Showing your apartment/home, but keeping your guns private?

[Grizfire]

I will be moving soon and my landlord has the inconvenient policy of showing my apartment to prospective tenants before I have moved out. I'm sorry to you landlords out there, I realize you do this to improve turnaround and maximize profits. However, I find this an invasion of privacy, inconvenient, and I worry about showcasing my belongings to a potential BG that may come back at a later time! Unfortunately in my town I have no choice but to sign a lease allowing this practice (which is legal I believe).

So what to do with all my gun crap that I do not want to show to strangers. They will need to look in my closet (where my gun safe is located). I have several ammo cans laying about, plus gun cleaning materials.

What are your experiences with this? Does your landlord/manager show our apartment before leaving? If so, have the prospective tenants been snoopy? Or can you keep your closet closed. I would be willing to allow them to peak into my closet on the opposite end of my safe, but I would rather they didn't have to see the whole thing. Somethings I would like to keep private.

 

[gbran]

It's kinda like feeling violated by something you agreed to. Show them one enfd of the closet and be diplomatic and tell them you have private property you'd rather them not see. They will probably accomodate you.

 

[Dgreno]

Man. Thats no fun to worry about. Do you have any family near by? That would be an ideal place to store all your "stuff". The only other suggestion I can come up with is self storage for a month or two (depending on how their leasing works) but keeping at least a handgun to defend yourself and castle. good luck with your move BTW!

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Wow, what a terrible invasion of privacy.

 

[Beatnik]

Buy a house.

Other than that, are these showings announced? Do you know anyone in town who will hang on to your hardware? I have a good friend as well as a Dad nearby whom I can trust to hang on to my stuff. Of course, I only have about 1/10th of the guns I want, so it's possible to shift stuff around.

There's no moving the safe, I guess, so you're kind of showcasing that you keep something safe... don't know how to get around that one, other than maybe keeping it open and empty while they snoop around.

That's all just what I'd do, though. And don't go hard on your landlord - if there's one thing I've learned (vicariously), it's that landlords who treat their tenants like people end up with no money and run-down property. He's just protecting his interests.

 

[Gingerbreadman]

Since you are moving out, I presume that you have a place to move in lined up? why not put the important stuff there?

 

[NAK]

I had the same issue about a year ago when I changed apartments. I talked frankly about my concerns with the complex manager. She was very understanding and provided me with a funny looking removable locking mechanism that accepted a small luggage size lock for the closet door. Would not stop anyone, but kept the leasing agents from opening the closet.

Downside was is still drew attention to to closet, but not like opening the door and seeing a big safe.

 

[Cacique500]

Doesn't your leasing contract specify that the landlord has to give you 24 hours notice to come in? It may not stop it, but might slow it down.

Plan B might be getting a locking deadbolt for the closet door and then leave the key when you move out.

 

[Grizfire]

Since you are moving out, I presume that you have a place to move in lined up? why not put the important stuff there?

My situation is stressful. I will be finishing grad school in April, my lease expires in May and my landlord will not allow me to rent month to month through the summer. My landlord can only offer me another years lease, but I can't rent for another year as I will be graduating and therefore will lose financial support form my university.

So basically, I have to find a job and a place to live before the end of May. I have a few leads on jobs but no offers. One company suggested they would like to hire me, but I still need to interview formally. Soooo, yeah, as soon as I have the job, I will find a new place, and move my stuff immediately. Until then I'm stuck.

I would be interested to hear how many of you renters out there have to deal with this? Perhaps I can be persuaded to buy a home as I will probably be getting a decent income once I find a job.

 

[jakemccoy]

Your sentiments are completely valid. A reasonable landlord would be willing to work with you. I can't imagine a landlord pushing you hard if you throw a hissy fit about the situation. Throw a hissy fit if you must. The end justifies the means.

The suggestion about showing one half of the closet seems fair.

Another suggestion, look around your apartment for identical-type space. For example, is it a 2-bedroom with two identical closets in both rooms? If so, make a deal with the landlord to show only one closet and to have the landlord explain that the other closet is identical. You get the idea.

 

[Grizfire]

I checked, and my landlord has to give me 24 hours notice. Its also state law I believe. This should give me enough time to tidy the place up a bit.

I suppose I could just open the closet half way. Then bury the other side with trivial belongings that they are unable to open the other side. I'm assuming of course that they can't dig through my belongings.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

Griz,

Go to Lowes/Home Depot and look for jobsite storage boxes. They should have them in metal and heavy duty plastic. These are lockable containers that contractors store their tools in, rather than taking them home every night. Make sure that you get one large enough to fit all your guns after they have been broken down.

Nothing about these boxes suggest that there would be guns, and they are designed to be portable (which will come in handy when you have to move).

A cheaper, but less secure solution is to go to Wal Mart and buy one of the Large Rubber-Made containers. This will not prevent someone from opening it, but it will hide your guns, and not raise any eyebrows. Also, the landlord can only show your apt to prospective tenants, not you personal stuff. I.E.> the inside of you closet is ok because it is part of the apt; the inside of your desk drawers is not.

 

[Grizfire]

Go to Lowes/Home Depot and look for jobsite storage boxes. They should have them in metal and heavy duty plastic. These are lockable containers that contractors store their tools in, rather than taking them home every night. Make sure that you get one large enough to fit all your guns after they have been broken down.

Nothing about these boxes suggest that there would be guns, and they are designed to be portable (which will come in handy when you have to move).

A cheaper, but less secure solution is to go to Wal Mart and buy one of the Large Rubber-Made containers. This will not prevent someone from opening it, but it will hide your guns, and not raise any eyebrows. Also, the landlord can only show your apt to prospective tenants, not you personal stuff. I.E.> the inside of you closet is ok because it is part of the apt; the inside of your desk drawers is not.

Those are some good suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Fish828]

i used to have a landlord that upon realizing that i wasn't renewing my lease, proceeded to show the place off to people without even telling me! i would come home and he would be showing strangers through my house! to make a long story short, the reason i was leaving was due to a fault of his and his property and during one of these unannounced visits, he saw a gun that i had resting on the table in my living room and actually threatened to call the police! absolutely unbelievable.

 

[glockman19]

I am a landlord and I have to give my tenants 24 hr. notice before entering unless there is an emergency: plumbung leak, or other.

Apartments show much better when there are no tenants. New Paint, carpet and completely cleaned shows much better.

 

[strat81]

Just leave your copy of "Incredibly Offensive Stuff" on the kitchen table. Leave the handcuffs and whips in the bedroom too. Don't flush the toilet either. "Kiss me, I'm Irish" boxer shorts belong on the kitchen table next to frozen meat with a chef's knife sticking out. A strategically placed a-shirt (nee, wife beater) with "ketchup" stains can also work wonders.

They'll be too busy tripping over themselves to leave before they see your guns.

 

[harmonic]

I'm in real estate. And the problem you outline also exists for homeowners trying to sell their home.

We always recommend the home owner rent a storage shed for their treasures/safe, etc.

 

[scrat]

I believe they have the right to look at the apartment but not touch or handle any of your belongings. With this in mind you could just put a sheet or towel over your personal property and they actually do not have the right to touch it. Same goes all around the apartment. Kinda like your refrigerator. they can look at it however they do not have the right to open it and see what you have. This is the gray area. You can and have the right to tell them they can show the apartment however you do not want any of your personal belongings touched. You will cover up some items that must remain covered and will be checked due to the value of the contents.
thats all you need to do.

 

[Fburgtx]

Throw a bunch of dirty clothes over them in the corner on the floor. Put them between the mattress and box springs. Under the couch cushions. Put your ammo cans in an unused suitcase.

 

[jakk280rem]

self storage companies make millions a year on just such a case as yours.

 

[moooose102]

Man You Are In One Bad Situation! Did You Get A Storeage Closet Outside Of Your Apartment When You Leased? The Last Apartment Complex I Lived In Had One Of These. That Is Where I Put Stuff I Wanted No One To See When They Visited. But I Did Remove The Cheap $3.95 Twist Handle Lock With A Titan Dead Bolt (no Handle). The Landlord Asked Me About Doing This. I Told Him I Had Nothing Illegal In There, And I Would Let Him Inspect It Anytime. I Just Wanted A Secure Place To Put My Stuff That Couldnt Be Opened With A Bobby Pin And Screwdriver. I Also Told Him I Would Return The Original Lock Prior To Moving Out. Do You Have Any Relatives Close By Where You Could Store A Small Gun Safe??? The Locking Totes Could Work For Everything Else, But I Would Be Worried About My Guns In A Handy Carry All Box.

 

[Mojo-jo-jo]

+1 on moooose102 above. You can get a cheap lock that takes a real key for about $12 at Walmart. Replace the closet door knob with this, and nobody will open it.

If your closet is fanfold doors, get a chain and padlock to put through the pulls. Same result.

If the landlord says anything, just tell him that it's your "secure" storage area. He probably will be fine with that. If not, just placate him, but leave the lock on. You'll be out of there before he does anything about it.

When you move out, just put the old lock back on. You can use the "new" lock in your new apartment for the same purpose. I say that it's a good idea to keep your guns under lock and key anyway, even if it's only substantial enough to keep the casual observer out-that can easily limit theft potential.