Someone has put salt in my muesli.

[Glenn]

I had a visit from an elderly tenant last week. I want you to change the locks she says. Someone has been entering my flat. I arrived home and found that the heat pump temperature had been changed from 16 to 26 and my muesli tasted salty.
I am going away for a few days and do not want anyone to enter my flat when I am away.

My reply was that I had already changed her locks once already. She and I were the only people on the earth who have a key for her flat.
Well I will pay for it myself she pouted. You just think I am insane.

So I ask you forumites.

What should I do and or say.
We like our tenant. She is a good payer and is a wonderful tenant.
The owner lives close by and is very sick so I do not want to do anything that will cause any stress to the owner.

[drelly]

Let her pay for it!

[artemis]

I had an elderly friend who was totally convinced her neighbours were coming into her house. One of the things they did was remove the solid wooden back on a chest of drawers and replace it with a cheap version. She also lived alone. No logical response worked but after a while she stopped mentioning that particular issue.

Could you try diversion tactics, designed to give her back control. Such as give her a pad (ruled up with headed columns) and pen to keep by the heat pump to record dates and temperatures and call you with details on a specific date in say a couple of weeks? I'm basing this on the pretty successful tactic to stop the very common 3 am wake-up-and-worry by keeping a pad by the bed and writing down the problem for review in the morning.

Salted muesli, no idea!

[muppet]

Try replacing her salt with sugar
and see if that makes any difference.

Or better still get her some brown sugar.

[Leftette]

Either mad as a hatter or she's given the key to someone and has forgotten, and that someone likes salty muesli.

I'm going to assume the former, and would get her to drop the key to you when she leaves, while you tell her you will change the locks while she's away (being a courteous LL and all). While she's away get a shiny new key cut and hand it back, telling her the locks have been changed. She'd never know the difference. If you're feeling particularly generous go and give the lock housing and handle a good polish to make it look new.

If she's that batty aren't you concerned she might do something more serious like leave the hob on, or put a book in the toaster, like that ad on the tele for dementia?

[skid]

Stop changing the temperature and putting salt in her muesli

[Lovethiscountry]

Leftette is on to it.
Take her key off her when she goes away, give it a polish and return it when she gets back and tell her you have changed the barrel of the lock, and sprinkle some sugar on on her muesli.

[Maccachic]

Check her sugar bowl she has probably filled it with salt and the remote for the heat pump is prob on her favourite chair. We purchase our house off an older lady (but not that old), her son had replaced the dishwasher for her as the old one was making bubbles and they couldn't fix it, when they ran the new one it had the same issue, turns out she ran out of dish powder so refilled the container with laundry detergent.

[PC]

Well obviously the only logical conclusion is that Glenn will just have to stop going in with his key.
Swapping the old dears sugar for salt - What will the TT say?

LLs - messing with tenants since - well ages ago.

[Davo36]

Just have 2 barrels and sets of keys.

Then switch between them when she wants them changed...

[BigDreamer]

I wouldn't bother the landlord about this. If the tenant is really keen on a new lock then she should pay for it (I think it comes to around $120 to change ~4 doors)ve.

Love the thread subject, by the way

[Perry]

Is porridge an alternative to muesli?
I hear it goes well with some salt.

[Glenn]

Well actually this is what she said and I did.

She says as I look at her in a funny way.

"I am not mad you know"

Oh no I say I do not think that keeping the straightest face in the park. I will not permit you to change the locks. I will not change the locks either. But I tell you what how about I put a special seal onto the door when you are away. Then we will be able to see if someone has come into the flat or not.

"That sounds like a good idea she says and walks of the office all smiles"

[eri]

there are quite a few nutters out there

with various slips on reality

they prefer their own explanations on how the world works

any other offering is either flat wrong or a conspiracy

mostly they are harmless

but they can get swept harmful actions

if their questionable ideas

are questioned too closely

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crime/news/article.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=11338054

[Leftette]

What is this 'special seal'? If she asks to see it, you'll have to provide it (assuming you were all hot air on the suggestion). You know what'll happen, right? She'll come home, forget it's there, waltz in, and remove any ability to tell if's been opened earlier.