Alarm Code on Rental House

Status
Not open for further replies.

Mongoose

New Member
I am renting a house in Tennessee and it has a security alarm that was installed by the owner. This is a feature that we really liked because (no offense to anyone out there) this house is in Memphis. According to the management company, the home owner was "highly disturbed" that we would want the alarm code. The contract does not address the alarm at all but being that it is part of the house we feel we have the right to use it. I feel like we rented a house with an alarm and they gave us one without an alarm. We have since learned that the owner does not want to give us the code because she is currently paying on a monitoring plan that is still under contract. Seems like that should be her problem not mine. Is there anything I can do?
 
Interesting. See I thought that the lease had to address things we would not have access too. Like a closet, attic or shed. Thats kind of like renting a house and then finding out after the fact that I can't use the kitchen sink. If it's there it's included isn't it?
 
The owner could give you a code that is used for maids or service people. That code will allow you to use the alarm, and the LL won't have to reveal to you their code. But, you have to ask real nice. You might tell her that alarm companies provide codes like this all the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Offer to pay for the alarm monitoring. You can't use the alarm if you aren't willing to pay for it. I am sure she would be happy for you to take over the payment and I doubt that it is much 16-30 dollars a month. If you want it,that's not much.
 
Actually it's $40 a month and I'm sure she already built that expense into what we are paying for rent so I'm certainly don't going to pay for what i'm already paying for. We had considered using a company that was $10 a month but that was just because then they would come out and reprogram the alarm. Turns out they can't do that because they don't know the master code that the current alarm company uses. We actually don't want to pay for monitoring but we do want the alarm to make obnoxious sounds if someone tries to break in. This little neighborhood had 3 break ins in the last 2 years.
 
Three in the last two years sounds really good!

You really should be able to work this out with the landlord... either get a secondary code that you can use separate from theirs, or a reduction in the rent if the cost of the alarm is something that is included in it. You have a pretty reasonable argument, and the landlord has no reason not to allow you a code... after all, what is the alarm there for if nobody can use it?
 
Three in the last two years sounds really good!

You really should be able to work this out with the landlord... either get a secondary code that you can use separate from theirs, or a reduction in the rent if the cost of the alarm is something that is included in it. You have a pretty reasonable argument, and the landlord has no reason not to allow you a code... after all, what is the alarm there for if nobody can use it?

I can't say for sure that the cost for alarm monitoring is included but I would assume it would be. It's part of the expense that the landlord has to recover. I'm hoping to find a legal leg to stand on but can't find anything either way. I feel defrauded and even the management company can't believe she won't give us the code. She's paying for the service anyway: she doesn't lose anything by giving us the code to help secure her house. I'm not sure if the ad actually mentioned the alarm (it certainly didn't specifically mention EVERYTHING) but the alarm was armed each time we came to see the house which I believe would constitute both advertisement and demonstration.
 
The landlord has no duty to let you use the alarm they are paying for. You can't say that it is in the lease. If you want the alarm offer to pay for it. $40 a month is very high.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top