Entering Leased Rental Units
Five Tips to Remember
Tenants have certain privacy rights which their landlords must respect. Once the lease is signed, tenants can expect to live peacefully without landlord intrusion—as long as they are following the rules and conditions of the lease.
Landlords have certain needs regarding their properties. Whether it’s making repairs to the premises or conducting regular safety checks, there will come a time when you must enter your tenants’ living space. And there are regulations around how you do it.
Here are some tips to keep in mind about entering tenants’ living space:
- Giving notice: in most states, landlords must give sufficient notice (12 hours to 48 hours) before entering a leased unit. In all but a few states, you cannot just show up unannounced at the door. Even if it’s not illegal where you live, nobody appreciates unexpected guests, so try to avoid putting your tenants in this uncomfortable situation.
- Letting yourself in: Even worse than showing up unannounced is the landlord who knocks on the door and proceeds to let him or herself in before the tenant has a chance to answer the door!
- Emergencies: Of course, emergencies create an exception to the above rules. If you must enter without notice, try calling the tenant first. (One reason it’s important to have your tenant’s contact information up-to-date and accessible.) Then, knock loudly, ring doorbells, and give the tenant time to answer. If you must enter, call out “Landlord!” “Emergency!” and “Is anyone home?”
- Dealing with refusal: Most landlords have faced this situation: you’ve given notice, show up at the designated time, and the tenant refuses to let you in. Your first reaction may be anger, but try to diffuse the anger. Ask if you can reschedule for later that day or the next day. If the behavior continues, you might need police intervention.
- Put it in the lease: Make sure your entry policy is included in the lease and the tenant understands it. State the types of emergencies that will necessitate no-notice entry, such as suspected gas leaks, smoke, fire, other odors, or plumbing issues.
Remember that while your tenants have the right to enjoyment of their living space, you have all the rights and responsibilities of ownership. Good communication goes a long way to avoiding problems, so try to be reasonable about notice and work with tenants to find a mutually-convenient time to enter your rental property.