An Edmonton man and his girlfriend have been stuck in their condominium for the past four days, waiting for a new key to their building.
The couple's ordeal began on Christmas Eve. Sean Harris was coming home from church when his key snapped off inside the lock of the building door.
"Luckily enough I was able to open to door because, if not I would pretty much be stuck outside," said Harris.
The key was the only one he and his girlfriend had, and it opens all of the doors to the building. Either Harris or his girlfriend have had to stay home ever since, so the other could get back in.
Harris tried contacting the building's management, Bella Management, but, was told by the company's answering service that staff members were on holidays and he wouldn't be able to get a key until January 2nd at the earliest.
"They weren't able to give me keys. I had to wait (for) someone with proper authority even just to phone in and to verify and give their name, let them know that this unit needs keys. I was willing to pay the money for the keys, I didn't really care about that, I just wanted the keys and still, nothing."
"Their excuse (was) 'Well, it's your problem' type of thing, 'It's your fault you broke the key.'"
The couple missed out on family Christmas gatherings, because nobody was able to let them back inside their home. Harris has also missed a couple days of work, and he's beyond frustrated.
"I don't see how I can't reach one of them so they can just phone the locksmith and give me authority to get keys, it just doesn't make any sense to me."
After being contacted by Global News Friday afternoon, Bella Management's answering service contacted Harris and said while they were on holidays, they did have a spare key for him at the office.
"I am no longer a prisoner of my own home," Harris said.
While he's happy to be able to come and go as he pleases, Harris isn't pleased with the management company.
"If it takes a news crew to get someone to take action, that doesn't speak well in terms of customer service, in my opinion."
With files from Julie Matthews.
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2013.