The $250 front door lock that got me out of a bad lease

Moved into a place in Phoenix where the landlord kept coming by unannounced. I bought a smart lock for 250 bucks and installed it myself. He got locked out during a showing, and I got a nasty text about tenant rights. But the lock logged every time he tried to enter, and that record got me out of the lease with no penalty. The repair bill was apparently 40 bucks, which I never paid because the lock was a code requirement I installed properly. Worth every cent, but I still hate that it cost more than my first month's utilities. Has anyone else spent their own cash on a fixture just to fight a landlord?

2 comments

2 Comments

bennett.evan1mo ago

Wait, he actually tried to get in while you were standing there? And @the_taylor, your story wouldve had me calling the cops by week one.

the_taylor1mo ago

Bought a cheap security camera for the same reason, pointed it at the front door. Landlord showed up three times in one week and I just forwarded him the timestamps every single time. He stopped pretty quick. The camera paid for itself in peace of mind, honestly.