• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

How much is too much?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

California-

I am renting out a small one bedroom apartment room, and when signing the lease, I do definitely remember signing that the landlord is free to enter the apartment during emergencies. I also signed that the landlord would be able to enter the facility for quartly inspections... but when does it become too much? The landlord has entered ,my apartment 4 times this month, and this time is going to be the 5th. I get 24 hour notice, and am not able to arrange a date so i've had to cancel plans of having people over, as I am not aware of when they will enter. Once they entered at 5:30, and once at 9, so it's unpredictable. It's not that I don't want them to enter my apartment because i'm doing something shady, but rather would prefer to have a little bit of privacy. When people you don't know are entering your home once every week, it does not feel very private. If you count in the fact that I have to tidy up the place as well, it's a lot of work that goes into having them enter. This time, they are entering to perform 'necessary maintenance'. One would think that's attaching a smoke detector, or fixing pipes, right? It's to paint my door. They didn't specify which door in the house, so i'm not aware of where I have to make presentable. It's getting to be too much, and it doesn't feel right for the landlord to call a door painting necessary maintenance, and use that as a premise to enter the building. Would've called to ask which door they were going to paint, but the office closes at 5- the time I get home- so it's very hard to reach them. I'm at my wits end, and I still have 6 months on my lease, so i'm at a loss for what to do. Is it fair for the landlord to enter the building, without scheduling a time arrangement, 5 times a month? and is anything the landlord deems 'necessary' automatically necessary, even if it's painting a door which is most definitely NOT a necessity?
 


Inspection is a service - and the law allows "agreed services" and if it is in the lease then it is agreed to.
It does not say anything about the landlord entering the property for their inspections, but I still understand why they need to. I just have an issue when it happens 5 times a month (although not all were inspections) as opposed to quarterly and when I REALLY need maintenance.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
It does not say anything about the landlord entering the property for their inspections, but I still understand why they need to. I just have an issue when it happens 5 times a month (although not all were inspections) as opposed to quarterly and when I REALLY need maintenance.
Why do they "need to" on a quarterly basis? Particularly when it is against state law?
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
They're usually inspections of the premises, and i'm aware that almost all apartments have this, so I don't really have much issue with it.
WRONG. Inspections just for the sake of looking around (an "inspection of the premises") is not one of the reasons allowed by law.
 
Why do they "need to" on a quarterly basis? Particularly when it is against state law?
I was told that it was because landlords need to check for safety hazards, and to make sure everything is in working order. I heard that almost all apartments have at least annual inspections of the premises, so I didn't really think much of it.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top