Can management legally require me to provide a key to my apartment?
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Can management legally require me to provide a key to my apartment?
I have rented the same apartment for approximately 45 years and have never provided management with a key. We now have a new manager who informed me that failure to provide a copy of my key within 2 days would result in the locks being changed and my rental account being charged $100.
Asked on February 23, 2011 under Real Estate Law, District of Columbia
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If you have a lease, read it. The requirement of your landlord having a key and the circumstances under which he can use it are probably spelled out there. If not, then they are still allowed to obtain a copy. However, landlords only have limited rights to enter a tenant's apartment: with reasonable (usually 24) hour notice for repairs, to show to new prospective tenants, for pest control, etc.; or without notice for a bona fide emergency (e.g. large leak, fire).
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