Can a landlord enter my apartment without prior notice?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Can a landlord enter my apartment without prior notice?

My husband and I just bought a home and are trying to save ourselves from pay 2 months of rent 2 months of a mortgage at the same time. We have asked our landlord if they could post our apartment. in hopes of finding someone to rent 2 months prior to the end of our lease agreement. They have made no promises but agreed to post to see if there was any interest. In the process, they have come to our apartment with notice to take photos for the listing. After viewing the most recent online posting

we noticed they must have taken photos very recently without notice given the items we have just recently purchased. Do we have any leverage to break our agreement and leave 7/1 allowing them to keep our last months rent without any further penalty?

Asked on June 19, 2017 under Real Estate Law, Massachusetts

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 6 years ago | Contributor

No, a landlord may not enter without reasonable (e.g. 24 hour) notice for nonemergencies. However, taking a few photos on one occasion without notice to list the unit, when you had indicated that you wanted to find someone to take the unit over early (and so when the landlord could reaonably assume you'd want assistance in finding a successor), would *not* be considered a "material" or important breach of the landlord's obligations. Since only material breaches legally justify early termination, what you describe would not provide any leverage or legal grounds to break your lease early.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption