Can I change lock without telling the landlord?

lostnfound

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On the day after we moved in I told him it's ok to come in and fix the bulbs he promised. He is an oldish guy living far from Dublin so I didn't want him to wait for us all day. I meant for only that one occassion.
Since then he has given keys to other people, like a man from insurance company and workers to fix a leak and repaint the bathroom.
I was told about the paint job half an hour before they arrived and I was about to leave for work. I told the landlord I am not happy for stangers going in and out to my apartment without me being at home. He hasn't given any notice and all our personal stuff was in the bath. He apologized.
A few days later my BF was at home and the man from the insurance company just let himself in with a key.
I have no idea how many times did it happen that someone or the landlord came in while we were away.
Other tenants in the other 2 apartments doesn't seem to care (or just were happy to have their bathrooms fixed for free) for this.
Can I change the lock without telling the landlord? He shouldn't find it out as he is not allowed to let himself in without previous notice and us being at home right?
 
No, it's not ok for you to change the locks.

Equally, it's not ok for your landlord or any related third party to enter your property without prior permission from you and without adequate notice.

You have a right to privacy and your landlord can only enter the property unannounced in a case of emergency.

Read your lease, what does it say re privacy? Write to your landlord, outlining your concerns, quote the privacy section in your lease to him and await his response.
 
Excellent and correct advice from driver.

A landlord requires a key in case there is an emergency: water leak, fire, gas leak (obviously where there is gas) or in case the tenant has, for example, died and the landlord needs entry.

You should write to your landlord and quote the RTA 2004 section 12:
12.1.(a) allow the tenant of the dwelling to enjoy peaceful and exclusive occupation of the dwelling,
and
16 (c) [The tenant shall] allow, at reasonable intervals, the landlord, or any person or persons acting on the landlord’s behalf, access to the dwelling (on a date and time agreed in advance with the tenant) for the purposes of inspecting the dwelling,

Failure of the landlord to adhere to section 16 (c) renders him in breach of section 12.1.(a) by depriving the tenant of his peaceful and exclusive use of the property.

I advise that you put your complaint in writing (keep a dated copy) to the landlord (his address should be on the lease) so that if he does enter illegally in the future, you have proof that you have already advised him (or any of his agents) not to do so. You could then make a claim with the PRTB for illegal entry.

Unfortunately, you may have to take time off work (as would any house owner) to accommodate tradesmen's working hours, usually 9a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
He may not know that your apartment was entered AFTER you complained. Make sure he knows. And tell him it must not happen again -- tell him to make the arrangements with all parties which hold the keys.

BTW, I don't think that a lease can take out the right to privacy. I think it's one of the rights in the Act that can't be amended by a lease. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, or affirm it if I'm right.
 
You are absolutely correct, amethyst; nothing in the RTA 2004 Act may be written out or take away any rights by a clause in a lease.

For example, a landlord cannot have a valid clause allowing him to enter a property at any time (or at a specified time), in any form or manner. In the Act, the wording is, as I quoted above, "peaceful and exclusive use of the property".
 
I think you'd be within your rights to request the locks be changed and the giving out of keys to third parties and the subsequent unrestricted access is unacceptable. (and unreasonable). The LL may not have thought of how this effects the tenant, or be aware of his obligations in this regard.
 
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