Re: Break Lease: Showing the apt - Landlord Forum thread 360156

Re: Break Lease: Showing the apt by Garry on January 12, 2020 @14:31

In my view, YOU are the one who is being unreasonable. Giving a 24 hour notice to show a place, whether it's for rent or for sale, is common practice all over the whole United States. In fact, most all STATES have laws that say that very thing. Tens of millions of Landlords, Realtors, maintenance personal, building and housing inspectors, etc. have to give a 24 hour notice before entering a residence. WHY do you feel YOU should be any different ???

Besides, every Licensed Realtor in ANY state, ALREADY KNOWS they have to get permission to show a place, from anyone who is currently living there. They have to follow the laws for Realtors, even if you don't think you need to as a landlord.

Now, yes, you may be able to get your tenants to compromise in some way, but make 1 misstep of not giving ample notice, and any tenant, anywhere in the country, can deny access to a place until they move out, EVEN if it's in the lease that they HAVE to give access. And the only way YOU can get access then, is to go to court, and have a judge give you LEGAL access-----which could take 1-2 months.

If you want your tenants to work with you, you MUST work with them. After reading your post, to me, it all looks one-sided----in YOUR FAVOR ONLY, not the tenants.

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Re: Break Lease: Showing the apt by david on January 12, 2020 @16:59	[ Reply ]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. This NJ Realtors standard Residential lease before me says that if the lease is ending the landlord can enter the apartment prior to that end of the lease at any time to show the apt to prospective renters. Which sounds to me to be too liberal for the landlord and I've never done that before. (24 hours advance notice for this is not mentioned in this lease) What I do is I have the MLS Realtors notify myself and the tenants about each upcoming viewing (9 am - 6pm) and usually get 4-18 hours notice for each viewing and that has worked out fine with previous tenants breaking the lease or ending the lease. Now these particular tenants that I am working with are asking for 24 hours in advance for each viewing which like I said seems like a lot to me. Hence this email asking for input.

Re: Break Lease: Showing the apt by Garry on January 12, 2020 @21:02	[ Reply ]

I gave you my input. Just because something is in a lease, does NOT mean you have to follow it to the "T". I said WORK with your Ts. On certain days when they are at work, they may allow someone to show the place, without anyone giving them notice. Other times may be totally inconvienient for them. ALL tenants have the right to say NO, even with a 24-48 hour notice. Remember, THEY are helping YOU out by allowing the showings. BUT, disrespect their wishes, and they not only could tell you no more showings, but they could change the locks, and maybe leave your place filthy and damaged on their way out. You DON'T want that. Besides, if you sign a new lease with a new tenant to move in the day after these Ts move out, and, for whatever reason, the Ts DON'T get out on that date, YOU have a BIG problem. NOW, you have TS that are staying past their agreed date to be out, AND you have signed lease with new Ts to move in on that date. You now would be in breach of your OWN lease. Then, just like you could sue a T for breach of a lease, the new Ts could sue YOU for your breach. I NEVER show a place until I have the Ts out, I have changed locks, cleaned up the place, and repaired any damage the former Ts left me. Yes, I lose 1-2 months of rent by doing it that way, but I have CONTROL of my property. Doing things your way, the TENANTS have control of your property, til they are gone. PLUS-----your Ts are moving----Do you really want to show a place that has boxes and clutter in every room? And they're not going to CLEAN or repair anything until their last day. You may lose a good prospective T, just because of what you showed them before it was vacant and READY to show.

Re: Break Lease: Showing the apt by david on January 13, 2020 @08:16	[ Reply ]

Thanks for that Garry.