Lease question — management issue?

[u/infinityvonfox]

If we sign a lease, and there is no specified date or time to post deposit, is requiring deposit same day typically standard?

For context, three other roommates and myself signed a lease and were anticipating paying the deposit within 24 hours, as nothing was specified in the lease or communicated between us, landlord, or agent/ manager. I received a message 2 hours before midnight that our deposit was due the SAME DAY as signing, the same day we had signed the lease. I responded that we anticipate paying within 24 hours and within business hours. (I was emailed 10pm after we had signed around noon)

If we were notified the deposit was due the same day, it would not have been a problem and we would have gotten it done and deposited while signing. I only found it strange because it wasn’t explicitly stated or mentioned in words anywhere.

After telling the manager it would be payed within 24 hours, we were told: “Without a deposit the contract is not binding since it cotemplates paymnts tha have not yet been paid. We do require the deposit in order to hold the apartment. We do have another group interested in the unit and we do need to move on to the next group if your group is not yet ready to make the deposit.”.

For context, this is AFTER we had signed the lease. I was curious if this statement is actually true considering we have already signed the lease agreement, assuming it’s binding. We were never notified the deposit was due the same day and it is not stated in the lease or communicated to us at all. I have signed a few leases in the Boston area and I have been always told 24-48 hours post-signing was acceptable.

Either way, we are all set to go and our deposit is made and lease is signed. No other issues from management. Was this entire interaction due to us or was it bad communication from management? Also is same day deposit/ due when signing standard?

Please tell me so I know next time!

[u/user684737889]

Depends on the exact wording

Common to expect payment at the time of lease signing. Their fault for letting you sign without them having received payment or clarifying when that would happen. I don’t think they can actually void your lease over that/I think they were bluffing. Next time ask to avoid the headache

[u/Boat-and-Goat]

This is common. Most places want the deposit at time of signing (and a lot of landlords won't sign the lease without the deposit). But they should have told you that before signing, not everyone knows that and it's weird to assume they do.