Can an apartment complex require you to get new blinds if your old ones are damaged?

: Can an apartment complex require you to get new blinds if your old ones are damaged?
My apartment complex wants us to buy new blinds if our old ones are broken or damaged (to increase curb appeal). They have only give us till monday to replace them. We got the notice on Friday. If we don’t replace them they are going to charge us $ 50 for small blinds and $ 100 for large blinds that they will replace themselves on Monday. Is this even legal and are they allowed to do this?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Dan B
Not legal in the US unless you damaged them. These types of items are maintenance items that are funded by the management, not by the tenants. However, if they are your blinds, they can require you to replace them. Also, they must give you a reasonable time to replace them (if you are in fact required to replace them).

Answer by Dr Fattlestien
If it is truly an apartment that you rent, and not a condo, and the damage is normal wear and tear, then THEY are required to remove the old ones, purchase new ones and install them. However if the damage was caused by youm then you have to pay.

Sounds to me like this is a condo. In which case, pretty much you are bound to honor their request. HOWEVER, 2 days is really short notice, especially during this economic downturn.

I never heard of apartments requiring this, they usually do it themselves. Now, if it is a condo, but you ar renting from the owner, then the owner of that unit should replace. Or maye you buy and take off rent…

Good Luck

Answer by saaanen
Read your lease. If it is stated here, it’s legal and you have to. If it isn’t, you can try to fight it.

I lived in a complex that had this clause in the lease.