Craziest landlord ever?

[Deslowarian]

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

Howdy,
I'm asking this for a friend of mine who lives in the yonder state.
The landlord has been doing "Open Houses" while the tenants are still living in the residence in order to sell the house they are currently renting. This wouldn't be all bad, but he has been entering into their house early in the morning and entered the girls bedroom as well as began construction work in the kitchen during breakfast hours while the family is there.

They're trying to move out of the residence now for good reason since they don't like how the landlord is treating them. However, just today when they arrived with boxes to pack the landlord came and took the boxes to "another house" claiming they looked bad for another Open House today. On top of that he's hired some one to help "clean out the office" which is where the family has been doing home business. He's also going to make them mow the lawn for "the owner" of the house which requested it, yet the house hasn't been sold yet and the only owner is the landlord himself.

I don't know much about landlord law, but I know for sure this sounds wrong. At minimum they are to provide a notice before entering your house and demanding things from you, I think they did sign a part on their lease that allows the landlord to enter on off hours but that doesn't include all of this?... Any advice you could give these folks before they move in 4 weeks?

Thanks again.

 

[justalayman]

so far, I have only seen a requirement of 24 hour notice of entry for St. Georges County. Still looking on the rest of the state. Any idea what county this is in?



as to the LL touching the tenants property: the tenant needs to tell the LL in no uncertain terms he has no right to touch anything of the tenants. He has no right to pack anything, move anything (with the exception of moving something so as to be able to show a room that might have a door blocked or something such as that).

Mowing the lawn: if the tenant is required to maintain the lawn and it needs to be mowed, not sure what the problem would be. If they don't feel like mowing it, just say no.

It sounds like the LL is pushing things beyond what is acceptable but some of the stuff sounds like the tenant being overly critical as well.

what I would do is buy a door stop and place it to block the entry door so the LL would have to knock and be let in. I surely wouldn't be letting anybody go into my daughters rooms if my daughters were in there.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Generally the landlord has to provide 24 hours notice before entering the unit for non-emergency reasons. This would include open houses.

Gail

 

[Deslowarian]

It's good to know they don't have to worry about their belongings. I don't know too much other than what they've mentioned.
Thanks for the information I've passed it on to 'em.

 

[Who's Liable?]

If the LL fails to give proper notice, tenants have a legal right to report the entry to the police as a breaking and entering, they can also report the removal of any of their items as theft.

LL's or agents of LL's are quick to change their attitude when confronted by police.