Can a Landlord Charge a Tenant for Arranging Furniture in Their Rented Space?
Debating whether a landlord has the right to charge a tenant for arranging furniture in a rented space? This article delves into the intricacies of landlord-tenant laws and what tenants can and cannot do when arranging furniture.
Charged by Whom
If the tenant canrsquo;t do the rearranging themselves then whoever they hire has a right to charge them for it.
If you want your maintenance crew to take time to rearrange your furniture, yoursquo;ll be paying them.
100/hour per person is a reasonable rate. Similarly, if you hire your own moving crew to rearrange your stuff, they will charge you about the same. Nobody works for free.
A Landlord Has the Right to Charge for Anything
A landlord can charge for anything, provided the tenant either voluntarily pays it or fights against it. It is incredibly unlikely that a judge would support these charges if no damage was caused to the rental property.
However, the key lies in the specific wording of the rental agreement. Unless there is specific wording about furniture arrangement, the answer would likely be no. Reaching beyond this general rule, if furniture is attached to the building in any manner, the landlord can charge for its removal or modification, as it constitutes altering the property.
Furnished Rentals and Lease Language
For furnished rentals, the lease may contain specific language about the furniture, requiring the tenant to leave the property and furniture in the state they were in when the tenant rented it. This includes the location of furniture. Tenants can generally move the furniture around, but must return it to its original configuration before moving out, or risk being charged for the cost of repositioning it back to its original state.
Failure to adhere to the lease terms could result in charges for the landlord to realign the furniture as it was before.
Jurisdiction and Legal Guidance
Assuming this discussion pertains to a scenario in the United States, the first place to look is the rental agreement, or lease. If the lease does not prohibit rearranging furniture, the tenant is generally free to do so as long as no damage is caused and the furniture does not disturb the unit or other tenants. If the lease prohibits such actions, then the tenant can be charged for any additional costs incurred by the landlord in restoring the property to its original condition.
For any specific situation, it is advisable to consult a lawyer licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. A legal advisor can provide specific legal advice based on the unique facts and circumstances of the case.
This article is provided as general information only. The tenant should consult a licensed attorney to receive legal advice upon which the tenant can appropriately rely.
Keywords: rental agreement, landlord-tenant law, furniture arrangement
Categories: Property Management, Legal Issues, Real Estate