Apartment Owners Force Renters To Friend Them On Facebook

And you thought the rent was already too damn high. An apartment complex in Utah has put forth an unusually demanding request to its tenants, insisting that they friend the rental company on Facebook.

The request came in the form of a “Facebook Addendum” notice posted to tenant doors which declared that failing to friend the company could violate terms of their rental agreements. Tenants were given five days to add the City Park Apartments as friends on Facebook. Further, the addendum grants the apartment owners permission to post photos of tenants to their page.

The request has been met with nearly universal outrage from tenants and the public at large. Tenant Jason Ring told local affiliate KSL: “I don’t want to be forced to be someone’s friend and be threatened to break my lease because of that. It’s outrageous as far as I’m concerned.”

More than 800 people responded to the news by posting one-star reviews on an unofficial page for the City Park Apartments, which has since been taken down. Other sites like this one has been flooded with negative reviews since the news broke.

Various news outlets including the AP have unsuccessfully tried to track down the owners for comment. CNET was able to get a comment from a law firm representing the owners:

“As part of opening its pool and an anticipated pool party, City Park desired to provide some protection to its residents and its owners from usage of photos on its Facebook page from all community events, including the opening pool party. The "Facebook" addendum was provided to them to assist in that protection. That addendum went beyond the request and intent of City Park Apartments, and was not carefully reviewed to ensure that it met with their needs and requests. At no time was any resident in jeopardy of eviction or action from City Park for failure to sign the addendum or "friend" City Park Apartments. City Park has not implemented the addendum nor is it requiring its residents to execute it.”

So, what do you think? Was this all just a misunderstanding over a pool party? Or, could social media agreements soon become part of all future rental agreements putting a serious dent in the ability of consumers to voice their opinions?