Okaayyy so I have, what I feel, is quite a difficult situation.

Okaayyy so I have, what I feel, is quite a difficult situation.

I have a resident that came in my office two days ago asking for an extension date on his move out (03/06). I let him know that the manager was in meetings with our investors at the time, but I would bring this to her attention as we already have an applicant for their apartment set to move in in roughly two weeks. We already did her paperwork and have set her move in order. We looked for another apartment that will be available at the time she’s looking to move and there isn’t one (We are 99% preleased). I let them know this afternoon that we would not be able to extend their move out date. I apologized for the delay in response and informed them my manager needed time to look over the options. The mother then proceeds to call me and inform me that she has tested positive for COVID and she will be helping her son move out of the apartment (I confirmed. She’s on the lease). I let her know that since she is not living with him, they may be able to reach out to some local churches and/or our Apartment Life team to see if anyone could assist him instead of going out in her condition. She responded with, “I’m going to help him move because YOU didn’t give us enough notice that we will be FORCED to move out. And I am going to tell everyone I see that YOU’RE making someone with COVID walk around the apartments. I’ll make sure the next tenant knows that the unit is infected! AND I’M GOING TO COME IN YOUR OFFICE AND HAND YOU THE KEYS MYSELF.”
She then asks me what options there are and I let her know that the lease has a clause regarding holdovers for this reason and that if they have not moved out by the original date, the holdover clause would then go into effect. She requested a copy of her lease and I supplied it, a summary of our conversation, and their signed Notice of Intent to Vacate.

She replied with this email stating simalar things from our conversation, including the part about handing me the keys herself.

I understand that COVID is not something to play around with. I, personally, have lost two family members to this virus and am truly sorry that this woman is suffering through it. I followed my managers directives and had her proof read my emails to her to ensure I was responding accordingly.

My questions is this: What happens when she comes into my office? I have above out form I have to have them sign, but I don’t want her in my office, coworkers, or other residents/prospects. I simply followed our company policy and offered the assistance I could. How could I have handled this differently?

For those that are going to be concerned about the make ready and maintenance staff, rest assured. Our policy for move out accommodates a waiting period to be sure that the virus is dead before entering vacants.

Thanks for any tips or advice.

This exact situation happened to me and the mother threatened to call the news because it’s not their fault they got Covid the weekend of their move out. I would email and let her know since she disclosed she had Covid, she can leave the signed form and keys on the counter with the unit unlocked. She can send an email confirming they have moved out and keys are in unit.

That’s what I’ve been doing. They can either leave the unit unlocked and place keys on countertop. Or leave it by front door and you will pick it up. But if she comes into the office you have every right to defend yourself. At this point she’s threatening to assault you with a sickness

Document everything. Tell them not to enter the office and that they can certify mail everything to you. Because they are threatening you in multiple ways, might be good to get your attorney involved. Have everything go thru the attorney. People will stop playing around once a lawyer is involved. When you do the make ready can take extra precautions for the COVID

Why do they feel it was short notice? They gave a 30 or 60 day notice did they not?
I would tell her that she may not enter the office and that she can leave the keys in the apt. I wouldn’t personally address the fact that she’s helping him move - I’m sure that has happened more in the last year than anyone knows. Nothing you can really do to control that.

I just want to say that you have done everything 100 and people have lost their minds lately. I am so very sorry for your losses, and hope that you have the adult beverage or herbal tea of your choice this weekend.

Why isnt the manager getting involved here if youre the assistant? She has turned this into a legal threat to cause harm. The attorneys MUST get involved. With that I would put the office on lock down to avoid any confrontation or risk of infection. Maybe call your courtesy patrol to come to the office for the day also.

I just received the message in writing about her coming in the office (in email form). But my issue is that she only verbally informed me that she tested positive for COVID. I think that limits what I can do as far as getting the attorneys involved? I’m not very sure. It seems like a grey area to me. I plan on talking to her about it in the AM though
I’m also not the Assistant. I’m Leasing with a background in Assistant, so she trusts that I can handle things like this.

I have no doubt that you're capable. I ask because based on all that you're saying this sounds like a Health amd Safety issue and as a manager I would be stepping in. I also think my client would expect me to handle something like this. It's a scary situation for sure. I would hope you have the support should you choose to keep the office locked in order to control the access and with that be protecting yourself as well as others. Good luck!

Lock her out. Let her know that will be your strategy and that you'll call the police if she harasses you on move out day. You have documentation she is being malicious

You may want to inform her that she has already committed a felony, and is threatening to commit more.
A majority of states have communicable disease laws that make it a crime to expose another person to a contagious disease on purpose. Even without a specific communicable disease statute, all states have general criminal laws—such as assault, battery, and reckless endangerment—that can be used to prosecute people for spreading diseases intentionally or recklessly. And if emergency public health orders are in place, prosecutors can charge people with violations of quarantine and other emergency orders.
Law enforcement and prosecutors can also charge people who intentionally spread or threaten to spread communicable diseases under general criminal laws.
Assault and Battery
Prosecutors can charge assault and battery (inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily injury on another) if an individual knowingly exposes others to a communicable disease, prosecutors have filed charges for aggravated assault (assault causing serious bodily injury) or assault with a deadly weapon.
Reckless Endangerment
Reckless endangerment occurs when a person’s conduct places or might place another person in danger of death or serious injury.
Harassment or Terrorist Threats
Harassment and terrorist threat statutes target people who intentionally annoy, torment, or terrorize people with their behavior. In the context of communicable diseases, prosecutors could file harassment and terrorist threat charges against people who deliberately cough, spit, or touch others while claiming to be infected with a contagious disease.
Unlike most communicable disease laws, harassment and terrorist threat charges generally don’t require prosecutors to prove that the defendant actually had an infectious disease or transmitted a disease to the victim. Prosecutors must only prove that the defendant made a clear, immediate, and unconditional threat to transmit the virus.
Public Health Emergency Order Violations
During emergency situations involving a communicable disease outbreak, states have emergency police powers to enforce orders to protect public health and safety. Examples of public health and safety orders include curfews, travel bans, shelter-in-place orders, quarantine orders, and orders to wear masks in public places. In most states, breaking a public health and safety order is a misdemeanor

Call the police file a report and ban her from the property period.
Secondly have her Karen ass arrested! I had a residents guest arrested for spitting at me! Yep sure did! Fun times!!!

Seems to me like it was handled perfectly. You can’t guarantee that the apartment will still be available.
Also for her to make threats with COVID is pretty serious...I’d tell her that she cannot come into the office for any reason going forward and if she does, I’ll call the police because she make COVID threats. That is not something to mess around with. Don’t you dare come into my office

You did great for a leasing consultant but this is above your pay grade. Your Manager should be handling this fully!!! That's what we get paid for!

Great job!!!! and she does NOT have the right to enter your office knowing this information SHE provided. Have your courtesy officer or policeman available because she is clearly threatening you. Mostly likely she will leave the keys in a Dropbox or something because when people have a moment to simmer down from their own wrong doing they then become embarrassed.

We had to change the wording in our notice to vacate form years ago because of that. It clearly states when then sign it that they understand we will be actively working to lease it and they must be out on the date they chose since basically chances are it’s rented. I also agree with she can leave the keys on the counter. Failure to prepare on her part does NOT constitute an emergency on your part. How tight is the turn? Do you have any wiggle room on that?

You can make a police report for a terroristic threat. A resident threatened to kill me on a voicemail and the police called and scared the shizz out of the resident.

Our offices are locked at all times since last March. Visitors to the office have to call to be allowed in.
I would reach out to a lawyer for advice in your case.
I also think you need to turn this over to your manager to handle. Even if you were the Assistant, this issue should be handled by a manager

I’ll tell you what I would do, I would ask Sheriff’s Dept if they have a deputy that could be there around that time and keep her out. I would also let her know that threatening to come in and spreading a communicable disease is a terroristic threat and you can have her arrested. Matter fact I would probably call the DA right now and let them know what she said.

Depending on the state she is criminally guilty of reckless endangerment and can potentially be civilly liable if she knowingly infects others.

You can put the forms in an envelope in a designated location and let them know forms and keys can be dropped in this location. Then with GLOVES retrieve it once they are gone