Urgent Repairs - Apply to Broken Handles?

LLockedout on 04/12/2018 - 19:53
Last edited 04/12/2018 - 21:34

Hi guys,

New here, just needed some advice.

So our bedroom door handle is no longer working, the latch seems to be stuck.

Unfortunately it doesn't explicitly say under rent tenancy act 2010 that this is considered an urgent repair. In my opinion this is pretty serious as my partner and I cannot access our bedroom that holds our bed, clothes, and other valuables. We have emailed the agent last night however there has been no response, and we emailed them again two hours ago and again no response. No response from their mobile either. We have been considering just calling a locksmith to get this fixed and just billing them later.

Do you guys have any advice?

Cheers,
Lockedout

SOLVED: Got a locksmith, the latch was completely broken. Had to get replaced.

Thanks guys.

Poll Options

  • 6
    Call a locksmith
  • 20
    Wait until the agent responds and sleep on the floor
Home & Garden

closed Comments

  • altomic on 04/12/2018 - 19:55
    +3

    wow

  • p1 ama on 04/12/2018 - 19:58
    +2

    Why would you call a locksmith, unless it's a door with a lock on it? If it's just a knob with some turning parts inside, all you need is a screwdriver to take it apart.

    • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 19:59

      I have no idea about who to call, however I can tell you that there are no screws on this side of the door, and the hinges are also on the other side.

      • Odin on 05/12/2018 - 09:09

        It's incredibly easy. Just look up a youtube vid. This is a 10 minute job to fix.

        You can get inside in 2 minutes.

        After you remove the existing handle, go to bunnings, buy a replacement one for $10, and fit it.

        Literally anyone can do this.

  • bdl on 04/12/2018 - 20:04
    +2

    "We have emailed the agent last night however there has been no response, and we emailed them again two hours ago and again no response." WTF?! Call the agent, not sure why you are emailing and waiting?!

    • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 20:05

      see the description "No response from their mobile either"

      • bdl on 04/12/2018 - 20:10
        +1

        Keep on calling. Call the real estate agent if you can't get onto your particular managing agent. Often there is a 24 hour emergency number on your lease but you may not be able to check it if it's on the other side of your locked door.

  • 87percent on 04/12/2018 - 20:11
    +5

    Are you locked in the bedroom? If so, that's funny

  • HighAndDry on 04/12/2018 - 20:12
    +2

    This is an internal door right? They're basically made from plywood and have locks made from toothpicks and aluminium foil…

    Take a photo or two, I'm sure people here can tell you how to bypass it in a few seconds.

    • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2018 - 20:38

      +1 on that. There are a number of options under Google, but it depends on what style lock you are looking at.

  • AdamFury on 04/12/2018 - 20:26

    I'd be giving it a gentle nudge.

    • Nugs on 05/12/2018 - 06:54

      do you mean "unleash the fury"?
      .

  • Prince K on 04/12/2018 - 20:29
    +2

    I think you should be on YouTube rather than creating an account on ozbargain and posting on forum.

  • dylo on 04/12/2018 - 20:29

    Welcome to OzBargain :)

    Why would you have to sleep on the floor, don't you have any other furniture?

    • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 20:33

      We don't have a large couch, my partner could sleep on it, but I think I'd be sleeping on the floor, or the coffee table

  • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 20:33

    https://imgur.com/a/s70sxaW

    See above picture of handle for reference

    • Prince K on 04/12/2018 - 20:37
      +6

      Just twist the round plate and it should come right off, showing two screws

      • Scrooge McDuck on 04/12/2018 - 20:39

        Quite likely. Rotate it anticlockwise.

      • josetann on 04/12/2018 - 20:45

        Took too long to type my reply. One of the two sides (maybe both) would have a set of screws. Hopefully they're on that side of the door and can be accessed once the cover/plate is off.

      • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 20:45
        +1

        Thanks for the tip, I uncovered some screws, unfortunately there are other screws on the other side of the door and the handle doesn't seem to want to come off.

        • josetann on 04/12/2018 - 20:47
          +1

          Take a photo with the cover off. It's possible that the mechanism is exposed and you can manually retract the latch now.

        • p1 ama on 04/12/2018 - 21:03
          +6

          It has to be possible, otherwise how would someone you call do it? Watch some Youtube videos, do some Googling and some thinking. This is just an important life lesson in terms of being able to do your own stuff instead of wasting $100 every time some minor issue comes up.

        • HighAndDry on 04/12/2018 - 21:23

          Agreed - take photos with the plate detached and the accessible screws removed. It's an internal door, even just for cost-saving measures, they're not going to go to extra lengths to make it hard to uninstall from one side.

        • Lockedout on 04/12/2018 - 21:34
          +1

          Got a locksmith, the latch was completely broken. Had to get replaced.

          Thanks guys.

          • ihbh on 04/12/2018 - 21:36

            @Lockedout: Cost?

            Can you pls post pic of broken latch.

            • HighAndDry on 04/12/2018 - 22:27

              @ihbh: Yeah I don't think OP is entitled to recover the cost of a locksmith for an internal door handle…

    • Scrooge McDuck on 04/12/2018 - 20:38
      +8

      Can we get some close-ups of the shaft please?

      Of the door handle I mean.

    • josetann on 04/12/2018 - 20:43

      Some door handles/knobs have screws on both sides, some just have screws on one side. I don't see screws on that side, however, it's possible that there's a cover hiding them. See if the round part on the door wiggles any, if you're really lucky it'll pop off somehow and you'll have access to screws on that side.

      Another option…if you can fit a wire hanger in the space between the door and the frame (where the latch is), you can use that to push the latch in. Looks like a pretty tight fit, so I dunno if that'll work. A proper locksmith probably has a tool that'd do the same thing, just specially made so it'll fit no problem and works instantly vs you messing with it for 10 minutes before you get it.

      A sledgehammer would take care of getting the handle off, but I'm guessing the door is only slightly sturdier than thick cardboard (though it'd cost as much as a "proper" door would), so I won't suggest that.

  • Third_Gear on 04/12/2018 - 20:43

    You push down on the handle and nothing happens? Does the handle go down or is it firm?

    If you push down on the handle and you can feel the inside of the latch moving just push the handle down and put your shoulder into it. Should pop right open.

  • Cheeper on 04/12/2018 - 20:49

    Can you turn that collar anti clockwise and slip it back? There could be a couple of screws under there that you can undo and maybe free the latch?
    Odd that bedroom door has a locking mechanism?
    Do the other internal doors have them?
    Seen them on bathroom doors but they have a pinhole where you can unlock them from the outside if needed.
    Not sure if LL will foot the bill for a locksmith if the door was closed with the lock button engaged by the tenant?

  • VegemiteKid on 04/12/2018 - 20:49
    +1

    I don’t know which state you’re in but in Vic an urgent repair is ‘a failure or breakdown of an essential service’.

    You don’t need a locksmith. You need a handyman. I say that because if you call a locksmith you may have problems seeking reimbursement.

    Also I have FOMO so I’m gonna need updates

  • hawkeye on 04/12/2018 - 20:51
    +2

    Take the spare tyre out of the car and get the missus to balance it on top of a dining chair outside the door place the car jack in the spare tyre followed by kicking down some local timber fence palings until a couple make the distance length between the door and car jack then apply pressure to the jack until the palings are pinned between the door and jack.

    Wind the jack or pump the jack until you hear some creaking from the door like it's going to explode then send another email to your landlord saying some idiot has crashed a car up the street through a fence and landed in your hallway you need a locksmith ASAP to get into your room from the debris it's thrown throughout the house

  • Godric on 04/12/2018 - 20:56
    +5

    Try using a credit card to pry open the door, i've seen it done in movies

    • Thrift on 05/12/2018 - 10:57

      Plus you get bonus reward points from the partner.

  • John Kimble on 04/12/2018 - 20:58
    +2

    I don't think this issue is considered an urgent repair, but I could be wrong.

  • Richardc on 04/12/2018 - 21:01
    +1

    Did you try push the handle up?

  • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2018 - 21:35
    +1

    I'm guessing OP has made it in… and is now making it in. Too busy to respond. ;)

    • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2018 - 21:40
      +2

      Op replied up top

  • hasselbladsnapper on 04/12/2018 - 21:43

    These type of handles have a outer ring that conceales the fixing screws - often just two. Rotate and unscrew the outer bezel - then unscrew the now visible fixing screws, they are quite often long and have a matching sleeve that they screw into. Once part loose,get some outward tension on the screw so the screwed sleeve on the INSIDE is held in tension to allow the rest of the facing screws to be withdrawn. Pull the handle off and then rotate the square shaft with a pair of pliers to open the door … good luck.

  • iand on 05/12/2018 - 00:05

    for those who have missed the post

    **Lockedout 2 hours 28 min ago new

    Got a locksmith, the latch was completely broken. Had to get replaced.

    Thanks guys.**

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