Cost for losing keys?

[TechAZ]

I'd consider this as well. It's a matter of safety for the tenant, and vandalism for the owner. I wouldn't want to risk either.

But, I guess according to the masses here, the landlord would have to foot the bill for the replaced locks. That's the fair way, right?

I wonder how this would work for rental insurance. Assuming that the tenants are required to have rental insurance, if the place was robbed/vandalized would the insurance agency possibly say that since the locks weren't changed coverage is denied? Or is that paranoia?

 

[momeNt]

Really? If I lease a car from a dealership and lose the keys, I'd be willing to bet I am paying for them. To me, as a customer, that's what I expect. If, due to my negligence, something of value must be replaced, I would expect to foot the bill.

I dunno what this guy has said in the past that has everyone so miffed, but to me, $20-25 to replace a set of keys that I lost? Yeah, I'd pay it. If you don't want to pay an extra expense, don't lose them.

If they still have a copy left, and he says "that'll be $25" they can turn around and say, nvm ill just go to Home Depot and make a copy. He shouldn't have made them without giving them the price first.

 

[iRONic]

I am MisterJackson's total lack of surprise.

Heh heh...

 

[highland145]

1st time, good tenant..eat it or actual costs.

2nd, slow paying tenant...stick it to them.

The bank charges me $15 if a customer bounces a check. That's what I charge them unless 1)they're a repeat offender 2)they don't pick the check up in a reasonable amount of time. Then it's $30.

 

[DrPizza]

1st time, good tenant..eat it or actual costs.

2nd, slow paying tenant...stick it to them.

The bank charges me $15 if a customer bounces a check. That's what I charge them unless 1)they're a repeat offender 2)they don't pick the check up in a reasonable amount of time. Then it's $30.

This, unless they are "do not duplicate" keys, in which case, I'd debate between charging cost vs. eating the cost for a good tenant.

As far as changing the locks - if the keys allow duplication, then you SHOULD change the locks between tenants anyway - what's to say that a previous tenant didn't make a copy of the key?

 

[Imp]

If you didn't put penalties in the contract, you could have them "compensate" your ass for going taking the time to go to the key place. Whatever hours times minimum wage?

Or just give it to them and tell them not to do it again or they'll pay xxxx.

 

[Mark R]

My tenants advised me that they lost one set of keys to the home that I am renting to them. As landlord I have an extra set and just made them new copies.

There is nothing in the lease that specifies the amount they have to pay if said keys were lost. The process took about 15 minutes, $10 for the copies and $5 to mail them certified to the tenant's job.

I'm thinking a $25 "penalty" is fair. Thoughts? Your experiences?

Don't forget that as a key is unaccounted for, you will need to change the lock at the end of the tenancy, as new tenants may not be happy with a compromised lock.

So you'll need to add in the cost of changing the lock as well.

 

[TangoJuliet]

...it took you $10 to copy the keys?

You're charging for your 15 minutes? Isn't your job supposed to be being the landlord? Aren't all charges of you being a landlord included in their rent?

Don't be an asshat, charge what it cost you and be done with it. There's no reason to 'teach them a lesson', no one WANTS to lose their keys. You're just looking for a way to profit a little on it and get a free lunch. Very American (but in this case, that's not a good thing).

That is the price Lowe's charged me. I did it with the automated kiosk since there was nobody in the hardware department.

I'm not looking to make a "profit" on $25. I just calculated the time, money and gas spent to make the copies. As a landlord why is it my responsibility to correct your mistake.

Seriously, dude...you're the fucking landlord? Man, if you were the landlord the whole time in that other thread, then you fucking suck. If you weren't, and you've only recently become a landlord, then you're fucking retarded at best.

No, I'm pretty sure I said in that huge thread that I was a landlord as well. I have been renting out my condo for the past 2 years. So yes, I was renting out my home to someone and renting a place for my family as well. Mortgage, taxes, common charges on the condo was $2000 while renting the other home was $2500. So for $500 we got a place to live in that was initially double in size.

All the places I've worked at had $20-$25 key replacement fees.

Yes, I've also been in places that charged $50 to have a key replaced. Not only did I have to replace the key to the door but to the locked mailbox as well.

 

[jupiter57]

Heh heh...

Seriously, dude...you're the fucking landlord? Man, if you were the landlord the whole time in that other thread, then you fucking suck. If you weren't, and you've only recently become a landlord, then you're fucking retarded at best.

I am MisterJackson's total lack of surprise.

Meh, this IS ATOT, where you can be a High School / College student while working a FT job pulling down $250K yr. (+ bonuses) just for posting on ATOT, putting 40% of your pay in a 401K, investing 75% in the "Stock Market", (Do the math), drive an M3, own $250K homes, drink like a fish, etc., etc. without having ever left the comfort of your moms basement (or in some instances, your upstairs bedroom :biggrin.

 

[olds]

Why are you being penal? If you are going to be penal it should have been in your contract. Maybe you should give it to them at cost, and consider it a learning experience for your next contract.

This

 

[mvbighead]

If they still have a copy left, and he says "that'll be $25" they can turn around and say, nvm ill just go to Home Depot and make a copy. He shouldn't have made them without giving them the price first.

If they have the ability to make them, they should've done that in the first place, and not asked him to make copies.

If the garbage disposal quits working, that's likely his problem. If they misplace/lose their key... I just don't see that being the land-lord's responsibility.

I'd say that I agree with the idea that if they were a good tenant, it would be a nice gesture to eat the cost or simply have them pay for the cost and nothing more. But I don't think he'd be in the wrong to be compensated for his time on an issue that he shouldn't be responsible for.

I guess that's Amerikuh though... if you screw up, someone else should be accountable. It's the landlord's fault because he didn't secure the house key to the guy's key chain or similar. Meh.

 

[dr150]

Charge them cost of gas and replacement.

It's fair.

 

[TangoJuliet]

If they have the ability to make them, they should've done that in the first place, and not asked him to make copies.

I think the big issue was that they lost the mailbox key as well. Since they only have 1 copy of that key they were unable to duplicate the key. I guess they figured since I was making a copy of that key just have me make a copy of the door key as well.

 

[waggy]

how many keys we talking about? i find it hard to believe you paid $10 for a key.


aslo is it in the contract that you can charge? most places have a 1st time free 2nd a charge.

 

[TangoJuliet]

how many keys we talking about? i find it hard to believe you paid $10 for a key.


aslo is it in the contract that you can charge? most places have a 1st time free 2nd a charge.

3 keys all together. 2 copies for the mailbox since they only had 1 initially and 1 for the door.

there is nothing in the contract that says anything. I guess if they don't want to pay anything they dont....but then they can deal with getting their mail and into the house

 

[momeNt]

If they have the ability to make them, they should've done that in the first place, and not asked him to make copies.

If the garbage disposal quits working, that's likely his problem. If they misplace/lose their key... I just don't see that being the land-lord's responsibility.

I'd say that I agree with the idea that if they were a good tenant, it would be a nice gesture to eat the cost or simply have them pay for the cost and nothing more. But I don't think he'd be in the wrong to be compensated for his time on an issue that he shouldn't be responsible for.

I guess that's Amerikuh though... if you screw up, someone else should be accountable. It's the landlord's fault because he didn't secure the house key to the guy's key chain or similar. Meh.

If he didn't tell them the price and get their agreement before going out to get them, they should be under no obligation to pay.

Moot point now, he only provided them with 1 mailbox key, so that is the reason they had to ask him.

 

[MisterJackson]

No, I'm pretty sure I said in that huge thread that I was a landlord as well. I have been renting out my condo for the past 2 years. So yes, I was renting out my home to someone and renting a place for my family as well. Mortgage, taxes, common charges on the condo was $2000 while renting the other home was $2500. So for $500 we got a place to live in that was initially double in size.

Okay, I do remember that now. You did say that. My bad.

 

[alkemyst]

Meh, this IS ATOT, where you can be a High School / College student while working a FT job pulling down $250K yr. (+ bonuses) just for posting on ATOT, putting 40% of your pay in a 401K, investing 75% in the "Stock Market", (Do the math), drive an M3, own $250K homes, drink like a fish, etc., etc. without having ever left the comfort of your moms basement (or in some instances, your upstairs bedroom :biggrin.

Look at the old man all angry. Don't break your hip, dude.

 

[highland145]

Look at the old man all angry. Don't break your hip, dude.

Sorry, Jupiter, I laughed.