Is it legal for a appartment complex to randomly check my garage to see its being used for a car not storage??

Question

My appartment complex left me a letter on my door step saying they were going to be doing garage checks to make sure that they garage was being used for parking and not for storage... is this legal... i mean i pay my oney every month, shouldnt i be able to put what i want into my garage... considering i do use it for my car but what if i had a car that couldnt fit into the garage? like a van, or my F-250 for instance... am i supposed to just leave it empty?

Answer 1

If its in the contract, you have to what the contract you signed says.

Answer 2

Please read your lease/rental agreement. Does it say anything about what the garage can or can not be used for? If it doesn't, then you are fine whatever use you are putting it to so long as it is legal. If management is changing the rules, they must give you a minimum of 30 days notice so that you can decide to move if you do not like the new rules. (If you are on a lease, the new rules do not go into effect until the end of the lease or 30 days from the date of the notice, which ever is later.)

As to checking, landlords do have the right to periodically check the inside of their rental properties so long as proper notification is being done (most states require 24 hour notice minimum).

If the management says something, and it is not in the lease/rental agreement, discuss it clamly with them. If things get heated, they can always decide to give you a 30-day notice to move if you are on a month to manth tenancy or refuse to renew your lease if you are on a lease.

Answer 3

I manage a complex that also includes a single car garage with each apt . .it is stated in the rental agreement/lease that the garage is not to be used for storage, it is for parking only. Yes we also do random garage checks and the reason is that the outside parking is limited and we get tired of being woke up at 3 am by an irate resident that cannot park in his or her own parking lot because all the spaces are taken.

We go out and find most of the spaces are taken up by people who either forgot to put one of their cars away in the garage or we have someone who has parked illegally in our very limited parking lot!!!!! Either way, it is better to get a notice to remind people to park in their garages than to pay a tow charge if the vehicle is parked illegally.

It is only at the last resort that a tenant would get a notice to vacate if they are continuously disregarding this clause in the rental agreement. Most managers woud try to resolve the issue by suggesting the unused garage be rented out to a neighbor who would be delighted to pay for the usage of a second garage!!!!

Answer 4

I woul suspect that they have had a problem with people renting their garages out. The landlord can usually enter your premises by giving notice. As to whether or not it cna be used for storage by you......check your lease and see if there are any stipulations that limit the use of the garage to jsut parking a car.....if not I am not sure what the problem is

Answer 5

Sounds like they just want to do some snooping. If you're paying to rent the space, and can't fit your car in there, it should be up to you as to what you use the space for. Like everyone else has said, check your lease just incase.

They may also be checking, since winter months are coming up, because there probably arent enough garages for everyone to have one. The people that arent using the garage for a vehicle may have it taken from them for someone who wants a garage to be able to store their vehicle in the winter months.

Answer 6

It depends on what is stated in your lease. They have the right, if its in your lease, to check the garage to make sure its being used as they way it's suppose to be used.

Answer 7

unless it stated in your contract the you can not the garage for nothing but a car then if should not matter what they checking for.

Answer 8

Yes, it is perfectly legal for a landlord to perform random checks, as long as they aren't entering your unit without prior notification, and as far as the reason for them doing the checks, my first guess would be for fire safety, it might even be a stipulation of their own insurance policy that they perform these inspections.

Answer 9

they can do random checks but maybe what they really are looking at is that it is not being used to store illegal or drug making equipment . it really depends on the agreement as to what you do with the place and how they handle it. most care about the rent and that it is being used properly and no damage is being done

Answer 10

i assume they do this sort of check regularly so it should be listed in the lease somewhere. since you are only renting, it is still their own property so if something is not in accordance to their guidelines then they can do as they please. in your circumstance, i.e. your car/truck not fitting in, then I'm sure they won't get too flustered about the whole thing if you approach it calmly and reasonably. if they do throw a hissy fit then you can counter with some sort of monthly credit to you since you are unable to use the property in which you pay for.

Answer 11

If you have a lease, then read your lease because all of their rules are covered on the lease. If garage checks are not coverd then you can sue them./