QUESTION: Rights of tenant and landlord: when can the landlord enter the apartment?

Issues of privacy, privacy rights, and personal boundaries often become the cause of conflicts between property owners and tenants. Regarding the rights of the tenant and landlord, a clear, well-tested scheme usually works, which helps maintain a balance of interests of both parties. The main rule is that the apartment is transferred into temporary possession, and the owner cannot come into it at any time convenient for them without warning.

The law and common sense establish strict limits for landlord visits. By default, the owner has the right to visit the rented apartment only for the purpose of checking the condition of the property and compliance with the terms of the agreement. However, such visits should under no circumstances be spontaneous. They must be agreed upon with the tenant in advance, usually a few days before the planned date.

The lease agreement must specify the regulations for inspections. For example, the parties can establish that the owner has the right to come once a month on a pre-agreed day and hour in the presence of the occupant. Attempts to enter the apartment in the absence of the tenant or without their prior consent are qualified as a violation of the inviolability of the home.

Exceptions to the rule can only be force majeure circumstances, such as a water supply system failure, fire, or the threat of flooding neighbors below. In such critical situations, the landlord has the right to enter the premises on an emergency basis to prevent serious damage to property.