention_whore.jpg[/img]

[hr]

Beatrice - Darling. Dearest. Dead.

[maenad]

We have an entire three piece suite in our common room that the inspectors failed to comment on last time. I also wonder why they even bother with the blu-tack rule.

[hr]

Tommy can you hear me?

[MacMan]

With any halls of residence there is either a night porter or a duty Warden working out-of-hours. The term "RA" is American and is not generally used in our halls.

There should be a number to call for immediate attention in your hall, in case of emergency. Often this calls a pager and the warden will come and see you immediately. Every warden has a master key that can open any bedroom door, and in catered halls the cleaners tend to possess these too.

At a push, the out-of-hours Estates janitors can help, as they also have the necessary keys.

Best idea for future reference is to lock your room when you go out and take your keys with you. If your room is open and you get all your stuff stolen, the University insurance will not pay compensation and you will lose everything as there was no security deterrent. They will only pay for losses if there was forced entry into a locked room.

[A66]

You do realise that you've told a great proportion of the population of St Andrews that you don't lock your door. Anyone that knows who you are can find out where you live and now steal all your things.

[A66]

You do realise that you've told a great proportion of the population of St Andrews that you don't lock your door. Anyone that knows who you are can find out where you live and now steal all your things.