Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California
Landlords not providing keys
I have been living in a 2 bed 1 bathhouse for 2 years. the last roommate left a year ago and I got a new roomate who paid their deposit. We were never given an addtional key for my current roommate. We had asked for it on numours times. As a result we've had to hide the key around the house so we can both be able to get in to the house. We had also requested that a lock be placed on our laundry room door which has another door that leads to the house. Last year someone tried to breakin thur the laudry room window. They never put a look on that door. This past weekend some one found the key and entered our home took my new laptop and cash. Is my landlord responsible?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Landlords not providing keys
No. A reasonable person would have gone to a locksmith and duplicated the key. It's foolhardy to leave a spare key "under the mat."
Re: Landlords not providing keys
Possibly, but not likely!
Judges and juries are not stupid. Your man problem is to show a link between lack of a key and the theft.
The proper thing to do would have been to have a duplicate made, and deduct the cost from your next rent check. That is the question to be asked by the other side (as well as me).
Also, next time you communicate with a landlord, do it in writing, so you have a receipt (copy of the letter).
Also, you should have put a lock on the laundry room door, and deducted that cost as well.
The only thing I can suggest is to retain an attorney to write landlord a letter, and hope that he'll turn it over to his insurance liability carrier. The insurance company is likely to deny the claim, but it is worth a try.
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