 Rekey Fee (by Sara [FL]) Apr 13, 2019 10:08 AM
 Rekey Fee (by Robert J [CA]) Apr 13, 2019 10:25 AM
Rekey Fee (by Jim In O C [CA]) Apr 13, 2019 10:25 AM
Rekey Fee (by NE [PA]) Apr 13, 2019 10:30 AM
Rekey Fee (by Oregon Woodsmoke [ID]) Apr 13, 2019 11:34 AM
Rekey Fee (by Ken [NY]) Apr 13, 2019 11:38 AM
Rekey Fee (by Moshe [CA]) Apr 13, 2019 12:25 PM
Rekey Fee (by Doogie [KS]) Apr 13, 2019 12:55 PM
Rekey Fee (by JKJ [MA]) Apr 13, 2019 1:16 PM
Rekey Fee (by Steve [MA]) Apr 13, 2019 1:50 PM
Rekey Fee (by Vee [OH]) Apr 13, 2019 7:50 PM
Rekey Fee (by small potatoes [NY]) Apr 13, 2019 10:24 PM
Rekey Fee (by TA [CA]) Apr 14, 2019 1:49 AM
Rekey Fee (by WMH [NC]) Apr 14, 2019 7:53 AM
Rekey Fee (by Sara [FL]) Apr 15, 2019 7:28 PM
Rekey Fee (by Sara [FL]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 10:08 AM
Message:
Hi!
Newish landlords here... Renting home out to second tenants. Real estate agent has suggested a re-key fee to be built into the lease, $75 (house has two doors, each with dead bolts and regular locking knob) that would be deducted from security deposit at the end of the lease along with the mandatory $150 cleaning fee. The attorney who writes up our lease (a big firm out in Pennsylvania) suggests against it. What are your thoughts?
As previous renters ourselves, we never knew if we were getting new keys or just the same keys the previous renters received.
We have mentioned this fee to the new tenants that they will have once they move out and they are totally OK with it.
Are we legally putting ourselves in a bad position, especially if we have it in the lease that is a signed contract? And mention it in email bulleted points?
--73.137.xx.xx |
Rekey Fee (by Robert J [CA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 10:25 AM
Message:
Nope, if a tenant moves into your rental you are obligated to proved a secure property that no one has keys, especially and old tenant, worker, manager or guest. That's on you. To reduce your costs, you can have extra locks and have the old lock re-keyed at a locksmith's location for "Less" than a service call. Or buy locks with replaceable cylinders that can be changed out in seconds. Look at Mr. Landlord Locks under "services".
An old tenant shouldn't be charged a re-key fee. --47.156.xx.xx |
Rekey Fee (by Jim In O C [CA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 10:25 AM
Message:
Re-keying is a cost of doing business. We only charge for cleaning if it needs to be cleaned. Treat the tenant like you would like to be treated and you’ll be a more successful landlord. --99.23.xxx.x |
Rekey Fee (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 10:30 AM
Message:
I would only charge if the old keys weren't returned. --50.107.xxx.xx |
Rekey Fee (by Oregon Woodsmoke [ID]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 11:34 AM
Message:
We use the landlord lock system. Each new tenant gets a lock (cylinder) change. It takes a couple of minutes to change them out.
I don't charge for that because it isn't anything the tenant damaged or got dirty. To me, it is a landlord liability issue. --98.146.xxx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by Ken [NY]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 11:38 AM
Message:
Listen to the attorney preparing the lease,realtors don't know anything about law even though they think they do --72.231.xxx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by Moshe [CA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 12:25 PM
Message:
Re-keying is a cost of doing business, but it is landlord's cost of doing HIS business.
1. Robert J is right, that landlord OWES tenant a secure dwelling, else it is uninhabitable.
2. Check FL law about what may be deducted from SD. Most states allow deductions ONLY for 1) unpaid rent; 2) repair of damage to unit done by tenant; and 3) cost of cleaning after tenant leaves.
--47.139.xx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by Doogie [KS]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 12:55 PM
Message:
I rekey between tenants. I do charge the fee if tenants don't return keys. Cost me to have new keys made. To auto charge that seems to be pushing it a little. Same with cleaning. If it needs it, definitely do it and charge. If you don't have to do anything, return the deposit and raise a glass of your favorite beverage that evening that you didn't have to do anything. --72.209.xxx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by JKJ [MA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 1:16 PM
Message:
I only charge a cleaning fee if the unit needs to be cleaned, why would you charge a mandatory cleaning fee if the tenant leaves the unit in move in condition. As far as a re-keying fee, IF I don’t get back both sets of keys I change the lock cylinders (I use landlord locks) and the new tenant pays a $75 re-key fee, if I get back both complete sets of keys I leave the decision up to the new tenant, if they don’t care I don’t change the locks and don’t charge them, if they still want the locks changed I change them out and they pay the re-key fee. --174.192.xx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 1:50 PM
Message:
In MA a LL may charge a 1st, last, SD & a reasonable key / lock fee. I charge a $75.00 key / lock fee when a tenant moves in. You need to see what is allowed by your state's LL / Tenant laws. --96.237.xx.xx |
Rekey Fee (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 7:50 PM
Message:
I charge 25 bux per lock to rekey on the property master system, this is charged it tenant lost keys and wants this done or have a key copy to friends then friendship went sour, but always reset all locks for new tenant and give 2 engraved keys which must come back or the deposit is charged.
By the way you came to a great learning resource here, spend at least a few hours a week reading here from your state then move back and gain knowledge from other areas.
--76.188.xxx.x |
Rekey Fee (by small potatoes [NY]) Posted on: Apr 13, 2019 10:24 PM
Message:
seems to me you can't include a mandatory cleaning fee and you can't be anal about it being white glove clean either. As far as a rekey fee you would have to prove you actually did it. --100.2.xx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by TA [CA]) Posted on: Apr 14, 2019 1:49 AM
Message:
If the tenant is paying a mandatory cleaning fee, does this mean they do not need to clean the unit before moving out? What if they leave a big mess and $150 doesn't cover your out of pocket cost? What if they clean everything and it is move in ready? If they sue you because the $150 is in excess of the actual cleaning cost, does your attorney say your lease will hold up because it was disclosed, or will the tenants get treble damages for the whole deposit? --73.15.xx.xxx |
Rekey Fee (by WMH [NC]) Posted on: Apr 14, 2019 7:53 AM
Message:
Having a mandatory cleaning practically ensures your departing tenant won't clean - why should they? And if they don't, $150 is not enough to cover a full cleaning.
I tell my tenants (and it's in the lease) that they are getting the place clean and ready to occupy and they need to return it that way, based on a cleaning checklist that I provide. I tell them if they don't, THEN they will end up paying for cleaning because I will hire someone to do it.
I've had one or two tenants ASK me to hire someone, and I've had a few hire their OWN cleaners - but I get my places back clean. --50.82.xxx.xx |
Rekey Fee (by Sara [FL]) Posted on: Apr 15, 2019 7:28 PM
Message:
Thanks everyone for your input on the rekey fee and the cleaning fee. I wasn't asking abbot the cleaning fee but I will post another topic on it because now I am wondering about it. --73.137.xx.xx |
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