Tenant leaves with keys: for fear of squatting, owner stays locked in his apartment in Montpellier for Christmas

The lock was finally changed on Monday, December 30, freeing the owner. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

While he lives in Switzerland, Rudy Drevet, owner of a seasonal rental property in the Cévennes district, was unable to go out during the holidays in order to protect him from possible disappointment.

An experience he would have preferred to avoid during this Christmas period. Rudy Drevet, who lives and works in Switzerland, bought an apartment in Montpellier a few months ago. “At first I wanted to rent it out to students, but since it was mid-year, I opted for seasonal rental.”

Since he was not there, he entrusted the management to a concierge who “had to take care of everything, from the ad on AirBnB and Booking, to the reception of the tenant, including the inventory and cleaning…”

A little before Christmas, he decided to look at his ad and “It was at that moment, completely by chance, that I realized that a tenant had left a comment explaining that there was no heating. However, the boiler was new. And that he had left the premises.” But it was especially the response that caught his attention. “The latter asked this person to return the keys.”

Worried by this situation, he contacted the managing agency to find out what was going on. They explained to him that the person in charge of the apartment was not there and that the tenant, still in possession of his keys, had not answered calls since he left. He still gets a first name and a last name as well as the telephone number of this more than dishonest tenant, but no more. “Apparently they don't have the identity card of the man who is supposedly from Palavas and who has a prepaid mobile phone.”

Find a locksmith

The owner goes to his apartment after contacting his legal department and filing a complaint for theft.

As the man is really starting to panic, he decides to change the lock. The only problem is that it's an armoured door, which makes it difficult to operate. And during this Christmas period, you have to find a locksmith, draw up a quote, and order parts before an intervention can be carried out.

Rudy Drevet therefore found himself stuck in his own apartment at Christmas for fear that a potential squatter might come and move into the accommodation with complete impunity.

But also after while waiting for the lock to be changed. “I had to go back to Switzerland above all. My employer was not happy that I was working from home until the situation was finally resolved.”

He was finally released on Monday, December 30, thanks to the intervention of the locksmith who was able to give him new keys.

“Smart locks as a solution”

Faced with the situation of Rudy Drevet, the manager of the agency in charge of housing and who was on leave, explains that the owner panicked but that he should not necessarily have done so.

“The traveler did not want to return the keys by using a sort of blackmail because he did not want to pay for his stay. After several calls, we informed him that the security deposit would be taken from his account to change the lock."

The real estate specialist, who claims to make 3,000 reservations a year, admits that it is a problem – although not common – that happens. “Not necessarily intentionally. Between those who forget to return them and others who lose them…"

Legal and technical means to act

And to specify: "We have the legal and technical means to resolve this type of problem without the owner being worried."

That is why when the keys are not returned, the procedure is initiated. "We did our job: warned the traveler, gave him some time to return the keys and called the craftsmen. Not to mention a physical visit to the site to check that the apartment was not occupied."

Moreover, the man explains that to avoid this kind of unforeseen event, his agency recommends installing smart locks.

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