When To Do Apartment Repairs So Tenants Aren't Bothered
As a landlord of an apartment, it is necessary to keep the property in good working condition with everything functioning properly at all times. Eventually there are things that will need to be repaired or replaced, but the goal is to cause as little inconvenience to the renters of the unit as possible. Making things easy on the tenant should be the main goal.
Notify your tenants in advance of your intent to enter their apartment and perform repairs to their unit. Landlords, by law, are only allowed to make repairs during normal business hours and only after giving the tenant 24-hour advanced notice. The renters have the right to be in their unit during the repairs, and do not have to allow a landlord into the unit at any time during their lease period.
Schedule a convenient time with the renters whenever you will be doing inside repairs or updates to their apartment. You must be flexible and able to do the repairs when it works out best for the tenant. Again, the landlord must give a minimum 24-hour notice if they will be entering the personal living space of a tenant. The tenant has the right to refuse entry into the unit at any time.
Show up for an emergency repair unannounced in extreme circumstances only. If a water heater is leaking, a gas leak is present or other urgent problem, you can show up to prevent further damage, but you must alert the tenant that you will be entering the apartment. The same 24-hour notice still applies, but usually the renter will be more willing to allow your presence in an emergency type situation. In most cases, landlords include a clause in the tenant's lease granting emergency access and detailing what constitutes an actual emergency. The tenant will also provide an emergency contact number that you can call prior to entering the apartment in the event of an emergency.