Landlords keeping a copy of your apartment key

I was wondering if it was normal for the landlord to keep a key to the flat you're renting from him?

He says he won't enter the flat without my permission but wants to keep a copy in case of 'emergency'. It makes me feel a little insecure.

Also, is it common for the Hausmeister to have a copy?

Disclaimer: I searched for this subject as I think I've read about it before, but no luck.

I personally have no issue, but every where I have lived, the hausmeister has always has a master key to the suite. (saved me twice as my door slammed shut behind me due to open balcony door open).

It's normal (I think required by law) in Minnesota...I just assumed the same here, I know the fascist bitch that owns this place has one...

@Carm - the landlord too?

Go and get your own lock with your own key, that only you have a copy of. Don't give the LL a copy.. Problem solved.
Should you ever move, replace your lock with the Orig. This way you will always have the same key to your house
no matter where you move.

Actually, it is normal. German privacy laws are strict and the reason you don't hear about landlords gonig in without permission. Because the landlord had the keys to apartments here in the building, a lot of costs and property were saved when an unnoticed broken washing machine flooded most of the building.

If you want to make sure te landlord doesn't go into an apartment with a skeleton key lock you can get a Schlußsperrung an two or three keys. These things fit inside the lock and block the key. They're used by landlords on deadbeats who don't pay their rent and no matter what the reason, without a court order no locksmith will remove one.

woof.

Intresting.. I couldn't find any links for "Schlußsperrung", is that how it's spelt and what it's really called? It
will prob. cost as much as a new lock, so why not just, Get the new lock instead. Either way the LL still won't
be able to gain access.

Privacy laws my ass... I've had LL's open door/walk in atleast 3 of the place I rented since being in Germany.
Another was for letting "Others" in without a justified reason or an official "order". Just hey Mr.
Hausmeister, we want to go in here, uh, ok heres the master key.. I have since gotten my own high security
lock that only I have the keys to, and only I can get copies made. It has followed my to my last 2 places and
will continue to do so.

When you move into a new place you never know who might have a copy of a key. The LL, The Haus Meister,
the former tenants, or the people in there before them. The only way to be sure is with your own lock/key.

Totally normal everywhere. If you put your own lock in, then I would think that you are responsible for giving the landlord a copy of the key. If there is an emergency and you have put in a new lock without providing a key to your landlord, then you could be liable for any fallout.

> I couldn't find any links for "Schlußsperrung"
Try going to a locksmith or keymaker. There's a good one in the Bahnhof and a totally shit one in Stachus.

> It will prob. cost as much as a new lock,
Two strikes. It costs €5-8 with 2 keys, a bit more for three. The point isn't changing the lock, it's that you can block access to your lock when you want to without changing it, a cost of considerably more than €10.

> Get the new lock instead.
> €128

> I've had LL's open door/walk in atleast 3 of the place I rented
Strike three. You're out. You should've confronted them and gone to the police.

woof.

And thats what insurance is for. Not to mention that atleast you'll know
that somebody was in your place. And they better have a dam good reason to to be in there.

My landlord pays the insurance for damage due to water from pipes etc so i think it's reasonable for him to have a key should there be an emergency. In fairness he always calls me if he requests to enter for meter readings etc

My landlord doesn't have a key to my flat so it might be common but it's not universal.

I dont have a landlord

UA- yeah the Landlord also has a key, they live next door, but they have never shown up unannounced (that I know of). They are hardly home anyways.
Maybe because ever since I lived in appartments (here and in Canada) , there has always been another person with a key (hausemeister or landlord) so I don't think anything of it.

There was some discussion of it in this topic: Beware the rip-off locksmiths

Thanks. Nicky says that LLs aren't allowed to have spare keys.. I presume that this is incorrect from the above information. Here's her post: Beware the rip-off locksmiths

I don't know if the current landlord has a key, but I assume so, as the two previous did. Unless they live right next door to you, I don't think there's much to be nervous about.

Ok, then I guess I won't demand that he give me his spare key.

It's not illegal, it's not unusual, and it's not a bad thing. Landlord or his agent (e.g. Hausmeister) have right of entry in an emergency, so better they open the door rather than break it down. Any unauthorized entry is trespass. Period. If the Landlord has any reason to enter he must give written notice, and make an appointment to suit the tenant. He should also advise the tenant if he, or anyone else has the ability to enter the property.