Hi everyone
I've just discovered this forum, and I think it might be the very place where I can have an important question answered, so here goes.
I live in a housing association property which consists of around 45 flats all under one roof, with shared corridors, lounges, etc. Residents are all over 55 and some are very old and frail. There are two stories, and mine is one of the upstairs flats. Recently, a housing officer noted that one or two of the windows in the upstairs corridors were being accidentally left open at night, and I think he was worried about possible intruders. All he would have had to do was warn us of this, and I know I for one would have taken care to shut them at night (I like to have the window in the corridor just outside my flat open in the daytime as otherwise it gets stuffy and smelly, but I've no problem in closing it at night before I turn in).
However, I've just noticed that instead of doing this, the housing officer has locked the upstairs windows, but not given anyone the key. I am very unhappy about this, but previous experience with this HA has taught me that if it decides it wants to do something, it will just not listen to a tenant's objections. What really worries me, though, is the fire safety aspect of this. It is not likely that anyone would need to use these windows to escape a fire, but it is possible. I know from looking at fire safety regulations that window locks are allowed in upstairs windows, but is a landlord allowed to lock them and not leave a key within easy reach? Thank you.
