The painter needs to get in. So does the insurer’s expert, or the plumber. You are thousands of kilometres away, and the keys are in your pocket.
Handing over the keys of a Paris flat from abroad is one of those small things that quietly decides how a bigger problem will go.
What I see on the ground
Living in Paris, I can be at a client’s flat within the hour. More than once, it has saved my clients money, time and stress.
One August, the water inlet valve of a client’s flat started to leak. I was there within the hour. That avoided a call to the fire brigade, who would have broken down the door. Two days later, the plumber replaced the seal.
Another time, a client left and forgot the key inside the flat. A silly accident that happens at least once in a lifetime. Again, I was there within the hour.
I hold my clients’ keys. I open the door to experts and contractors, and most of the time I stay on site. Some clients want me to check the flat every 15 days, others once a month, others a few days before they arrive. I am also there to receive their deliveries. I often welcome my clients’ guests too, show them around the flat, and can step in if there is a problem.
Beyond emergencies, my added value is to organise everything that keeps a flat running: repairs, the compulsory boiler check, chimney sweeping, changing the air-conditioning filter.
Three rules for your keys
- No hidden key near the door. The mailbox and the doormat are the most obvious hiding places. If a key is lost, change the lock.
- One person, in writing. Name one reliable person, write down who may enter, and ask them to tell you every time they go in. When a contractor or an expert needs access, that person opens the door, usually stays on site, and reports back.
- A short message and photos after each visit. You always know who went in, when, and what they found.
Locked out? Do not call just any locksmith
My advice to all my clients: never call a locksmith you do not know, at night or on a public holiday. The risk of being overcharged is high. Sometimes it is better to spend a night in a hotel and call a locksmith the next morning than to have your door opened in the middle of the night.
Own a Paris flat and live abroad? Book a free 30-minute call and tell me about your flat.