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As an international student who has recently relocated to the US for my studies, I’ve signed the lease and moved into my apartment. However, I’ve noticed a few discrepancies between the lease agreement and how the leasing office has handled things. Here are two examples:

  1. The lease specifies

NOTICE: You should complete this checklist, noting the condition of the rental property, and return it to the landlord within 7 days after obtaining possession of the rental unit. You are also entitled to request and receive a copy of the last termination inventory checklist which shows what claims were chargeable to the last prior tenants.

When I asked the leasing agent if I needed to sign and return a printed inventory list, she said it wasn’t necessary and any damages will be repaired for free by the maintenance team. Although she agreed to leave a hard copy in my mailbox upon my request, I have yet to receive it.

  1. The lease states that I should be provided with 2 apartment keys, but I only received 1. The lease also mentions that if a key is lost during my tenancy or not returned upon move-out, I will be responsible for the replacement cost.

Should I adhere strictly to the terms outlined in the lease and ask the office to provide me with an additional key and request a copy of the last termination inventory checklist, or is it acceptable to write to the leasing office and request written confirmation regarding these issues?

Thanks!

IGY
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1 Answers1

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The exact answer will vary by state (the US has a strong Federal system: most laws are state-level), but in general, state laws tend to be fairly protective of tenants. If they fail to give you a checklist, that is technically on them.

That said, if after your tenancy, the housing office retains some of your deposit, for the “lost” key or anything else, do you want to have to take them to court to get it back? As a practical matter:

  • photograph any preexisting damage in the apartment, especially any damage to anything expensive, such as carpets and appliances, and email them to the housing office.
  • make a duplicate of the key. Even if they don’t demand it back, you’ll be glad to have it.
Michael Lorton
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