Right of Inspection?

Question

Waking this morning, I found this letter posted (with duct tape no less) to my door, for myself and everyone else to see. This does make me wonder if this is right?

Saturday morning my father and I will be inspecting everyone's apartment and changing everyone's batteries in their smoke detectors.

We will be checking EVERY room. Stove, Refrigerator, Mini-Blinds, Toilet, Bathtub and etc. including entrances to all apartments.

Now - I am a property manager, and have done inspections. But nothing like this. Basically a quick walk around to make sure all looks good and is in repair and I'm outta there.

But I don't even have ANY signed paperwork with this woman.

Wow, any input?

Account Closed · Answer

Your landlord has the right to inspect with proper notice. You received your notice.

The landlord could care less about your clothes. He is checking for any plumbing leaks, loose doorknobs, repairs that need to be done, conditions that might lead to mold, or any indication that pest control needs to be called. Also making sure the smoke alarm works, because many tenants disable the smoke alarm.
 
It sounds like you are a nice clean tenant, but many tenants are not. If the landlord is going to inspect, it is only fair that they inspect every unit and not just a few.

Instead of getting all territorial, try being glad that you have a landlord who cares about the condition of the building. it sure beats trying to live in a place where the landlord won't do any repairs.

Eric Foster · Answer

Sounds like you have a freak for management on your hands...

Some landlords and property owners think and feel they have to run the lives of their tenants…

I am more of a "I will leave you alone, if you leave me alone" type of manager. But that too has it's good and bad sides.

…That it too bad… Good luck with the move!

Danielle Morrow · Answer

I am not being completely negative to the fact that the landlord wanted to have an inspection. If it would have been a normal inspection. As I typed in my original post, that was word for word off the wall in my hallway. So I felt a little at first like my manager was just being nosy, but later became warmer to the idea, thanks to the posts. But here is the rest of the saga:

My "apartment manager" has been known to mouth off and call people, unjustifiably no less "scum", "trailer trash" and so on and so forth. And I used quotations for a reason, that is more on the mild side but very accurate.

Being a property manager I understand the importance of keeping your properties well up to code, and a safe enviroment for all. I have no problems with that - but this woman just this past weekend entered into my apartment forcibly, did not give us any notice whatsoever.

Came into my home, and called my fiancee and I a scumbag, because a few dishes were in my sink and my cabinets were not washed. Told me because there was a little laundry in the bathroom the place was trashed. Proceeded to yell scum in my back hallway with a one year old in my home.

First hand, I remembered why I became a property manager, as well why I refuse to rent from homeowners that employ my services.

The ending story is, I will be moving February 1, 2007, I informed the landlord if his daughter the "apartment manager" that is she forced her way into my home again or continues to act as a fool in public , I will have her arrested for trespassing, and endangering the welfare of my child. The things she says should never be said in front of a child.

But, I just figured I would give everyone the end result of our little "inspection."

Eric Foster · Answer

You may try sending a nice letter or just asking them... "if after this, they plan on entering again in the near future".

Maybe explain you are a private person and you didn’t realize they would need to enter so often... That may be enough for them to take a polite hint.

The reality is they can do it “within reason”... that hard part is to establish what is within reason...

They may be getting ready to sell the building or something... I don’t know why else they would need to keep coming in. I understand the smoke detector thing... many insurance companies have specific requirements and inspections for safety and liability reasons etc.

Good luck.

Danielle Morrow · Answer

They did properly give me the 24 hour notice. That I will give them.

But - it just dosen't seem right that my landlord can give me 24 hours notice to come in and snoop around my apartment. There is a point where you just have to let your tenants live. I think checking the smoke detectors every 2 months is a little bit excessive. On top of that, to go snooping through my refrigerator, freezer, closets (a.k.a. my personal belongings) seems a little unreal. So for the last week, in fear of what she may find, I went through everything I had and made sure anything of personal or monetary value was hidden, because I don't know what this psycho is going to do! I would understand this if I was a nasty dirty scumbag. But I have always paid my rent early and the owner of the property has been in my apartment almost on a weekly basis doing renovations. It doesn't make any sense at all!

And I can't find anything regarding an inspection in my tenant rights. It only says that they have to give me 24 hours notice for any repairs.

As written in the New York State Tenants Rights Guide:

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

Tenants have the right to privacy within their apartments. A landlord, however, may enter a tenant's apartment with reasonable prior notice, and at a reasonable time: (a) to provide necessary or agreed upon repairs or services; or (b) in accordance with the lease; or (c) to show the apartment to prospective purchasers or tenants. In emergencies, such as fires, the landlord may enter the apartment without the tenant's consent. A landlord may not abuse this limited right of entry or use it to harass a tenant. A landlord may not interfere with the installation of cable television facilities.

Is this right?

Any additional input is definitely appreciated!

Eric Foster · Answer

I think that they are properly giving you notice. The statutes are different from state to state... buy usually a 24 hour notice is ok.

The duct tape thing is a little weird... or maybe unprofessional to say the least.

Owners do have the right to enter with notice like they have done…

Just one of those things…

I assume the note on the door was from the owner or property manager?