Does a flat owner have the right to visit their tenants without warning?
When an owner rents out a flat, it does not mean that they can enter the living space at any time without warning, explains lawyer Yuliya Yepikhava on sb.by.
Illustrative photo. Photo: vecteezy.com
As Yuliya Yepikhava explains, after concluding a lease agreement, the flat is transferred to the tenant for possession and use. Therefore, for the duration of the agreement, the tenant has the right to the inviolability of their home, even if another person remains the owner of the flat.
Normally, the owner should agree on their visit with the tenant in advance. They do not have the right to open the door independently with their own key and enter without the resident's consent.
Exceptions are possible in cases provided for by law — for example, in the event of an accident, a threat of damage to the flat, or danger to other people. Access may also be permitted by the terms of the lease agreement itself.
Therefore, tenants are advised to specify the rules for the owner's visits to the flat in the agreement in advance. For example, advance notification and visits at a pre-agreed time can be provided for.