by: Sheb Marden

Could you not fit the burglary bars yourself if the landlord will not buy them? You can get bars that fit on the inside and are not too visible from the outside.

A tip. Ask the landlord questions yourself, don’t rely on what others say he said.

by: Anonymous

Last apartment I rented had grilles on every window with quick release from the inside, so i don’t think a landlord can claim fire laws.

by: Scoot

Whether your landlord should fit bars or not is one question but you can bet he wont fit them. The fire laws are a way out for him.

Landlords wont do a thing unless forced to.

by: Martin (Editor)

Hi Sarah,

Yours is a question that I cannot answer with any certainty, I am not a lawyer and I really think you need a lawyer to answer it.

Find out what your local housing code requires. All housing codes lay down minimum standards that landlords have to maintain, which may well include the standard of locks on windows and doors but I doubt it would require burglar bars.

Had there been bars fitted to the windows of your apartment when you agreed to the lease, and the landlord subsequently removed them, I think it possible you may have had a case for demanding he refit them.

You say you thought the area was reasonably free from crime ( no area is completely free from crime of course,) but if the instances of burglary have increased you may be able to persuade your landlord to increase security. Also, the fact that some apartments have burglar bars indicates that the landlord is aware of the risk.

As I say, this is not legal advice, but I think that rather than going any legal route, try and reason with your landlord. Many voices are more powerful than one, so gather together all your neighbors who share your concerns. Good luck.

Martin (Editor)