Any real estate lawyers?

amother

Mon, Oct 02 2023, 11:16 am

Would love to know if what my landlord is doing is legal.

I sent proof of renters insurance (which was not required to have) when I first moved into my building last summer. Since the time between I moved in and my lease renewal this past July, they made having a policy mandatory. They sent out notices with instructions to upload the proof online. I never did it, since I had already sent in proof the year prior.

When my leased renewed, since I hadn’t uploaded the proof, they charged me a fee for not having insurance. I told them I do, and they have my policy information, and for good measure resent the proof of insurance. The original manager I was in contact with no longer works for the company so they say they had no record of the insurance. They would not waive the fee. The following month, I got charged another fee for not having insurance. They said because I did not upload it via the link. I said I sent it via email, and that proof is proof. They can’t claim they don’t have it because it wasn’t done on a specific portal. Regardless I uploaded it into the website just to prevent more fees, but it was declined because the address for the leasing company as an insured party had been changed since I originally got the policy. So I had to have my insurance update it and didn’t get to upload it in time for the end of the month, so another fee.

Now they tell me they are starting to charge fees for unpaid balances (the other insurance fees I refuse to pay) and every month I’ll be charged the fee until I pay off the account.

They said the reason it needs to be uploaded into the portal is that it’s for a monitoring company to keep track of it, to make sure policies stay active.

My question is, can I be charged fees for not having insurance when I sent them proof? Is my only legal obligation to prove insurance, to send it to them? Why is it my responsibility to send the proof to the 3rd party? I told them if they use a separate company they can send my documentation myself, why is it my responsibility? I sent proof, is that not enough?

The refuse to waive my fees, and I want to know if what they’re doing is even legal.

amother

Mon, Oct 02 2023, 7:54 pm

amother Rose wrote:

If you got a letter from your insurance company supporting the fact that you had continuous coverage at their property since xyz date.. (they should provide) - that together with a strongly written letter from a lawyer should stop this. Maybe you know someone you can call in a favor from.

Ok thank you, I know someone who might be able to help although they are licensed in NY so I don’t know if they’re aware of the laws for New Jersey.

I just would be surprised to find out that they have a leg to stand on, I would assume my only responsibility for proof of anything would be communication via email, or a written letter. I don’t see why I would be responsible for providing the documentation to the 3rd party company, once the leasing office got my proof that should be the end of my involvement technically. How they choose to monitor my policy is their own business but not my problem, no?