Landlord wants renters insurance paid in full for a year, not in policy.

[kikiohearts]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Hobart, Indiana

 

[kikiohearts]

I messed up the first part of tge thread and dont know how to delete it. So here is the rest of the information. Today I recived a letter in the mail from my landlord stating that she wants residents renters insurance now paid in full for one year in advance. Thoughout the last year ive lived him they have been okay with me paying it on a month to month bases. And there is nothing in the lease or policy saying it has to be paid a year in advance. The letter she mailes was written on January 20th and the insurance in advance is due Febuary 10th. Is this somthing a landlord can request without changing the policy?

Here is everything the policy says reguarding renters insurance.

"Tenants are required to maintain a policy in renters insurance which is adequate to insure all of tenants personal property and other possessions and to reimburse Landlord for the cost of repairs necessitated due to the conduct (intentional or negligent) of tenants, other members of tenants household or guest of tenants, including damages as a result of fire. Evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance must be provided to landlord prior to the date tenants move into the home. Failure of tenents to provide evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance may result in termination for the tenancy or landlords purchasing an adequate insurance policy of its choosing, for which tenants are obligated to reimburse landlord in full upon demand as unpaid rent"

This is l the policy says reguarding renters insurance. Thanks in advance.

 

[LdiJ]

I messed up the first part of tge thread and dont know how to delete it. So here is the rest of the information. Today I recived a letter in the mail from my landlord stating that she wants residents renters insurance now paid in full for one year in advance. Thoughout the last year ive lived him they have been okay with me paying it on a month to month bases. And there is nothing in the lease or policy saying it has to be paid a year in advance. The letter she mailes was written on January 20th and the insurance in advance is due Febuary 10th. Is this somthing a landlord can request without changing the policy?

Here is everything the policy says reguarding renters insurance.

"Tenants are required to maintain a policy in renters insurance which is adequate to insure all of tenants personal property and other possessions and to reimburse Landlord for the cost of repairs necessitated due to the conduct (intentional or negligent) of tenants, other members of tenants household or guest of tenants, including damages as a result of fire. Evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance must be provided to landlord prior to the date tenants move into the home. Failure of tenents to provide evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance may result in termination for the tenancy or landlords purchasing an adequate insurance policy of its choosing, for which tenants are obligated to reimburse landlord in full upon demand as unpaid rent"

This is l the policy says reguarding renters insurance. Thanks in advance.

If the lease does not require you to provide a policy paid up in advance for an entire year, then the landlord CANNOT require you to do so. He can however require you to provide proof each month that you are keeping up your payments. I suspect that someone gave him proof of renters insurance and then stopped paying on it, and he is now stuck with some damages.

 

[Stephen1]

I couldn't tell from your post whether you are currently on a month-to-month agreement or you are on a lease that doesn't end for some months.

- If you are on a lease that doesn't end for some months, then I agree with LdiJ's comment.
- If you are on a month-to-month agreement, then the landlord is giving you notice that this is a new requirement that does apply to you. Most states require a one rental period (a month?) notice to change anything. So I would interpret that as being effective 1 March.

 

[LdiJ]

I couldn't tell from your post whether you are currently on a month-to-month agreement or you are on a lease that doesn't end for some months.

- If you are on a lease that doesn't end for some months, then I agree with LdiJ's comment.
- If you are on a month-to-month agreement, then the landlord is giving you notice that this is a new requirement that does apply to you. Most states require a one rental period (a month?) notice to change anything. So I would interpret that as being effective 1 March.

If someone is on a month to month agreement, then I absolutely would NEVER agree to provide the landlord with proof of insurance paid up for one year. That would not be reasonable at all in a month to month situation. What if the person does not remain there for another year and is not renting after that at all?

 

[adjusterjack]

"Tenants are required to maintain a policy in renters insurance which is adequate to insure all of tenants personal property and other possessions and to reimburse Landlord for the cost of repairs necessitated due to the conduct (intentional or negligent) of tenants, other members of tenants household or guest of tenants, including damages as a result of fire. Evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance must be provided to landlord prior to the date tenants move into the home. Failure of tenents to provide evidence of a valid policy of renters insurance may result in termination for the tenancy or landlords purchasing an adequate insurance policy of its choosing, for which tenants are obligated to reimburse landlord in full upon demand as unpaid rent"

Your landlord is a fool. Nobody can comply with that rule whether the policy is paid once a month or once a year.

1 - Renters policies don't cover intentional acts.
2 - Renters policies don't cover the negligence of guests.
3 - Renters policies don't cover all of the damage caused by a tenant's negligence. There are some exclusion even in the liability section.

As for buying insurance and charging it back to the tenant, well, he already has (or should have) insurance on his own property whether the damage is caused by the tenant or other causes.

Unfortunately, if you are on month to month or your lease is coming up on expiration, he can certainly enforce a demand for a paid up policy if you want to continue living there.

 

[LdiJ]

Your landlord is a fool. Nobody can comply with that rule whether the policy is paid once a month or once a year.

1 - Renters policies don't cover intentional acts.
2 - Renters policies don't cover the negligence of guests.
3 - Renters policies don't cover all of the damage caused by a tenant's negligence. There are some exclusion even in the liability section.

As for buying insurance and charging it back to the tenant, well, he already has (or should have) insurance on his own property whether the damage is caused by the tenant or other causes.

Unfortunately, if you are on month to month or your lease is coming up on expiration, he can certainly enforce a demand for a paid up policy if you want to continue living there.

I agree that the landlord could exercise his/her right to give notice to terminate the tenancy if its month to month or the lease is about to end. However, the landlord would be pretty foolish to do that if the tenant is a good paying tenant.

However if the landlord is basically a slumlord type that doesn't care about keeping tenant, and only cares about collecting rent while spending the least amount of money possible, the landlord might just be that foolish.

 

[kikiohearts]

I've been here for the better part of 1 1/2 years. The lease has not changed once and it is a contract to buy the home over 5 years, a rent to own trailer. I hope tgat bit of information helps.

 

[kikiohearts]

My mother in law has been here for 3, and her rent to own lease has not veen changed ever either.

 

[kikiohearts]

Also I have never been late with a payment rent or otherwise.