Replacement key charge during moveout

[pencilneck]

Your (prior) landlord probably read this recent article in the UT:

Can landlord deduct from deposit for unreturned key?
By Lily Leung, UNION-TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 4:01 p.m.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/19/can-landlord-deduct-deposit-unreturned-key/

The lawyer guy says “Since you have a copy of the key, the landlord should have to actually change the locks to protect against liability in case of a future unauthorized entry by a key. That means you will have to pay for the costs of rekeying the existing locks.”

[LAAFTERHOURS]

When I bought my home a year ago, I had a locksmith come and rekey all doors. I think the charge was 75 bucks and covered three exterior doors. That included two masters and I went to HD and made copies for next to nothing.

[LAAFTERHOURS]

When I bought my home a year ago, I had a locksmith come and rekey all doors. I think the charge was 75 bucks and covered three exterior doors. That included two masters and I went to HD and made copies for next to nothing.

[LAAFTERHOURS]

When I bought my home a year ago, I had a locksmith come and rekey all doors. I think the charge was 75 bucks and covered three exterior doors. That included two masters and I went to HD and made copies for next to nothing.

[LAAFTERHOURS]

When I bought my home a year ago, I had a locksmith come and rekey all doors. I think the charge was 75 bucks and covered three exterior doors. That included two masters and I went to HD and made copies for next to nothing.

[LAAFTERHOURS]

When I bought my home a year ago, I had a locksmith come and rekey all doors. I think the charge was 75 bucks and covered three exterior doors. That included two masters and I went to HD and made copies for next to nothing.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Legally they have to re-key the home so I do not see how this is revelant.

I think this is the landlord testing your resolve over his BS.

Take him to court!

CE[/quote]

I am not aware of a statute requiring a landlord to change the locks.

I could be wrong (as a property manager, I DO change the locks) so tell me if you can point to the law on that.

The overall cost is not way out of line with market costs but the house is no less secure than if you had returned the key.

You could have made 20 copies and handed them out to the local homeless (as one of my neighbors did during foreclosure) but just not having one of the copies does not equate to needing to change the locks.

You have a right to see the bill for the lock change.

In summary:

-The charge as required for losing a key copy is not reasonable.
-The $200 cost is about right for re-key depending on the situation (even if the charge is bs).
-You have a right to see the actual invoice for the lock smith.
-You owe it to yourself to small claim this crappy landlord. If you start with a $7500 claim, that may make her ready to abandon the charge. Just a thought.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Legally they have to re-key the home so I do not see how this is revelant.

I think this is the landlord testing your resolve over his BS.

Take him to court!

CE[/quote]

I am not aware of a statute requiring a landlord to change the locks.

I could be wrong (as a property manager, I DO change the locks) so tell me if you can point to the law on that.

The overall cost is not way out of line with market costs but the house is no less secure than if you had returned the key.

You could have made 20 copies and handed them out to the local homeless (as one of my neighbors did during foreclosure) but just not having one of the copies does not equate to needing to change the locks.

You have a right to see the bill for the lock change.

In summary:

-The charge as required for losing a key copy is not reasonable.
-The $200 cost is about right for re-key depending on the situation (even if the charge is bs).
-You have a right to see the actual invoice for the lock smith.
-You owe it to yourself to small claim this crappy landlord. If you start with a $7500 claim, that may make her ready to abandon the charge. Just a thought.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Legally they have to re-key the home so I do not see how this is revelant.

I think this is the landlord testing your resolve over his BS.

Take him to court!

CE[/quote]

I am not aware of a statute requiring a landlord to change the locks.

I could be wrong (as a property manager, I DO change the locks) so tell me if you can point to the law on that.

The overall cost is not way out of line with market costs but the house is no less secure than if you had returned the key.

You could have made 20 copies and handed them out to the local homeless (as one of my neighbors did during foreclosure) but just not having one of the copies does not equate to needing to change the locks.

You have a right to see the bill for the lock change.

In summary:

-The charge as required for losing a key copy is not reasonable.
-The $200 cost is about right for re-key depending on the situation (even if the charge is bs).
-You have a right to see the actual invoice for the lock smith.
-You owe it to yourself to small claim this crappy landlord. If you start with a $7500 claim, that may make her ready to abandon the charge. Just a thought.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Legally they have to re-key the home so I do not see how this is revelant.

I think this is the landlord testing your resolve over his BS.

Take him to court!

CE[/quote]

I am not aware of a statute requiring a landlord to change the locks.

I could be wrong (as a property manager, I DO change the locks) so tell me if you can point to the law on that.

The overall cost is not way out of line with market costs but the house is no less secure than if you had returned the key.

You could have made 20 copies and handed them out to the local homeless (as one of my neighbors did during foreclosure) but just not having one of the copies does not equate to needing to change the locks.

You have a right to see the bill for the lock change.

In summary:

-The charge as required for losing a key copy is not reasonable.
-The $200 cost is about right for re-key depending on the situation (even if the charge is bs).
-You have a right to see the actual invoice for the lock smith.
-You owe it to yourself to small claim this crappy landlord. If you start with a $7500 claim, that may make her ready to abandon the charge. Just a thought.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Legally they have to re-key the home so I do not see how this is revelant.

I think this is the landlord testing your resolve over his BS.

Take him to court!

CE[/quote]

I am not aware of a statute requiring a landlord to change the locks.

I could be wrong (as a property manager, I DO change the locks) so tell me if you can point to the law on that.

The overall cost is not way out of line with market costs but the house is no less secure than if you had returned the key.

You could have made 20 copies and handed them out to the local homeless (as one of my neighbors did during foreclosure) but just not having one of the copies does not equate to needing to change the locks.

You have a right to see the bill for the lock change.

In summary:

-The charge as required for losing a key copy is not reasonable.
-The $200 cost is about right for re-key depending on the situation (even if the charge is bs).
-You have a right to see the actual invoice for the lock smith.
-You owe it to yourself to small claim this crappy landlord. If you start with a $7500 claim, that may make her ready to abandon the charge. Just a thought.

[pencilneck]

A $7500 claim costs $75 to file. Even a $1500 claim costs $30 to file, and also costs a lot of time and energy.

Negotiate if possible and don’t be afraid to mention the possibility of a small claims suit. I don’t think you’d actually win the suit, but its a win-win for both of you to avoid court. Try to keep it relatively friendly.

$200 is excessive for a lost key.

[pencilneck]

A $7500 claim costs $75 to file. Even a $1500 claim costs $30 to file, and also costs a lot of time and energy.

Negotiate if possible and don’t be afraid to mention the possibility of a small claims suit. I don’t think you’d actually win the suit, but its a win-win for both of you to avoid court. Try to keep it relatively friendly.

$200 is excessive for a lost key.

[pencilneck]

A $7500 claim costs $75 to file. Even a $1500 claim costs $30 to file, and also costs a lot of time and energy.

Negotiate if possible and don’t be afraid to mention the possibility of a small claims suit. I don’t think you’d actually win the suit, but its a win-win for both of you to avoid court. Try to keep it relatively friendly.

$200 is excessive for a lost key.

[pencilneck]

A $7500 claim costs $75 to file. Even a $1500 claim costs $30 to file, and also costs a lot of time and energy.

Negotiate if possible and don’t be afraid to mention the possibility of a small claims suit. I don’t think you’d actually win the suit, but its a win-win for both of you to avoid court. Try to keep it relatively friendly.

$200 is excessive for a lost key.

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