Rental company: waive your rights, or move.

My wife and I rent a house from a rental management company. Our lease is up at the end of November. We received a one page, renewal contract in the mail that would have to be signed to renew our lease for another year. Everything appeared to be standard, except for the following language added to our lease...

You consent to allow any law enforcement agency, including the presence of police dogs under the control of law enforcement personnel, to search your property at any time.

Needless to say, I was shocked. My wife and I both hold professional licenses in healthcare. My wife is completing a masters degree in pediatric nursing. Neither of us has a criminal record of any kind above a simple speeding ticket. We are both actively involved in shooting as a hobby, and have a private club membership at a shooting range. We are both pursuing concealed carry certificates, something we would not be able to do if we were criminals.

Aside from how disgusted I am at being asked to sign away my constitutional right against illegal search, am I overreacting? I envision some nightmare scenario where the management company requests a search of my property and I am not home to remove my dogs from the house while they search. They could shoot my dogs. I also don't like the idea of someone opening my gun cabinet when I am not around. What if they accidentally shoot themselves with my gun. Am I liable at that point? The mind quickly spins out of control imagining all kinds of scenarios such as these. Would any of them ever happen? Not likely. But who knows?

I wrote a letter to the management company, expressing my desire to alter the renewal contract to take out the language regarding police searches without a warrant. I included the signed contract with the offending passage crossed out. I received a letter back today. Here is my favorite quote from the management company letter...

"Certainly, you have the right to refuse entry into your residence by any police agency should you choose. It appears, however, that if you have nothing to be concerned about them finding, you would not object to a search."

My wife and I are now actively searching for a new place to rent. I am frustrated that we have to pay an extra month's rent to merge into a new property just before the holidays. My wife is already stressed out with full time work, full time school and clinical hours this semester. I feel bad for her, but she understands the principal behind refusing to sign the contract.

I am beyond exhausted at the mentality of many of the people in America these days.

They left a message this afternoon stating that the lease renewal I signed and altered was invalid. We saved the message should they later decide to say they have a signed lease agreement.

We are going to move. Even if we successfully challenged them, I think this is just the first of a long line of frustrations this company could pile on our heads.