my landlord wants to enter my apartment 6 months before the lease ends!!!! (Pittsburgh: house, to buy)

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by maroonorange

Hi everyone,

I am living in Pittsburgh for 1.5 year. In this half year, I moved from my previous apartment. My new lease is for 1 year and I had a notice recently from my landlord that states: He will show the apartment to new potential tenants beginning with the date of 02/01/2010. My lease ends in August 1, 2010. Does he has a right to enter into my house and show it to people before 6 months to my lease to end? This really disturbs me a lot as I am not familiar with these kind of laws, can someone please take me serious and answer me? It would be very very helpful.

Thank you very much

I would talk the landlord, and make sure that he intends to give you advance notice each and every time he plans to show your apartment. This letter should not just give him blanket rights to enter whenever he wants to. If he doesn't plan on notifying you each time he shows your home, then I'd review my lease and consult an attorney. In a town the size of Pittsburgh, there should be pro-bono attorneys available to assist tenants.

Yes, the landlord has rights, but so do you. And you DO have a right to privacy.

[Burghgirl17]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

I would talk the landlord, and make sure that he intends to give you advance notice each and every time he plans to show your apartment. This letter should not just give him blanket rights to enter whenever he wants to. If he doesn't plan on notifying you each time he shows your home, then I'd review my lease and consult an attorney. In a town the size of Pittsburgh, there should be pro-bono attorneys available to assist tenants.

Yes, the landlord has rights, but so do you. And you DO have a right to privacy.

Went through this a ways back with a landlord who was showing our apartment after we gave notice that we were moving out. Sometimes he called ahead, other times he just knocked. I remember one time in particular where he knocked, then immediately unlocked the door and walked right in before I could get anywhere near the door. I was not pleased. So much so that I contacted a couple resources, all of whom said that as long as he knocked, that was sufficent "notice."

Though you could certainly find passive aggressive ways to discourage this sort of practice. Walk around naked during times when the landlord might show. Invite a significant other over for a little "fun" that they may walk in on. Have porn going on your tv or computer. Make a mess of the kitchen or some sort of smelly food.

[Copanut]

A little common courtesy on both sides is all that's needed.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by maroonorange

Hi everyone,

I am living in Pittsburgh for 1.5 year. In this half year, I moved from my previous apartment. My new lease is for 1 year and I had a notice recently from my landlord that states: He will show the apartment to new potential tenants beginning with the date of 02/01/2010. My lease ends in August 1, 2010. Does he has a right to enter into my house and show it to people before 6 months to my lease to end? This really disturbs me a lot as I am not familiar with these kind of laws, can someone please take me serious and answer me? It would be very very helpful.

Let me guess, your landlord's last name starts with an H and he owns pretty much the whole South Side? If so, he's my landlord too and he just pulled the same thing on me.

I sent him a concerned note in an attempt to reason with him. He's a nice guy and all. I just think that this lease request is completely unreasonable. Am I to have people touring my house six months before I leave? For Pete's sake! I mean, I was intending on renewing anyway, but six months is way too far in advance to have do deal with stuff like this. I have enough going on in my life as it is.

[sskkc]

Another reason may be that he wants to ensure the tenant is keeping everything clean. One of our LL's tried to put that "reasonable notice" clause in a lease we were signing. We made them define, in writing, the meaning of "reasonable". To them, it meant 4 hours. But there was NO WAY I'd sign something that said "reasonable" - make em spell it out.

[stevej64]

A lease is a contract. if it says he can come in to show the apt fine, otherwise he is not allowed in.Damage is covered by your security right?how many times does a landlord claim damage when there is none?The landlord will tell the renter take me to court.So you tell him take me to court I will not let you show my apt.

[raubre]

Originally Posted by maroonorange

Hi everyone,

I am living in Pittsburgh for 1.5 year. In this half year, I moved from my previous apartment. My new lease is for 1 year and I had a notice recently from my landlord that states: He will show the apartment to new potential tenants beginning with the date of 02/01/2010. My lease ends in August 1, 2010. Does he has a right to enter into my house and show it to people before 6 months to my lease to end? This really disturbs me a lot as I am not familiar with these kind of laws, can someone please take me serious and answer me? It would be very very helpful.

Thank you very much

I'm a bit confused. You said "I am living in Pittsburgh for 1.5 year." Does this mean that you have been living here that long or you will be moving after 1.5 years? Are you planning on moviing and if so have your landlord given any indication that you are?

[PA-native71]

Originally Posted by Drover

He has the right to enter it for any reason he wants, with sufficient notice. Do you happen to live in an area with a high concentration of student housing? It's common practice to start showing apartments to students in February or early March so that their housing is lined up well in advance of the next school year. that way they're not running around looking for housing right as school starts. In many university towns (or their functional equivalents within a larger city -- i.e. Oakland), if you don't have housing lined up for the next school year by April, the pickins' get real slim. And think of it this way, he'll probably already have a tenant lined up by March or April, so from April through July you won't have to worry about people traipsing in and out of your apartment any more.

Actually a landlord is allowed to go in without giving notice, unless it is specified in the lease he can't unless he gives notice, the only time he can't is if you are not home or at night unless he has a real reason to go in like a complaint of a real bad odor, smoke coming from the unit, or water leaking from the unit, because if he goes in there without you there than that is a liability for him, but otherwise he can show up any time he like since it is his property to inspect it or show it to perspective tenants, the only thing that the state gives you is that you get 30 days notice to evict between April and October and it is 90 days between October and April, at the date of eviction he is not allowed to hold your property he can only remove all your property from his property to the curb or so many feet from the edge of the road and change the locks ,he can hold your deposit if he says there is damage he needs to repair the unit and will have to refund all that is not used and cannot ask for more money, he is not allowed to use it for renovations or because he needs to repaint it, only for repairs.
Most people thinks there is extensive laws for tenants and landlords but there is none except these that were setup by the PA HUD and they have to follow the lease requirements as long as they do not violate these rules
everyplace I have been they are the same, places like California and NY have different and more extensive laws but PA has kept it simple whether that is good or bad I don't know.
Hope this helps

[maroonorange]

My wife is a house wife, she is at almost all times during the day, this really bothers me. Entering my apartment without any call disturbs me.

[maroonorange]

Originally Posted by raubre

I'm a bit confused. You said "I am living in Pittsburgh for 1.5 year." Does this mean that you have been living here that long or you will be moving after 1.5 years? Are you planning on moviing and if so have your landlord given any indication that you are?

I am living in Pittsburgh right now. Generally people in the forum thinks that it is normal, but y lease is going to expire in August. There are 6 months left.. It is too early for showing my apartment. Is it regular in here, i asked my friends in California, and the regulation is totally different there.