My rent check was stolen along with a few other tenants, from the drop off box. I was notified 5 days later of the incident and the leasing ...

Question

My rent check was stolen along with a few other tenants, from the drop off box. I was notified 5 days later of the incident and the leasing agent told me I still have to pay the rent again. Should I be held liable for this? If I pay the rent again would I be able to file a small claims suit against the rental company to get my money refunded?

Answer

This depends on what the lease says. Did you drop off cash in the box? That could be a problem. Have your lease reviewed. To be safe and to avoid an eviction, pay the rental again with an accompanying letter advising them that you have paid it already in their acceptable location and the risk of loss passed to them.