Key Deposits???? (apartment complex, lease, tenant, house)

[justthe2ofus]

What is the problem with landlords who charge for KEYS???

For the love of God. I'm paying you first, last and security, and an application fee. Doesn't that entitle me to get the keys???? When you accept the tenant and the deposit and the rent, doesn't that infer that you will hand over the keys?

NOOOOOOO..

just a greedy landlord who doesn't want to pay to change locks after a year or more tenancy. what a cheapskate. and a big RED FLAG.

i'll never rent from landlords like that.

get a clue.

[IMOGAJAD]

I change my locks after EVERY tenancy termination. I never charge a "key deposit" but I do charge if the tenant loses their key(s) and I'm called out to let them in (that is a mutually agreed clause in the lease). If a prospective tenant has an issue with that (clause), then they need to find another place to rent.

[ShaneSA]

I charge a lost key fee for mailbox keys. I replaced the mailboxes in the multi units with new, big locked boxes. Each box has a key. I do not have extra keys and if the key is lost, I have to replace the lock in the box. That requires me to wait for the postman and have him open the main lock so I can reach the individual lock. The postman has to wait until I get the lock out before he can close it and move on with his route. That being said, I charge a $25.00 replacement fee if the mailbox key is lost. It's in the lease.
In Texas, it is required to change the locks after each move out. I have a locksmith who does it for me. It is against the state statutes to charge for the lock change or keys.
What state are you located? Check and see if it is legal.

[auntieannie68]

in nepa some landlords charge for everything except the air you breathe,i turned down one place cause he wanted the tenant to assume ALL costs of plumbing,structural,electrical,furnace repairs in an older home and using his choice of company---and this was not the exception

[jamies]

After having EVERY SINGLE TENANT "forget" to return the mailbox keys, which as someone above said are not copyable, requiring replacement of the lock - which is not $25. It is 30 minutes each way to Home Depot, the lock is $8, plus 30 minutes to install it and clean up, etc - so it's 1 1/2 hours service time plus the cost of the lock - I charge $75 mailbox deposit fee now.

Don't like it - get a PO box.

[fearnofish]

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

I charge a lost key fee for mailbox keys.

I too would charge for a lost key but not merely a deposit when they are moving in. Just add a clause to the contract (hardly anyone reads it anyway) stating what you are going to charge if a key is lost or rendered unusable.

[KonaKat]

We charge a replacement cost for keys to pool, rec center, tennis courts that have the big DO NOT DUPLICATE stamp on them. We have to get these from the Association management and they sometimes charge us a deposit!

We get 2 or 3 mailbox keys with the gangbox type of mailboxes and they can be duplicated so if we get down to one, we'll have a couple extras made.

I had a tenant call me at 9:30 on a Saturday night who had forgotten his keys and needed to be let in. Lucky for him I was already in town not too far away (at a party, no less and he expected me to come right over). I told him I would meet him at our office which is near to his residence and he could borrow an extra key for the weekend but it would be after the party was over. He was very nice, and thankful but seemed surprised that I would not leave my special event to do it right away! geeeez!

[jdm2008]

Originally Posted by jamies

After having EVERY SINGLE TENANT "forget" to return the mailbox keys, which as someone above said are not copyable, requiring replacement of the lock - which is not $25. It is 30 minutes each way to Home Depot, the lock is $8, plus 30 minutes to install it and clean up, etc - so it's 1 1/2 hours service time plus the cost of the lock - I charge $75 mailbox deposit fee now.

Don't like it - get a PO box.

I think its better to find a better landlord.

[justthe2ofus]

Originally Posted by jamies

After having EVERY SINGLE TENANT "forget" to return the mailbox keys, which as someone above said are not copyable, requiring replacement of the lock - which is not $25. It is 30 minutes each way to Home Depot, the lock is $8, plus 30 minutes to install it and clean up, etc - so it's 1 1/2 hours service time plus the cost of the lock - I charge $75 mailbox deposit fee now.

Don't like it - get a PO box.

i'm curious. do you not do a walk through at the end of tenancy? isn't that when you receive your keys back?

that's what we do. move everything, clean, and do a walk through with the LL and return keys then.

[Niftybergin]

My current apartment complex has a gate. We have these little electronic key fobs that open the gate (and allow access to the amenities). We also have house keys and mailbox keys.

I don't recall if I had to pay anything for the keys, but I do recall that when my parents moved in with me last November -- they snowbird the winter with me -- I had to pay $50 for each (of 2) house-key-and-fob sets that they received. The landlord also made me put my parents on my lease as leaseholders, which upset me very much. (I qualified for the lease on my own. My parents have a home in a different state. If anything were to happen to me while my parents were living with me temporarily and on my lease -- which they have to be in order to be able to get through the gate -- they would have to assume the lease...including the payments. This just ticks me off.)

So when my parents moved out in May to return to their mountain home, we went to the leasing office to turn in their keys and get them OFF my lease. (If I get hit by a bus during the months of June - October, I don't want my apartment complex going to my parents for rent.) We had to turn in their house keys and fobs, which I understad. I didn't get the $100 back, which I think is pretty crappy.

When they come back in November to spend the winter with me again, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pay for the fobs AGAIN.