Hoping A Lawyer(or someone knowledgeable;)) could help me!

pinkiebell1001 · #1 02-14-2006, 10:54 PM

So I recieved a notice from my apartment complex a few days ago about them enforcing these photo ID's and whatnot; at the bottom it says "please accept this as notice that ____ management will be inspecting your apt. between the 21st and 24th. We will leave a notice once we are completed". Anyways, I was curious as to what they were "inspecting", so my sister gave them a call. This is pretty much how the conversation went.
"Hi, I recieved the notice about the inspection-what all are yall inspecting???"
"different things, like testing the smoke alarms and stuff"
"like what else...."
"what apartment are you in???"
"______"
"I'm sorry ma'am, we're really not supposed to give that information out".

Ok...is it JUST me, or does that sound a little fishy??? I mean, don't I have a right as a tenant to KNOW what they're inspecting??? Anyways, maybe it's just me, but this just sounds absolutely ridiculous-so I'm hoping maybe someone who knows anything about Texas Tenant Rights would be able to help-I tried looking up the basics online, but couldn't find anything! Help!

texas*princess · #2 02-14-2006, 11:20 PM

That is DEFINITELY shady.

bluefish81 · #3 02-14-2006, 11:36 PM

I'm not a lawyer but in every apartment that I've lived in every so often I'd receive notices that maintenance would be coming in and a specific timeframe. However, they always said why they were coming - changing furnace filters, changing batteries in smoke detector, installing smoke detector, etc. They never ever just left me a notice saying that they'd just be stopping in without a certain reason. I think that's a bit weird.

pinkiebell1001 · #4 02-14-2006, 11:36 PM

i know right?! it just does NOT sound right *although this place is soooooo F*ed up*

pinkiebell1001 · #5 02-14-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bluefish81
I'm not a lawyer but in every apartment that I've lived in every so often I'd receive notices that maintenance would be coming in and a specific timeframe. However, they always said why they were coming - changing furnace filters, changing batteries in smoke detector, installing smoke detector, etc. They never ever just left me a notice saying that they'd just be stopping in without a certain reason. I think that's a bit weird.

right-see i'd expect that (and have even let them in, even though I never recieved a "notice"-they claimed homeless ppl had been going around and pulling them off doors, trying to find out which apts. were empty-which sorry, but i don't buy). But to not tell me when i ask?????

kddani · #6 02-14-2006, 11:51 PM

Owners of apartments can come on the premises at almost any reasonable time they want, as long as they knock before coming in. And if you say it's a bad time, I believe they may have to come back, though i'm not totally clear on that one. I learned this, unfortunately, from a bad experience with an ex landlord who didn't even bother to tell us he was going to start showing the apartment. Actually, it made him look like an idiot b/c it was finals week and my roommate at the time and I had stuff everywhere, so the place was a mess. We were obviously caught off guard.

They don't have to give notice that they're coming in to fix/check something like that if it's during normal hours, when they do, it's more of a courtesy.

They can't come in at like midnight to fix something unless it's an emergency, but during the day, yep.

You might've just had a dumb person answering the phone. The people who run some of these apartment complexes or who work in the office aren't always the swiftest.

PM_Mama00 · #7 02-15-2006, 02:24 AM

As the daughter of a landlord, I say most of that is pretty normal. They have to let you know when they will be entering your apartment and sometimes they will just to check out things. And I agree with Dani about the dumb person answering the phone. Unless they've had complaints about the smell of cat pee or other dirty things, I don't see why they wouldn't be allowed to tell you.

MysticCat · #8 02-15-2006, 10:45 AM

I agree pretty much with kddani and PM_Mama00. The other thing I would add is go back and look at your lease. It should have provisions in it about the landlord's access to your apartment.

GMUBunny · #9 02-15-2006, 05:17 PM

Everyone's probably right, and the person you talked to was probably a total dipshit. But, if you're really concerned that it may be shady, put your valuables somewhere that they won't have easy access to them. I keep my pearls, diamonds and anything else of value (medical records, birth certificates, etc) in a safe deposit box.

sageofages · #10 02-15-2006, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MysticCat81
I agree pretty much with kddani and PM_Mama00. The other thing I would add is go back and look at your lease. It should have provisions in it about the landlord's access to your apartment.

Remember laws depend upon the state.

Check your lease.

I know in Indiana with the absences of a valid lease, you rent month to month. HOWEVER that means when the landlord accepts your rent for that month, HE MAY NOT enter the property without your permission FOR ANY REASON.

Been there done that with a really crappy landlord.

pinkiebell1001 · #11 02-15-2006, 09:26 PM

well...I called today and they still refused to tell me anything, even after I had asked to speak to someone higher-so whatever. I just think it's shady that they refuse to tell me WHAT they're inspecting-it could be nothing, it could be something major. I just think that there'd be some type of law that would force them to tell me what they're "inspecting". I do, however, plan on being home on BOTH days on the chance that they decide to come, and I will watch them like a hawk, lol. I just think this place is ridiculous (they're actually forcing EVERYONE to get a photo ID - including infants!) and I am soooo moving out when my lease is up, lol. I've lived in apts. all my life, and I've never had one that's sent out notices, stupid warnings, and stupid policies to the extent that this one has!

AOIIBrandi · #12 02-16-2006, 09:34 AM

I am not a lawyer and have never spent any significant time in TX, but it sounds to me like they are looking for things that shouldn't be there. I'm assuming you are a student and that this apartment houses mostly students. Apartment complexes are generally harder on students than any other segment of the population, but not without good reason. You may not be doing anything wrong, but chances are someone in the complex is. Examples I can think of off the top of my head: More people living in the apartment than the management knows about (lease says 2 people, 4 live there...), someone having a dog if they are not allowed, someone having a dog that did not pay the pet deposit... They also could be looking for unusual wear and tear - holes in the walls, carpet torn up..., or any other type of lease violation.

I agree the polite thing to do would be to tell you what they are inspecting, but if you are doing something you need to hide you know what it is and at least they have given you fair warning that they are coming. By the way, some people (I'm not saying I am one of them) would think that by being so defensive about it you have something to hide. Hindsight is 20/20, but I would never have given them my apartment number when calling to find out what they are inspecting because it may incent them to look harder in your apartment.