[jules1216]

Thanks for all your input. They did take pictures when they moved in, we will take more when they move out, the neighbors already said that this guy always finds a reason not to give back the security deposit, but since they are using the clause that allows them to leave early they would lose it anyway. Luckily half the security deposit was knocked off because they did all the cleaning and painting and dd says it will be a lesson learned for her. The landlord has not brought anyone in--the neighbors are watching in the evenings after my daughter leaves for work. The neighbors and the town don't care for this landlord because he lets the yards get overgrown in his rental houses and the town they live in is a hot tourist spot with a lot of nice shops and restaurants. My daughter and I are going to finish painting the roomates room. She had left blank space at the top to paint a border which she never did. The roomate had all kinds of good ideas-unfortunately her carrythrough left much to be desired. Also the living room that her and her boyfriend painted needs the moulding touched up because they were such sloppy painters and we said that we would also do that and of course a thorough final cleaning. My daughter said just because he is a cheap jerk that doesn't keep his promises doesn't mean she is able not leave it better than when they moved in. We have looked at a few more places and we find out on Tuesday about the last one. The landlord did say that she could have through November 7 to move--which is the one week clause in the lease that allows them to leave if they can no longer afford it so it's not like he's really doing anything nice and he knows that she will keep her promise of the paint touch up and cleaning since she is the one who with our help has taken care of everything and the place is always clean when he comes by thanks to dd and he is going to let her friends move in (if they don't change their minds) probably so he doesn't have to pay to list it. It also didn't hurt that my hubby who is 6'2' and 265 lbs with tattoos got a little loud with him when he was trying to blame the girls for problems that existed when they moved in. Hubby actually fixed several things and took care of a couple things that were suppossed to be done BEFORE the girls moved in and he called the landlord on those things. We have a Uhaul truck scheduled for use on Thursday the 2nd and dd and I will do the final cleaning on Friday the 3rd and give him his key back and do our video cam walk through.

[Lyria]

In Australia (ACT at least) the Landlord is legally required to give the tenant notice before bringing prospective tenants through the home.

I work in property management and we'd be shot drawn and quartered by Fair Trading, not to mention it's a violation of the Agents Act!

Livi

[Canadian_Mickey]

It's VERY important for you, as a tenant, to know your rights! Look up online the Tenants Act...DH an I have got burned a few timees because we didn't have a clue, but now... it's another story!

In Canada, the landlord HAS TO give you at least 24 hours notice before entering the premises! That's the law! It also has to be written form, so there is no he said she said, stuff! I used to be an Apartment building Superintendent so I know the rules and laws pretty well... Hehe! And you are able to be present when they are showing your place! Do not feel that you have to leave when they are showing perspective tenants or buyers.

[almostheaven]

I'll tell ya what I did to a month-to-month landlord once. Once I was in, he changed the terms of the verbal lease. He cancelled the trash pickup and claimed he was never responsible for it. However, they picked it up for TWO MONTHS before they stopped. So why was he responsible for the first two months? Then I had problems with a leaky faucet and could never get him to fix it. I left that place better than when I found it. There was the front to a kitchen drawer lying on the counter when I moved in, but it was attached when I left. There were no lightbulbs anywhere in the place when I moved in, but all the lightbulbs were there and working when I left. It was also cleaner. And I knew he'd play a security deposit game. I intended to write the check minus the deposit and leave it on the counter with the key. I informed him that the check and key would be on the counter and he had no problem with it. But he decides to show up a day early and collect in person. Fine. I gave him the check and told him I kept the security deposit back out of it because I had damaged nothing. He got po'd and stormed off. But what could he do? Expend time taking me to court and lose? Because I DID take pics.

[Misti in Seattle]

Perhaps she could put a chain lock or some type of lock that she can fasten when she is in there so they cannot get in without her letting them in? That should at least give her the chance to jump out of bed or into some clothes, etc. Just a thought. LOL if I had to I would arrange the couch close to the door and shove it in front of it when I was inside.

[Wolfena]

Giving her notice would be courteous - but not necessarily required. It depends on what her lease says, as that would be where thats addressed. There is no standard law that would override the lease.
He should AT LEAST be knocking on the door & giving her a chance to dress & answer instead of just walking in using his key.

[Misti in Seattle]

Well I don't necessarily recommend this but when I was in college in a rooming house the landlady would just barge right into our rooms with prospective new tenants and their parents when it was close to a semester ending. One day a woman really WAS stark naked and heard the door opening and fortunately was able to jump into bed and pull up the covers! She said later if she had been sure it was just women entering, she would have just stood there and let the landlady embarrass herself!

But my roommate and I decided one day to leave the room a total mess. We hung bras out of dresser drawers, left the beds a mess, threw panties and other dirty clothes all over the room, left boxes of tampons, candy wrappers and stuff out in plain sight, turned over the trash can with trash falling out of it onto the floor, etc. We never did know if she brought anyone in during the day when we were gone but most likely.

[almostheaven]

Originally Posted by Wolfena

Giving her notice would be courteous - but not necessarily required. It depends on what her lease says, as that would be where thats addressed. There is no standard law that would override the lease.
He should AT LEAST be knocking on the door & giving her a chance to dress & answer instead of just walking in using his key.

I think that is going to depend on the state. I know that it used to be in WV that if you were on a monthly lease, you were legally required to give 30 days notice, whether that was in writing or not. The guy I was talking about above...we had a verbal agreement with no terms except $X per month. I called some place on tennants rights or something to find out because I needed out of there. They told me that constituted a month-to-month lease and I was required to give 30 days notice.