Can A Landlord Enter Without Notice When Selling?
Question: I\’m a renter who has no contract with the landlord. I pay rent month-to-month. The owners’ recently put the home up for sale, and the real state broker put a lockbox on my door. Do they have the right to come in while we are gone or do they have to wait until we are at home? Is there some notice that they will have to give?
Answer: When you rent property a landlord has a right to enter to make repairs and in certain other limited circumstances. If possible,
notice should be given but that’s not always practical or reasonable.
You are now renting on a month-to-month basis. That means the landlord — or you — can end the tenancy, usually with a month’s notice. Leases typically contain a clause which says that during the last month or two of the rental period the landlord may show the property to prospective buyers or replacement tenants. Many leases also have a clause which allows the use of a lockbox.
Specific rules vary by jurisdiction. As you do not have a written lease you may want to ask a local housing agency what’s permitted in your community.
That said, the owner would benefit from a home which is neat and well-prepared for showing, thus it would be in everyone’s interest to provide notice when possible. Given buyer schedules, however, notice may not always be practical — such as when someone is just driving by the property with a broker and suddenly has an urge to see the home.
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Syndicated originally by Content That Works and posted with permission.
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