can a landlord enter the property your renting?

guppy

Simply write to your landlord and make it clear that in no circumstances (barring an emergency) are you happy for them to enter your home without you being present. Also make clear that you are happy to be present at agreed, mutually convenient times, for necessary repairs etc.

The landlord would then be a fool to try any more similar antics.

I'd still change the locks anyway. As has been discussed previously in other threads, it is irrelevant if the contract says a tenant can't change the locks. For starters the landlord has no way of knowing if the locks have been changed. Secondly, changing the locks (provided they are reinstated) causes no damage to the property, nor does it affect the landlord's interests in any other way. So even if it is technically in breach of the contract, there is no real sanction that can be taken against the tenant in my opinion.

Finally, dropping in at short notice, or worse, giving random people keys and allowing them to do the same, is interfering with your "quiet enjoyment" of your home, and could be construed as harassment. I would remind the landlord of your right to "quiet enjoyment" - those two magic words often work wonders with disrespectful landlords.

guppy

Geenie wrote: »

I am not going to let a very valuable property without the ability to access that property in an emergency if the tenant is away.

If its a real emergency you can break in You'd need to if I was renting from you. I wouldn't let anyone I didn't know intimately have a key to my home.

bobby-boy_2

guppy wrote: »

If its a real emergency you can break in You'd need to if I was renting from you. I wouldn't let anyone I didn't know intimately have a key to my home.

Then you would complain when the Landlord sent you the bill for the locksmith/Joiner/Door because you chose to change the locks and forced him to break in during the emergency no doubt.

But hey you cant have it both ways can you!

d123

RainMaker wrote: »

Categorically WRONG !

There is alot of mis-information banded around on these board regarding this topic.

The LL does not need the Tenants permission to enter, rather he must give the Tenants 24 hours written notice of his intention to enter (except in an emergency where no notice is required).

If what you say is true why did my local Council have to go to court for warrants to enter a number of council houses in order to do overdue gas appliance servicing as the tenants had refused them entry over a considerable time period (over a year overdue as I recall).

This was reported in the last copy of the "Council News" I received.

franklee

All this talk of emergencies is just rubbish. It's hardly likely a letting agent or landlord will be first on the scene in a genuine emergency. Letting agents are only available office hours, landlords often live a distance away. If the emergency was fire or flood then the neighbours would probably call emergency services and the firemen would break the door down. They aren't going to hang about for a hours while someone tries to contact the landlord/agent in the event the tenant can't be raised.

If it was proved the tenant wasn't contactable AND that the landlord could have been contacted and on the scene in time to prevent the door being broken into then the tenant would be liable for the damage to the door, but I'm more than happy to take that chance as the risk is tiny.

Anyone who thinks the landlord is available on call 24/7 to be at the property in minutes should try asking for a boiler repair. I think they will find the landlord is away/busy in meetings/generally not about and to please leave a message and he will get back to them

Shakethedisease

Then you would complain when the Landlord sent you the bill for the locksmith/Joiner/Door because you chose to change the locks and forced him to break in during the emergency no doubt.
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How many strangers have the keys to your home ?

If my landlord did have to break-in due to an emergency I wouldn't have any hassles paying for repairs. But it's a risk I'd be willing to take rather than having a persistant landlord/agents and/or viewers traipsing round my home when there is £2000's worth of laptops/jewellery and various other gadgets lying around the house. Not to mention my knickers drying on the radiators..

guppy

bobby-boy wrote: »

Then you would complain when the Landlord sent you the bill for the locksmith/Joiner/Door because you chose to change the locks and forced him to break in during the emergency no doubt.

But hey you cant have it both ways can you!

As other have said, this argument doesn't really make any sense. The landlord is most unlikely to be first on the scene in the event of an emergency.

If there was a fire or flood, repairs to the door would be the last thing on my mind. These would be covered by the landlord's buildings insurance anyway provided it wasn't my fault.