So its been a little while since I posted last. We have been busy, working our way through a multitude of tasks. Everything from standard lock outs, to attending vacant properties for estate agents and changing locks, ready for the new tenants.
Today however, I was involved in a Commercial forfeiture of lease. The shop that I was called out to in this case, had been ran by a business person that wasn’t paying rent to the landlord. By not paying their rent, this then automatically breaches the lease on the commercial outlet. Therefore the landlord is entitled to get full access to their premises back and evict the non-paying business tenants.
The forfeiture of lease call out today was from a Bailiff firm that I do a large amount of work for. The Boss telephones me and asks on Wednesday if i can cover an early job. I advise that I can do so, no problem. We arrange to carry out the job at 05.00am. That way we are not attending during operational hours of the shop. This makes the job so much easier and convenient for both parties. It’s not nice taking someones livelihood but then again the people who take out the lease and don’t pay are taking the landlords livelihood.
I meet the head of the bailiff firm at the address, at the agreed time. We find that the premises has 2 Chubb 3G114e deadlocks. These are considered high security locks for insurance purposes. They are fitted on the right hand side of the door. This may panic some ‘driller killers’ or ‘so called locksmiths’ that drill locks when not necessary to so. Due to lack of skill the drilling often penetrates right through the hard-plate and the bolt when trying to access the stump or gate. Although drilling locks is frowned upon in the locksmith industry in general, if a lock has to be drilled then this must be done accurately. With pin point precision. If not, then it will make for more work, potentially higher costs to the client and cause unnecessary damage.
On this occasion I chose to use my pin and cam decoder in the hope that the locks are keyed alike. Meaning one key will operate both, rather then two separate keys. This will save a large amount of time, as I will only have to decode one lock rather then two. In theory, the decoder will then open the other. Using this method is fairly quick if experienced. So I manage to decode the first lock relatively quickly. The adrenalin rush when the tool rotates and the lock opens is immense. I take the tool out and place into the second lock in the hope that the other lock will open. I turn the tool and sure enough it rotates 360 degrees and the door is open!
The bailiff is happy as the job has been completed, trouble free. As I carry a large variety of locks, I am able to replace the locks on a like for like basis. Therefore no adjustment is needed. I re-lever one of the locks so that one set of keys operate both locks. All in all, we were on site for 30 minutes. Jobs like this are welcomed and enjoyed!
