Odd landlord question

scarlett · April 2008

I posted this in real estate, but I know more people read here. Thanks for any opinions!

I thought that a landlord had to legally provide 24 hour written notice when he needed to enter the apartment. Well, OK, but I live in a small three unit place and the main unit is the landlord and his family. So when he randomly showed up knocking on my door yesterday I wasn't going to tell him he couldn't come in. He said this guy who was with him needed to take some pictures. The photog had one of those square footage measurers (looks like a miniature unicycle). He took pics of the kitchen, living room, hall and bathroom. I asked that they not take pics of our bedrooms because there were dainties all over the place.

Could this be for insurance purposes? My paranoid self wants to believe that, and not that he wants us to leave and is going to relist the apartment.

Any thoughts on why this happened?

nykittyny · April 2008

Subject: Re: Odd landlord question

scarlett wrote: I posted this in real estate, but I know more people read here. Thanks for any opinions!

I thought that a landlord had to legally provide 24 hour written notice when he needed to enter the apartment. Well, OK, but I live in a small three unit place and the main unit is the landlord and his family. So when he randomly showed up knocking on my door yesterday I wasn't going to tell him he couldn't come in. He said this guy who was with him needed to take some pictures. The photog had one of those square footage measurers (looks like a miniature unicycle). He took pics of the kitchen, living room, hall and bathroom. I asked that they not take pics of our bedrooms because there were dainties all over the place.

Could this be for insurance purposes? My paranoid self wants to believe that, and not that he wants us to leave and is going to relist the apartment.

Any thoughts on why this happened?

First off, no, he does not need to provide written notice. Technically, he is supposed to provide you with 24 hours verbal notice, but if you have an amicable relationship with your landlord, there is no reason to make it an unamicable one by insisting on enforcing this lease clause. He is free to enter your apartment in case of emergency as well.

As for the guy taking pics, I can totally understand that you would be alarmed, but this is what insurance people do. Why not ask your LL what it was all about?

scarlett · April 2008

Yes, I totally didn't want to make it weird or be a rude tenant.

I did ask him but he was vague and actually his English isn't so hot so I was unclear.

But you think insurance peops need pics of the apartment? I wonder why they needed them AFTER we all moved in, and not when the place was vacant.

nykittyny · April 2008

scarlett wrote: Yes, I totally didn't want to make it weird or be a rude tenant.

I did ask him but he was vague and actually his English isn't so hot so I was unclear.

But you think insurance peops need pics of the apartment? I wonder why they needed them AFTER we all moved in, and not when the place was vacant.

Insurance people measure and take pics of a space whenever the policy is being reevaluated/recalculated. I am not entirely sure why, but I guess it makes sense.

However, that being said, it is totally possible that he is putting the place on the market. If you can't get a straight answer from him, you will surely know if he suddenly wants to show other people your apartment. Let me ask, is there a commerical space downstairs?

scarlett · April 2008

Are YOU an insurance person? :}

No, no commercial space.......... and I highly doubt he is going to kick out my neighbors - they JUST moved in and it took a long time to rent that place.

I will just hope it's for the good.

reader · April 2008

That sounds like the landlord brought an appraiser to your apartment.
An appraiser needs to physically visit each unit, measure the square footage and take pictures of the kitchen, bathroom and living room.

scarlett · April 2008

Hunh! But he didn't actually measure the apartment, he just took pics.

Maybe he needed an appraisal for his taxes?

stacey · April 2008

scarlett wrote: Hunh! But he didn't actually measure the apartment, he just took pics.

Maybe he needed an appraisal for his taxes?

I was thinking the same thing. When we took out a home improvement loan they had to come and appraise my home as well as my tenants unit. They took measurements of each floor, pictures of the inside, outside and the block I live on. They do the same thing when you refinance also.

Odd landlord question

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