Rental Property Visits And Legal Aspects
As a landlord, you know how important it is to make regular visits to your rental property. Periodic visits to your property will help ensure that it stays in good condition, as tenant screening is not enough to guarantee this. There could be significant damage from a marijuana grow up as well, so this is another big reason to check out your property here and there.
Unless you live right next door, and can keep a constant eye out, you'll need to make arrangements to visit the property. Looking at the property from the outside is always allowed, but what limitations are there on going inside of the rental unit?
That's a sticky issue.
Laws are on the books that designate when you can visit your rental property. This is a quote from the law in BC: "A tenant is entitled to exclusive possession of a rental unit, including reasonable privacy, and quiet and peaceful enjoyment."
If landlords don't follow the proper procedures before visiting the rental unit, they could end up in a bad situation with the law. Indicate on your rental agreement that you will be inspecting the unit periodically. The law in BC states that a landlord can inspect the property every month.
Tenant's units in BC can be entered by the landlord if:
An emergency situation arises and the property or life needs to be protected. If further harm to the property is imminent and it's an urgent situation that can't wait, this is a case where you can enter.
A landlord must provide written notice to a tenant to enter the unit with at least 24 hours notice, and not more than 30 days before.
The tenant gives permission to enter to the landlord. If it's not an emergency, you should provide written notice to the tenant and to record the circumstances that required you to enter the unit. If a landlord just drops by, tenants may later say that they give permission only because they felt intimidated by the landlord.
If the landlord has agreed to provide housekeeping or other services in the tenancy agreement and entry is required to perform the service.
It appears the unit has been abandoned by the tenant. Examples of this are when the rental appears to be abandoned, or if the rent has not been paid by the tenant.
An order has been provided by an arbitrator allowing entry to the unit.
Landlords may believe that their visits may be for a "reasonable purpose", and this may be true, but if the visits are too frequent, it is no longer reasonable. Landlords in BC can not inspect a rental property more often than once every month.
For things to remain amicable, the landlord should do their best to arrange for inspections at times that are agreeable to the tenants.
To avoid problems with accessing a rental property, the landlord should:
Provide at least the legally required notice to tenants before property inspection.
Make sure you have a valid reason for visiting, such as, repairs or regular inspections.
Every inspection should be logged, including the time and reason.
Go over the inspection expectations with the tenants right away, before they even move in. Be sure that they understand from day one that periodically, you will be inspecting the rental unit.
When the tenants know what to expect, they will be more agreeable to visitations in the future. And regular inspections will let you rest easy, knowing that your home is being used as a home, and not a criminal venture.
Unless you live right next door, and can keep a constant eye out, you'll need to make arrangements to visit the property. Looking at the property from the outside is always allowed, but what limitations are there on going inside of the rental unit?
That's a sticky issue.
Laws are on the books that designate when you can visit your rental property. This is a quote from the law in BC: "A tenant is entitled to exclusive possession of a rental unit, including reasonable privacy, and quiet and peaceful enjoyment."
If landlords don't follow the proper procedures before visiting the rental unit, they could end up in a bad situation with the law. Indicate on your rental agreement that you will be inspecting the unit periodically. The law in BC states that a landlord can inspect the property every month.
Tenant's units in BC can be entered by the landlord if:
An emergency situation arises and the property or life needs to be protected. If further harm to the property is imminent and it's an urgent situation that can't wait, this is a case where you can enter.
A landlord must provide written notice to a tenant to enter the unit with at least 24 hours notice, and not more than 30 days before.
The tenant gives permission to enter to the landlord. If it's not an emergency, you should provide written notice to the tenant and to record the circumstances that required you to enter the unit. If a landlord just drops by, tenants may later say that they give permission only because they felt intimidated by the landlord.
If the landlord has agreed to provide housekeeping or other services in the tenancy agreement and entry is required to perform the service.
It appears the unit has been abandoned by the tenant. Examples of this are when the rental appears to be abandoned, or if the rent has not been paid by the tenant.
An order has been provided by an arbitrator allowing entry to the unit.
Landlords may believe that their visits may be for a "reasonable purpose", and this may be true, but if the visits are too frequent, it is no longer reasonable. Landlords in BC can not inspect a rental property more often than once every month.
For things to remain amicable, the landlord should do their best to arrange for inspections at times that are agreeable to the tenants.
To avoid problems with accessing a rental property, the landlord should:
Provide at least the legally required notice to tenants before property inspection.
Make sure you have a valid reason for visiting, such as, repairs or regular inspections.
Every inspection should be logged, including the time and reason.
Go over the inspection expectations with the tenants right away, before they even move in. Be sure that they understand from day one that periodically, you will be inspecting the rental unit.
When the tenants know what to expect, they will be more agreeable to visitations in the future. And regular inspections will let you rest easy, knowing that your home is being used as a home, and not a criminal venture.
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