Bathroom door latch does not catch

Hello everyone

my bathroom door (vintage 1963) doesn’t want to do what I want. The latch no longer catches. The bolt only closes about 1/3.

The faceplate is "only" 20 years old.

I have now unscrewed the faceplate and removed the handles. From the inside, the door can now be pushed shut and stays closed.

When I put the handle back in, the latch no longer catches. I don’t really understand that.

It’s a rental apartment - the door has been painted many times - including the screws that hold everything together. The latch and the strike plate are not painted.

The door frame cannot be adjusted with any screws; it’s too old for that.

Inserting a Flinsch(?) ring would make the problem worse because then it would be too high. The door won’t close any lower. It can be pushed shut, so everything fits.

I have been sitting on this problem for a while. But now it’s really getting annoying.

What can I do?

Thank you for helpful tips to a laywoman handyman and have a nice evening

Where is your limit for small repairs? Otherwise, I would report it to the landlord - then you might get a new door ;)

The door may have warped. This is not uncommon, especially in older buildings, or the lock is stiff... here it helps to lubricate the entire lock with machine oil, graphite, or silicone spray to make it operable again.

Thank you very much for the reply. :)

Where is your limit for small repairs? Otherwise, I would report it to the landlord - then you might get a new door ;)

a new door, I probably won’t live to see that. They won’t even replace them when the apartment is completely renovated after re-renting. :mad:

The door may have warped. Especially in older buildings, this is not uncommon, or the lock is stiff... here it helps to make the entire lock operable again with machine oil, graphite, or silicone spray.

Thank you very much for the answer. :)

It was about the latch that doesn't stay closed as soon as the handle is back on. Pressing it doesn't help either. Without the handle, the latch catches. According to my logic, there is an error somewhere, but I don't know what it could be.

By the handles you mean the door handles, and by the faceplate the plate?