What if I lose my keys or the lock breaks?

When you move into your apartment, you get the keys for the door downstairs and the one upstairs and then you get that tiny little key for your mailbox. What happens if you lose it? Hereโ€™s everything you need to know (and probably a little more) about your mailbox.

What if I lose my keys?

If you lose your key, youโ€™ll need to talk to your landlord. He or she will hopefully have an extra key. If they do, they give it to you and problem solved. If they don’t, things can get a little trickier.

Your landlord will have to have a key made from the post office. This should only cost a few dollars but you may be asked to contact the post office yourself. The post office will not release a key to you, as you are a renter and not the owner of the property.

What if the lock breaks?

If your lock breaks, or the key suddenly stops fitting, you may need to replace the lock, which can be pretty pricey. The cost of caring for your mailbox falls on the property owner or manager. So if you rent, make sure your landlord pays.

Faye Chou
Faye Chou
Faye is the Managing Director of the RentHop Operations team. In her 10 years at RentHop, Faye has written numerous articles on a variety of real estate topics. If you're interested in learning more about the current state of the rental housing market or want Faye's best tips for your apartment search then check out more of her articles.

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