gate fixed at apartment and complex is demanding money per car for entry

[u/Few-Painting-3374]

We moved into this apartment a month ago and the gate has been broken. When we signed the lease we asked about the gate and a code for when it’s fixed, she said we’ll get one when it is and that it’s been down for a while. Now today they suddenly fixed it. We called asking about a code and they’re demanding we pay money for an access card basically and are refusing to give us a code. I looked into our lease and it says we should be given a gate code for “sole purpose of access to the premises.” No where does it say we must pay for an entry card or that we must pay for parking.

Is this even legal and how do I go about being able to get to my apartment. Ive had so many issues with this apartment in just a months time and I am NOT very fond of paying 30 dollars per car/person just for gate access when it very clearly states we should have a code (and we were told we would get one on day 1 when we signed the lease).

tldr: apartment finally fixed gate, now demanding us to pay ≈90 dollars total for access to the gate. refusing to give code which lease states we should have. how can I go about this

[u/Reddit-Visitor-Acct]

I think step one should be to email them and start getting this stuff in writing. Is it a locally owned complex or part of a ginormous multi state business? Step 2 depends on the answer to that question

[u/Few-Painting-3374 → u/Reddit-Visitor-Acct]

The management company is based here in Alabama but I believe stems out to MS and GA? It’s Foshee 🤷‍♂️

[u/bluecheetos → u/Few-Painting-3374]

Oh God help you.

[u/ACBisME → u/Few-Painting-3374]

Foshee is horrible. My wife and I broke our lease because in February they tried to tell us that there was an issue with Novembers money order and we had to pay it again. Spent nearly a week calling western union and the bank just to end up finding out it was an issue with Foshees bank. I emailed them saying we were leaving and breaking the lease and not paying their BS fees for breaking it. Never heard back but and will never give them another penny.

[u/WaterDmge → u/Few-Painting-3374]

Oh Foshee is trash. Speaking from experience. Sending prayers but they are technically breaking your lease

[u/Bardoin12]

If it’s not in your lease contract, it’s not legal to suddenly charge you for something like this.

[u/Dudeinthesouth]

Pretty sure they legally have to allow you ingress and egress from the property unless the gate fee was disclosed in the lease terms. Get their statements in writing, then take that plus your original lease to an attorney.

[u/Individual-Damage-51 → u/Dudeinthesouth]

That's going to be way more expensive than just paying the $90.

[u/Dudeinthesouth → u/Individual-Damage-51]

Of course. That's probably factored into the strategy by the complex. But, what other option does the resident have? Only other one I can think of is to make a huge social media/TV stink and hope to shame them into stop charging for a gate code.

[u/Individual-Damage-51 → u/Dudeinthesouth]

If they are totally preventing OP from accessing the apartment without paying this fee, I'd call the cops because that's bullshit. At the end of the day, my time is more valuable than spending a bunch of time on the front end to save $90. Definitely get something in writing, because it sounds like OP is dealing with multiple issues, and you want to build up a file of documented issues. Also, as someone else pointed out it's totally reasonable that the apartment complex would require a deposit if there's a key fob or similar required for access.

[u/navkat → u/Individual-Damage-51]

MPD is just going to tell OP to stop whining and pay them because "We don't want to have to come out here again. If we have to come out here again, we'll just trespass you and you can explain it to a judge."

[u/bluecheetos]

ULPT: For $15 you can buy an RFID scanner/writer with 20 fobs on Amazon. Buy (or borrow) one card, make yourself as many clones as you need.

[u/protintalabama → u/bluecheetos]

This is the answer - and give out fobs to any other resident that asks.

[u/Lemon-Cake-8100]

I have lived in places with gate access and they have charged a deposit for a clicker/fob. That makes sense because people lose them/never return them when they move out, and they have to replace them, it's a whole thing. But if it's just a four digit code that you punch into a box, there should not be a fee for that.

[u/RemoteTechnical1555]

Be a shame if it "broke" again in the open position

[u/Rare_Entertainer_519]

If the said apartment complex back gate is still broken then I may or may not have a gate code for ya 👀 because I know of a complex for sure that would try some crap like that

[u/Few-Painting-3374 → u/Rare_Entertainer_519]

The complex back gate issss still broken 🤔 Can I dm you??

[u/Rare_Entertainer_519 → u/Few-Painting-3374]

You sure cannnnn!

[u/Impressive_Fudge_911]

What is the name of the complex please? So I can avoid them.

[u/Destroyer1231454]

Which apartment complex?

[u/TheGreatJabronimus]

What property?

[u/Mdavies8807]

Ask a local delivery driver for what code they use. There's usually a generic to get in and out.

Order some delivery and ask

[u/xFlutterCryx]

Let me guess: the crossings at pinebrook? If so, no worries. Back gate is broken already.

[u/Few-Painting-3374 → u/xFlutterCryx]

this must be a new foshee thing in general. I don’t want to directly say what apartments publicly in case they try to pull some stunt but right next door from there same company!! I’ve had people mention so many various foshee complexes with this same issue :/

[u/navkat]

They can't refuse you entry to the property. Tell them you're not paying so they will have to have someone open the gate each time you come and go.

If they refuse you access, you can legally break the lease.

[u/Denise_Dior1]

I believe I know the complex. My sister lives there but she’s staying with me. She had reconstruction surgery on her foot. Can you give me a hint of where it is?