A landlord can only enter a tenant’s unit for specific reasons, unless:
- the tenant has given the landlord permission to enter;
- there is an emergency that requires the landlord to enter the unit; or
- the tenant has abandoned the property.
The Residential Tenancies Act gives five reasons a landlord can enter a tenant’s property:
- To inspect the state of repair of the unit;
- To make repairs to the unit;
- Pest control;
- Showing the property to potential buyers; and
- Showing the property to potential renters during the last month of a fixed term tenancy or after notice to end a periodic tenancy has been given.
If a landlord wants to enter the tenant’s rental property for any of these reasons, the landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours written notice before entering. The written notice must be signed by the landlord, state the reason for entry, and give a date and time for the entry. The landlord can only enter between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The landlord cannot enter on a holiday or on the tenant’s day of religious worship (presumed to be Sunday unless the tenant has informed the landlord, in writing, of a different day). As long as the landlord follows these rules, the tenant’s consent is not needed and the landlord can enter without the tenant being present.
January 2015
