...

[joemama]

Door was deadbolted. Knob & deadbolt were both locked. Standard lock, city code prevents me from having a double-key type. He had the friggin keys! I wasn't told he would have the keys. This was not the arrangement. This was not what I agreed to. These were not the instructions I gave the manager, to give to him. He did not identify himself in any way and did not answer the challenge. He just tried to get my door open.

State law actually requires 24 hours notice and full detailed disclosure to the renter. This would be the part that requires them to tell me that a service technician would have the keys or not.

Moving would run (roughly) $4K. First, last, deposit, truck rental, lost wages, etc. Then there's the inevitably higher rent. I'm happy to take donations? Anyone? No? Ah well...

Still working on the camera idea. Just so I can safely see who's on the other side of the door. Like the cage suggestion. None of the interior door have locks and I swear they're about as strong as Balsa, so locks might slow someone down. Deadbolt is always locked, no matter if we're home or not. Guns are locked and hidden when we're gone, unlocked and accessible when we're home.

where I work we can enter a unit without permission from the tenant if there is damage to our property, like plumbing issues causing water damage. We usually try and at least get a hold of the tenant before entering though so they know whats going on.

[welchy]

As a plumber that works on apartments take a chill pill. You knew there was a chance he was coming in that day and you still freaked out? My advice to you is move to a safer complex. I have to go into poeples apts all the time sometimes they wake up after I am already working on there pluming. I always ask the manager to let me in though.

When you rent manager /owner does not have right to enter unless there is imminent danger to property. As long as rent is up to date it is your domicile not theirs. You are risking getting shot, my friend.

[blakdawg]

When you rent manager /owner does not have right to enter unless there is imminent danger to property. As long as rent is up to date it is your domicile not theirs. You are risking getting shot, my friend.

This is not correct in California - see Civil Code 1954.

(a) A landlord may enter the dwelling unit only in the following cases:
(1) In case of emergency.
(2) To make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers, or contractors or to make an inspection pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 1950.5.
(3) When the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the premises.
(4) Pursuant to court order.

(there's plenty more, but that'll get you started. 24 hours notice of entry during normal business hours is presumed reasonable notice for an unconsented-to entry.)

[welchy]

This is not correct in California - see Civil Code 1954.



(there's plenty more, but that'll get you started. 24 hours notice of entry during normal business hours is presumed reasonable notice for an unconsented-to entry.)

Yeah, that is pretty much what I said. Lanlord CANNOT come into your residence without your permissio unless there is imminent danger, you have agreed to it (as the op did), or you are a P.O.S. Thanks for backing me up.

[blakdawg]

Yeah, that is pretty much what I said. Lanlord CANNOT come into your residence without your permissio unless there is imminent danger, you have agreed to it (as the op did), or you are a P.O.S. Thanks for backing me up.

Let me be crystal clear: I am not "backing you up". I am correcting your misstatement of California law. What you said was wrong. This is not a grey area. This is not susceptible to interpretation. No reasonable person can argue about it.

Go read Civil Code section 1954. I didn't quote all of it, because if you're smart enough to tell other people what the law is, you ought to know where to find the Civil Code. That assumption may have been too generous. You can find an online copy of the various California codes at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html.

[shortround1]

As a plumber that works on apartments take a chill pill. You knew there was a chance he was coming in that day and you still freaked out? My advice to you is move to a safer complex. I have to go into poeples apts all the time sometimes they wake up after I am already working on there pluming. I always ask the manager to let me in though.

Nobody would appreciate to wake up to the sound of a stranger in their bathroom, or the sound of the front door being opened without a knock or ring first. Even if they're expecting a plumber, you should always announce yourself even if the place looks empty. People don't just "Chill" when someone enters their personal space suddenly.

IntoForever ^ seems to have the right idea. He has an extremely low chance of being attacked by a startled tenant.

[J-cat]

if you have yelled out "who is it?"
then he might have told you he was a plumber?

If you do that, you'll give up your element of surprise. A better tactic is to observe from underneath some piece of furniture and to strike when his back is to you.

[ireload]

Osokne chain does not do much for a door. Use a door brace. Doors nowadays are easy to kick down not like the doors of the past made of solid wood not the hollow core type.

My family and I never open the door for anyone we do not know. We also take a peek (discretely) by the window when someone rings our doorbell. We talk to them through the closed door and yes Mr. Smith and Wesson at the ready just in case.

But lesson learned from your experience -- verify first.

[tankarian]

So, here's BG (you think) trying to open your door and you actually open it for him/her? Don't do that, make the BG work harder

Also, when the gun is out, it means the situation is serious, so (1) don't stand next to the door where you think the BG is (in your case) and (2) just shoot and don't hesitate.

People like you give a bad name to gun owners.

[meaty-btz]

Wow, I didnt know that some cities had codes to prevent double locks. Also, I think because my mind was wandering I didnt explain the double deadbolt: the exterior deadbolt the appartment manager ahs keys for, the inner deadbolt has no keys. It is inaccessable from the exterior without some serious tools. It is a great idea to prevent surprise visits. My wife had some of those while in the shower. They don't announce loud enough (cant hear even the doorbell some times from the shower.


As for doors being weak.. Yeah, our current door is pretty weaksauce even with both bolts in place. I was raisin cain because wife had locked me out and wasnt opening the door for me. She was in the shower and couldnt hear a thing.. hahah. I gave the door a solid whack to make enough noise and man.. even if the door didnt break in half on a real attempt at entry the door frame would fail under a solid strike.

Course I am a big beefy guy and what I consider normal is other peoples impossibles. One thing to consider if you don't want a door brace is an upper and lower slide lock. Now they are pretty puny things. However my examination of the forces on my current appartment door indicated that the flex was at the top and the bottom of the door. Even though its solid core you could crack the door in half. The bolts might hold and the hinges (3) might hold but the door itself physically wouldnt. Small slide bolts top and bottom in the middle of the door would eliminate that flex point and make it far more sturdy (need a police entry device- battering ram).


In our area now, the BGs are usually about 4' 8" if that and tend to do ninja/spiderman tricks rather than use main-force. We've had these guys break in at my various work sites and they have gone through the vents.. the vents FFS. Or crawled through tiny windows.


Also, the door brace works better than the bar. The brace is removable easily and braces against the floor. A braced door is DAMN hard to pop open by main force. It does not require heavy modification to the appartment and not all appartments have wall studs that I would trust to be strong enough to mount hardware to for a cross bar that just wouldnt pop out on a good solid hit.

Remember the need for a gun represents a failure in the system. The need for deadly force is the ultimate breakdown in all the other layers of defense. If you are in a place where you are at high risk of bodily harm and have firearms for your final layer then you really need to go out of your way to prevent the need to ever use said firearm. I mean this. I will grind it in. It is understandable to need to be able to defend yourself when you live in the bad areas of town. But take comersable steps to ensure your defenses are setup correctly.

It is always favorable to have the plumber or maint guy fail to get in, have to go get the appartment manager and you get a talking to, vs a case of friendly fire.

[mattt]

I have worked in the many low income public housing projects in downtown oakland and never had any tenant pull a gun on me. They are always happy to have someone fix there pluming for free . I guess they know the difference between a home invasion and a maint worker there to unclog there toilet

[negolien]

similar exp.

ROFL.. I had a similar experience a couple years ago. I work nights alot so sleep during the day getting up about 9pm usually. So... Here I' am sound asleep w/ bedroom door closed and locked. I hear someone make entry to my apt. and start making alot of noise w/ no announcement of maint. or anything. Need less to say I jumped up in my tidy whiteys grabbed my Glock 20 came out the bedroom door chambering a round ready to do some damage. I thought the poor maint. guys was gonna slip on the poo coming out of the legs of his pants as he was backing out of the apt. w/ a quickness rofl. I felt bad for him but immediately went down and ripped the manager a new one. It was some random fire alarm inspection and they have a no entry alert in my file so not sure what the guys deal was. Lucky for the poor maint. guy that I was looking for a weapon before engaging him or he'd have had a few rather large holes in his middle section eh lol.

[welchy]

Let me be crystal clear: I am not "backing you up". I am correcting your misstatement of California law. What you said was wrong. This is not a grey area. This is not susceptible to interpretation. No reasonable person can argue about it.

Go read Civil Code section 1954. I didn't quote all of it, because if you're smart enough to tell other people what the law is, you ought to know where to find the Civil Code. That assumption may have been too generous. You can find an online copy of the various California codes at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html.

Oh you were quite crystal clear MR. Landlord, and you did actually back me up. If I am a renter, and I am not by the way, and my rent is paid up, you CANNOT enter MY place of residence without MY permission unless there is danger of property damage.

[five.five-six]

any time I enter a home for the first time that day, if I am not greeted, even if I KNOW there is no one there, I make several announcements that I am here... it's just common courtesy in case the homeowner is banging the maid or any such nonsense


dumb plumber is dumb

[VictorFranko]

Nearly Shot the Plumber

I thought you caught the old lady bopping the plumber