Landlord not giving us keys?

[Adam716]

I'm wondering what my roommates legal rights are in this situation:

My apartment is made up of myself and 3 other guys, all just out of college and working full time in New York. We signed a lease for a 4-BR apartment in Manhattan in August, with a move-in date of August 15. All four of us have our names on and signed the lease.

When we arrived to pick up the keys from the leasing office, we were told there were currently only 2 building keys left. They said this would be rectified soon, as they had to get keys back from people who would be moving out. It is illegal for a locksmith to copy the front door key of an apartment building in New York, so this was not an option. The company that made the keys has since gone out of business, and it is impossible to replicate, so they told us. I did some research among locksmiths and confirmed this.

Fast forward to now (2 and a half months later) and we still only have 2 keys for 4 people. We have to coordinate our schedules to make sure no one gets locked out. The realty company installed an electronic access system, but has yet to produce the key cards, citing technical problems or other issues for the last 4 weeks (we ask them several times per week).

Since the four of us are all on the lease, doesn't that at a bare minimum grant us access to the apartment? Two people essentially cannot get into their own apartment at any given time. Is the realty company violating the terms of the lease? Do we have the right to withhold or postpone rent, or to break the lease?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

 

[sandyclaus]

I'm wondering what my roommates legal rights are in this situation:

My apartment is made up of myself and 3 other guys, all just out of college and working full time in New York. We signed a lease for a 4-BR apartment in Manhattan in August, with a move-in date of August 15. All four of us have our names on and signed the lease.

When we arrived to pick up the keys from the leasing office, we were told there were currently only 2 building keys left. They said this would be rectified soon, as they had to get keys back from people who would be moving out. It is illegal for a locksmith to copy the front door key of an apartment building in New York, so this was not an option. The company that made the keys has since gone out of business, and it is impossible to replicate, so they told us. I did some research among locksmiths and confirmed this.

Fast forward to now (2 and a half months later) and we still only have 2 keys for 4 people. We have to coordinate our schedules to make sure no one gets locked out. The realty company installed an electronic access system, but has yet to produce the key cards, citing technical problems or other issues for the last 4 weeks (we ask them several times per week).

Since the four of us are all on the lease, doesn't that at a bare minimum grant us access to the apartment? Two people essentially cannot get into their own apartment at any given time. Is the realty company violating the terms of the lease? Do we have the right to withhold or postpone rent, or to break the lease?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

You have access to the apartment. You are USING the apartment as your residence. What makes you think that simply not having an extra key justifies your withholding rent or breaking the lease?

It might be different if the issue was a significant health or safety issue affecting habitability, but it's NOT. On top of that, the management is making reasonable efforts to obtain the additional keys/key cards under the circumstances.

Suck it up and be patient.

 

[FarmerJ]

Send to the LL a letter via certified mail insisting on them supplying 2 more keys even if they have to charge you for them , tell the LL this is not acceptable . remind them they rented the unit to 4 non related people and its time they correct this.

 

[sandyclaus]

Send to the LL a letter via certified mail insisting on them supplying 2 more keys even if they have to charge you for them , tell the LL this is not acceptable . remind them they rented the unit to 4 non related people and its time they correct this.

The realty company is working on providing those keys. Of course, putting the request in writing is a very good idea, to ensure that the request is not being put off and get it on the record with a paper trail.

However, there is nothing to suggest that the realty company is trying to withhold the additional keys for the other two tenants. There seems to be specific circumstances that are preventing them from just handing over the keys, circumstances which they are trying to deal with. Maybe OP doesn't think it's fast enough, but it's certainly NOT grounds to break a lease over.

 

[FarmerJ]

Never said it was reason to break a lease but I know if it was me Id be raising one heck of a stink because managements excuses are WEAK , if they are almost out of keys as they claim, just what is management going to do when other tenants lose keys or move and fail to turn in keys, what are they going to do when a tenant has purse stolen and keys must be replaced and they have to cough up more ? No matter what I see the excuses as BS and as long as the keys are not like my volkswagon gulf and super funky there has to be someone who they can buy blanks from and have them made if they are more regular type keys like say shlage -dexter and all stamped do not copy they can buy plastic blanks and use a file and make them , hardware stores do sell plastic blanks and if that works a metal key can be made from the plastic blank.

 

[LearnedHand]

What? Who can legally duplicate the keys ?

Seems like nyc law on key copying is the problem.

Here in sf a proper licensed locksmith can make a copy for the owner of the property.

Surely that can be done in nyc...

After all, keys get lost, broken, damaged and must be replaced...

Ask the city !