AK-SERVICE-TIP

Lost keys: Who has to pay?

Karl Raith has all the information on this topic

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/AK Stmk, Stock adobe )

Do I have to have a spare key to my apartment and what should I do if one of the keys is lost? Karl Raith, consumer protection expert at the Styrian Chamber of Labor, provides valuable tips.

When returning the apartment, tenants must return all keys that they have been given or that they have made up.

If one or more keys are lost, the landlord has the right to demand the costs of new keys or a new lock or to deduct them from the deposit. Unless the tenant can prove that the lost key cannot be misused.

Keep a written record
In any case, it is advisable to draw up a written record of the handover of the apartment, which should be signed by the landlord and tenant. The handover protocol should include the number of keys handed over and their function. Is it a mailbox, front door, cellar compartment or apartment key?

The number of keys to which tenants are entitled depends on the number of occupants of the rented property. It also plays a role whether there is a special need for care, e.g. if cleaning or care staff are required. However, there must be a reserve key.