My landlord now requires monthly "inspection reports" with photos of every room and I'm losing my mind
I've been renting this apartment for about two years and everything was fine until my landlord decided to add a new clause to my lease renewal last month. He calls it a "Tenant Property Maintenance Accountability Protocol" which is honestly the most corporate sounding name for something so invasive I've ever seen. Basically I now have to submit a photo report of every single room in my apartment on the last day of each month. Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room, even the hallway. Timestamped. Through his property management app.
I asked him what exactly he's looking for and he said "general upkeep and to ensure no unreported damage is occurring". Which, okay, but I've never once damaged anything in two years. My security deposit is sitting there untouched. I pay rent three days early every single month. There has been zero reason for this level of surveillance.
The worst part is the app he chose sends the photos directly to him and apparently he can zoom in and comment on them. Last week I submitted my first report and two days later I got a message saying my stovetop looked like it "may have grease buildup" and that I should "address this before next months submission". I had cooked pasta the night before and wiped it down right after. The stove was fine.
I feel like I'm being managed like some kind of problem tenant when I've given him absolutely no reason to treat me this way. My friend who is a paralegal said this kind of monthly photo surveillance requirement might actually not be enforceable depending on the state but I havent had a chance to look into it properly yet. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? At what point does "property maintenance" become just straight up harassment.