On Feb 25, 4:39*pm, Owain wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Situation is the student accommodation at the local Uni. *8 blocks
each of 4 floors, each floor has two flats. *Drunken student forgets
keys, uses door entry intercom to get into block, barges flat door
to get in.

An alternative might be to secure the outer block door (and cover with
CCTV if possible - wi-fi network cameras are available)
What do you mean by "secure"? Lock so it can't be opened from
inside? That'll just mean it gets propped open. Arrange so that it
can only be opened from inside or with a key? That'll be the default
state.

and put a
timeswitch on the intercom to disable it after say 11pm.

Which makes no difference at all. Student uses mobile phone to ring
same friend who would have answered intercom. You do realize they all
have their mobile phones surgically attached?

Also a £60 'fine' seems ridiculous - students should have to pay the
full cost of the repairs and if it's repeated they should be put out of
the flat (and in extreme cases sent down)

The University would almost certainly find itself being sued if they
tried to send a flat-full of people down because *one* of them broke
the door. I'm rather surprised they can get away with distributing
the fine over the occupants.

The £60 fine would be a deterant if it all had to be paid by a single
student (even if it isn't the full cost).