Landlord left letter stating that my door will be left cracked...

[AdviseMe]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MO

I returned home this evening to a letter on my door stating that my door will be painted on Monday. Additionally, it stats states that the door will need to be left "cracked for several hours for it to properly dry." I don't have a problem with them entering my apartment and painting the doors, but I do have a problem with my door being left unlocked and open, especially if they are putting these same letters on other units around the complex, tipping people off that doors will be unlocked. Does the landlord have the right to leave my door unlocked and opened unsupervised without my permission?

Additionally, are weekends and the day of included in the 24 hour notice? I was off work all day. I left just before 4 to run some errands. At that time the letter had not yet been placed on my door. The office closes at 5. I park on the side of the office, so I have a feeling they saw me leave and then decided to place the letter on my door at that point. When I got back, it was around 7:30. I tried calling, but I got the messaging service. I did leave a message, but the office isn't open on weekends. Since I wasn't notified earlier in the day, I now don't have adequate time to ask off work, if this is acceptable for them to do. How should I approach this? Am I just out of luck?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

"Additionally, are weekends and the day of included in the 24 hour notice?"

There is nothing legally that states 24 hour notices must only be provided on weekdays.

You certainly have the right to ask how (or if) management tends to provide any type of security during the time your door would need to be left open to allow the paint on the edges to dry.

Gail

 

[FarmerJ]

On a serious note If I were you Id go out and get renters insurance policy TODAY , and im not kidding. Then make a copy of that letter from your LL and store it in a safe place away from the apartment and then after your done at the insurance agents send a letter via confirmed mail delivery to the LL telling them `you do not have my consent to leave my apartment unlocked and the door open and unattended for any length of time now that you have told every one how easy you made it to steal from any un attended apartment.

 

[adjusterjack]

By the time the OP stands on any "legal rights" and even gets confirmation of delivery the door will be painted and left open until it dries.

On another site where this question appeared I suggested that the OP stay home Monday while the job is being done and the door remains open.

Being right doesn't prevent catastrophe and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[LdiJ]

By the time the OP stands on any "legal rights" and even gets confirmation of delivery the door will be painted and left open until it dries.

On another site where this question appeared I suggested that the OP stay home Monday while the job is being done and the door remains open.

Being right doesn't prevent catastrophe and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I do not know if it was this site or down the street, but I got the impression that OP could not take Monday off without risking his job. That really makes him stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

[AdviseMe]

"Additionally, are weekends and the day of included in the 24 hour notice?"

There is nothing legally that states 24 hour notices must only be provided on weekdays.

You certainly have the right to ask how (or if) management tends to provide any type of security during the time your door would need to be left open to allow the paint on the edges to dry.

Gail

It's crazy to me that they are allowed to do that at the last minute when the painting is scheduled on a Monday, when they are not open during the weekends and impossible to get in contact with. As I stated previously, I was home the entire day until just before 4:00. The office closes at 5:00. I really do have a feeling they saw me leave, and took that opportunity to post the note on my door. I mean, what would happen if I had scheduled for furniture to be delivered tomorrow? Is it just on me to reschedule because the landlord can do whatever they want when they want, even though I'm paying them to live here? That seems completely backwards.

On a serious note If I were you Id go out and get renters insurance policy TODAY , and im not kidding. Then make a copy of that letter from your LL and store it in a safe place away from the apartment and then after your done at the insurance agents send a letter via confirmed mail delivery to the LL telling them `you do not have my consent to leave my apartment unlocked and the door open and unattended for any length of time now that you have told every one how easy you made it to steal from any un attended apartment.

I already have renter's insurance, but I'm quite certain it's just liability.

By the time the OP stands on any "legal rights" and even gets confirmation of delivery the door will be painted and left open until it dries.

On another site where this question appeared I suggested that the OP stay home Monday while the job is being done and the door remains open.

Being right doesn't prevent catastrophe and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I'm trying to do my best to get in touch with my work to see if I can get off. If they had notified me earlier in the day, I probably would have been able to work something out. The letter doesn't even have a time on it, so if my work tells me to come in for part of the day, I wouldn't know which part to do.

I do not know if it was this site or down the street, but I got the impression that OP could not take Monday off without risking his job. That really makes him stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I don't think I would be putting my job on the line, but it looks really bad on me. I'm trying to get a promotion within the company right now, so this isn't going to look good. I already know they are going to say, "why didn't you ask on Friday?" I can fully understand that, because it is hard to believe that somebody would schedule something like this for a Monday, and not notify you until the last minute on the Friday before.


So basically my options are:

1) Go to work and have them leave my door open unattended, risking getting all of my stuff stolen or having my apartment vandalized. (If that were to happen, would I be liable or the landlord?)

or

2) Stay home from work and watch paint dry.


Is this correct?

Thanks to all of you for your input.

 

[adjusterjack]

I already have renter's insurance, but I'm quite certain it's just liability.

Then I suggest you read your policy as it contains a liability section and a section that covers your personal property.

 

[Dandy Don]

Have you looked at your lease to see if they explain advance notice for entry/access to your apartment in certain instances?

Don't you have a friend or a relative who you could ask to stay at the apartment during the time in question?