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What privacy can a tenant expect?
February 19th, 2010
Tenants and landlords can sometimes fall out over the question of when a landlord is allowed to enter a property and what are they allowed to do when they are there. A core right of a tenant is their entitlement to “quiet enjoyment” of the property they are renting. This means that the landlord is certainly not allowed just to turn up and let themselves in to the house or apartment without any warning that they are going to do so.
Landlords are however allowed to enter the property in certain circumstances and under certain conditions. The precise detail can vary from one tenancy agreement to the next, but it is typically the case that providing they give 24 hours notice, it is considered reasonable for a landlord to enter the property in order to:
- Carry out an occasional inspection, so as to see if any maintenance work is required and to ensure that the tenants are living in accordance with the terms of their tenancy.
- Allow tradesmen to carry out essential repairs.
- During the last two months of a tenancy, show the property to potential future tenants or purchasers.
During such visits, the landlord does not have the right to inspect the contents of cupboards, drawers etc. Of course, when it comes to the final inspection of the property at the end of the tenancy it is permitted (indeed, it is essential) for the owner or their Durham letting agent to inspect the inside of absolutely everything, to ensure that they have been properly cared for and all the tenant’s possessions removed.
It’s all just common sense really. On the one hand, it’s only reasonable for the landlord to be able to monitor the condition of their property. On the other, it’s only courteous for the landlord to give the tenant adequate notice of his visit and to avoid being intrusive when he is there.
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