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Can my landlord show up to my house almost everyday and use my power and water
Anonymous2 views3 answers
we live in North Carolina, we are young renters this is our first Renter experience, our landlord constantly comes into our yard daily while we're not home we know this because he leaves the building door open, on the property there are two buildings we have locks on all of the ones that can have locks but one door does not have a place for one so he constantly goes in and out of it plugs up power cords to it and uses our power. He also comes over randomly sometimes while we're not at home and uses are outside water spicket to clean the gutters with no approval. we are worried he is entering the house while we are at work we had to buy a hunting camera but the range does not reach the front door, but it shows images of him on the property putting things in our building
Much of this depends on the terms of the lease agreement, provided that you have a written agreement. You may just be renting the home and not the outbuildings or property. It also depends if you pay the water or power bill or if they are included in the rent. You are entitled to quite enjoyment of the property you rent, but you should check your written lease to see its terms. If you have no written lease, discuss the problems with your landlord first to determine if you need to consult with an attorney.
As my colleagues have stated, your rights are largely going to depend on what you agreed to the in the lease (assuming there was one). Whether or not the landlord retained rights/access to storage buildings on the property and who is responsible for the utilities are the two most important aspects to review. Some of what you describes sounds like routine maintenance on the house (gutters, shrubs, etc.) This would be permitted assuming you are not responsible for these items. Additionally, if the landlord is paying the utilities or a portion of them that could affect my answer. However, if you are responsible for the utilities and the landlord is using your electricity and water, then you should be reimbursed or have your rent adjusted. I would start by approaching your landlord with these concerns. Ask him to let you know when he intends to maintain the house or to set up a schedule when he intends to be on the property, because you do have a right to the quiet enjoyment of the property you are renting.
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Yes, this is a problem. I assume you signed a written lease? If so, the lease should have detailed what parts of the real property were leased to you, and in which you have an exclusive, superior possessory interest during the lease term. If so, you are entitled to exclusive possession and quiet enjoyment for the premises you agreed to rent. You may want to have a conversation with the landlord to that effect. For future reference on landlord-tenant matters, you can either look at N.C.G.S. Chapter 42 at ncleg.net (the General Assembly website), or ask follow-up questions on or of real property attorneys in the Reidsville area. I hope this information is helpful to you, and that your first rental experience will prove to be very positive.
