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Most people expect to know exactly what they’re renting before they move in. So, finding out there’s a whole part of the house nobody mentioned would throw just about anyone off.

That’s what happened after this renter started moving into a house with friends. A neighbor casually asked whether she’d checked out the basement, and that’s when the confusion started.

The renter had no idea there even was a basement. The property manager never mentioned it during the walkthrough, and the outside door leading to it stayed locked the whole time.

Even stranger, the property manager claimed she didn’t think the house even had a basement. Meanwhile, the neighbor insisted the previous tenants used it all the time.

So now the renter wants to know what’s really going on and whether the landlord can legally keep part of the house off-limits.

Read on to see what you think.

Landlord hiding basement

Sooooo, I’m just starting to move into a house with some friends, and everything is fine or whatever, but the lady next door gave us the rundown on how bad our landlord is and said they’re neglectful.

The backyard looks atrocious, but it’s nothing I can’t handle cleaning up with my boyfriend, and it was the most affordable house I could find.

Anyway, I was talking to my neighbor, who has a similar-style house, and she was like, “Did you guys get into the basement?”

Apparently, the previous tenants used it.

And I’m like, “Basement? What basement?”

Well, outside on the side of the house, which the property manager conveniently never showed us, is a door.

It’s locked, and when I called and asked about it, she was like, “Oh, I don’t think there’s a basement.”

The lady next door was like, “Uh, no. The people before you used it. It’s definitely down there.”

Now, she cannot contain herself.

Get this—it runs under the entire house! Like, a big basement.

And now I’m like, “Well, ***?”

The property manager hasn’t messaged me back about it, and I’m dying to get in there because it’s just us in the house, and then there’s a basement that would be really useful (I’m in a band).

Can they legally keep us out if it’s not stated in the lease?

Wow! That seems like a really sketchy thing to do.

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think she should do.

This person suggests she read the lease.

Here’s a good point, but still.

According to this comment, she needs to demand access next time the landlord is there.

Yet another reader who suggests she find the answer in the lease.

Something about this just doesn’t add up.

If the basement isn’t part of the rental, the landlord should’ve made that clear before anyone signed the lease. But pretending it doesn’t exist only makes the whole situation seem a lot more suspicious.

The renter needs to find out exactly what the lease says and keep pushing for a straight answer. There’s no reason anyone should have to guess what they’re paying for.

Hopefully, it’s all just a misunderstanding. If not, the landlord has some explaining to do.