How Do I Get My Key Back?

[kaw69]

Hi
5 years ago my local council installed alley-gates where there were common alleyways this cut down crime and loitering.
Each resident was given 3 keys free of charge but if you lost one or wanted a replacement it would cost about £19 each, fair enough.
3 years ago I gave 1 key to my local window cleaner so he could use it to clean the rear windows without having to ask neighbours to open the gate.
This worked well until about 3 months ago when he took on 3 (shall I say uncouth youths) who were not cleaning to his previous standards but were discarding cigarette butts in my yard and the last straw was when I saw one of them urinating against my shed door.I cancelled the cleaning contract and asked for the key back to give to the next cleaner, he said he would return it but that was 2 months ago.
He has tried to get a duplicate from Timpsons and Asda but as they are council keys they will not copy them.
Now he says he doesn`t have it so he can`t give it back.
How can I get the key replaced as I have been online about a replacement
key and you have to prove residency which I can but he can`t but he is not willing to pay the £19 fee

[woofgang]

Hmm so you have passed a key to a third party and by doing so have affected the security of the building and therefore of your neighbours? I hope the council are feeling kind or you might be responsible for more than the price of a new key......

[kaw69]

Hi db
he says he has another neighbours key from the other end of the street now.
What can I do to make him pay for the key?

[EDDIE51]

You get a new key but charge the window cleaner the £19.
But if this is a security key for residents only why are you giving it to a window cleaner? As said the council could charge you the cost of replacing the lock and supplying replacement keys to the other residents!

[Buenchico]

You've (perfectly reasonably) posted within the 'Law' section but I think that an alternative approach might be better. (See my last paragraph, below).

The only legal process for dealing with the situation is to write a formal letter to the window cleaner, demanding either the return of your key or £19 to pay for a new one. That letter should clearly state that, unless the matter is resolved within a specified period of time (I suggest 21 days) you will commence legal action. If you then don't get the key (or the money to pay for a new one) you'll have to start court proceedings via HM Courts Service's online claim system:
https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome
That means that you'd have to pay the court fees (although the court could then add those fees to the money the window cleaner owes you). While that's the 'official' way to do things, you might decide that it's not worth it for £19.

In my opinion, a far better approach would be to tell the window cleaner that, unless he pays up, you will contact your local newspaper with your story about his worker urinating on your property and his failure to return your key. The threat of adverse publicity for his business is probably far more likely to get him to pay up than any threat of court action.

[Quizproquo]

I like your style Buenchico...nice.

[Peter Pedant]

honestly I think you pay the 19 knicker for the key and get one
and then make him cough up the money - via the usual channels
see above...