What to do if we are in the process of moving out of an apartment and the property manager entered and unintentionally broke personal property?
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What to do if we are in the process of moving out of an apartment and the property manager entered and unintentionally broke personal property?
The property manager claimed to have given a 24 hour notice to enter the property We were on vacation at the time. My wife is very distraught about this a puzzle she had been working on for a month and which was destroyed by the manager. We had put the puzzle in the closet while we were moving out to keep it safe. The manager claimed to enter the closet (which proves she was going through our stuff). She moved the cardboard that the puzzle was on and half of it fell off the board and crashed to the floor. My wife wants them to either fix it or compensate her for the damages and suffering.
Asked on April 24, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Oregon
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If the property manager enetered your unit while you were gone and damaged personal property belonging to you, he or she is responsible for compensating you for the fair market value of the item damages if it cannot be repaired. If the item can be repaired, the property manager is responsible for paying the costs for having the item repaired.
I suggest that you write the landlord as to what happened keeping a copy of the letter for future reference and need. One does not get emotional distress damages under the law for items that are negligently broken.
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