OT - What would your reaction be?

green_emerald0530
green_emerald0530 Posts: 12 Member
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
I'm single and live alone in an apartment building. Yesterday morning, I woke up to a door slamming. I checked my phone for the time, it was 5:30am. I saw that I had a missed call and a message, so I checked it.

It was my landlord, asking if I had any water leaks anywhere. There was water leaking into the suite below me. I called him back 6 minutes after he left a message. Looked around, and no, there was nothing leaking in my bathroom or kitchen.

I saw him later that afternoon. I was a little confused as to why I heard a door slam. It turns out that the landlord entered my apartment at 5:30am, and the door I heard was my own as he was leaving.

On one hand, he tried calling, and knocking on the door, and I didn't hear him. On the other hand, a man entered my apartment while I was sleeping without my knowledge.

I got back home yesterday afternoon, and it was clear he had been back in my apartment - the door on my vanity was left open. He called and asked that I have the vanity cleaned out for today so they can take a closer look.

I sort of feel like if the problem was big enough to walk into my apartment at 5:30 am, it should be fixed on the same day, not the day after.

How would you react?

Replies

  • jennifermartinez1112
    jennifermartinez1112 Posts: 120
    i dont think anyone should be entering your place without your knowledge( unless they are rescuing from a fire) especial if you are home asleep.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    You need to look at your lease. It's likely that he was within his legal rights to enter the apartment if he thought that the water was coming from there. Or he might not have been. It would creep me out either way.
  • jennifermartinez1112
    jennifermartinez1112 Posts: 120
    i agree with you ^
  • k8lyn_235
    k8lyn_235 Posts: 507 Member
    You need to look at your lease. It's likely that he was within his legal rights to enter the apartment if he thought that the water was coming from there. Or he might not have been. It would creep me out either way.

    ^this. landlords usually have it in their leases that they can come in and out of your apt (they do own it) if needed for repairwork, emergencies, etc. some even have that they can come in to show your apt to eligible renters whenver they want!
  • mayerel
    mayerel Posts: 254 Member
    I agree with the previous poster, it's often in a lease that a landlord can enter your apartment w/o notice in an emergency. Other times they require 24-hours notice, so check it.

    While I think it's a bit creepy he came in, he did call and knock.
  • Pipsg1rl
    Pipsg1rl Posts: 1,414 Member
    While he may have the right to do so, you are a single woman and alone. I would speak to him about this and tell him that you would prefer if this has to happen (and you are home ASLEEP) that he bring a female companion with him, similar to a doctors' visit.

    But as the others said, normally Landlords have the right to enter "your" home without you being there.

    He should have also called out to make sure you weren't doing... something... without clothing on!

    good luck with this.
  • green_emerald0530
    green_emerald0530 Posts: 12 Member
    I had the same thoughts as most - he did everything he could, but i was still home, asleep, and there was an uninvited man in my apartment.

    There is an update to this too. I had just gotten out of the shower this morning (still in a towel!), and i hear my door starting to unlock. it's my landlord with 2 plumbers here to fix something. DIDN'T EVEN KNOCK!!!! I need to go talk to him - my heart is still racing.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    Not knocking this morning is completely unacceptable. I'd be furious.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    that is creepy that someone was in your place while you were sleeping and its SOOOO WRONG that he was!!
  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
    Well, on one hand, he called and knocked before coming in. If it were me, I also would have loudly called out HELLO!!! LANDLORD!!! several times and, if there was no answer, I would have made the assumption that you were not home. Obviously you are a pretty heavy sleeper.
    Him coming in later while you were not home is also acceptable (again, a leak that they are trying to track down) and he did leave you a note.
    The plumbers are a different story. Kindly ask your landlord to instruct them to knock LOUDLY and also explain that, because you are a single woman and scared, you just might open fire if startled.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I agree with the previous poster, it's often in a lease that a landlord can enter your apartment w/o notice in an emergency. Other times they require 24-hours notice, so check it.

    While I think it's a bit creepy he came in, he did call and knock.

    I don't think it's creepy at all. He called and knocked, so he made a reasonable effort to give notice that he had to enter the apartment. Since she did not answer the phone or respond to knocking, it was VERY reasonable to assume that she was not home.

    I can understand why OP would be creeped out about it, but it's not creepy behavior at all. Landlords always reserve the right to enter the apartment when there are maintenance issues, and water coming in to an apartment on the floor below is an URGENT maintenance issue.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    While he may have the right to do so, you are a single woman and alone. I would speak to him about this and tell him that you would prefer if this has to happen (and you are home ASLEEP) that he bring a female companion with him, similar to a doctors' visit.

    So now the landlord has to hire or otherwise recruit a female to accompany him at all times when entering apartments after making a reasonable attempt to determine occupancy? Really? That's gonna drive up the rent for women if he has to make sure that he hires someone to accompany any males into the apartment at all times, but if OP wants to pay for that, fine.
    He should have also called out to make sure you weren't doing... something... without clothing on!

    If he called and knocked and she didn't hear, it's probably pretty reasonable to assume that he also called out and she didn't hear that, either. I think calling ahead and knocking is perfectly reasonable on their own, though.
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    Water leaks can cause serious damage, and are considered "emergencies" in most states where an emergency means a landlord can come into an apartment without 24-hours notice.

    Unfortunately, he was in the right. I would still feel icky, but he did try to call and was within the law.
  • Cameron_1969
    Cameron_1969 Posts: 2,855 Member
    If you had just shot him that first night, you wouldn't be dealing with him barging in all the time. Oh well. . hindsight and all that. .
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    If it really bothers you, ask him to install a solid-core door and a no-key deadbolt that can only be operated from the inside on the bedroom door. It's reasonable for him to ask you to share the costs, but I'm sure you can come to some reasonable accommodation. That way, if he has to enter the apartment, you are at least sleeping in a secure space that cannot be unlocked. Of course, if there's an emergency, no one can easily get into the room to help you. You could also ask for a keyed lock with a separate key.

    You could also try a sign "heavy sleeper - please knock loudly and yell" or see if your landlord can put that in your file in case he has to enter the apartment again. Because chances are he's going to, and if you sleep that soundly he has no way of knowing whether you are home.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
    I agree with the previous poster, it's often in a lease that a landlord can enter your apartment w/o notice in an emergency. Other times they require 24-hours notice, so check it.

    While I think it's a bit creepy he came in, he did call and knock.

    I don't think it's creepy at all. He called and knocked, so he made a reasonable effort to give notice that he had to enter the apartment. Since she did not answer the phone or respond to knocking, it was VERY reasonable to assume that she was not home.

    I can understand why OP would be creeped out about it, but it's not creepy behavior at all. Landlords always reserve the right to enter the apartment when there are maintenance issues, and water coming in to an apartment on the floor below is an URGENT maintenance issue.
    ^^^ This. I was the resident manager of an apartment building in college. A few times we had issues and had to enter an apartment without 24 hours notice. I called first then knocked then when I did enter I yelled out "Hello!". However, since she didn't hear him knock or her phone ring or him doing anything while he was in the apartment it's not a stretch to assume she didn't hear him announce his presence or that he assumed she wasn't home.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
    While he may have the right to do so, you are a single woman and alone. I would speak to him about this and tell him that you would prefer if this has to happen (and you are home ASLEEP) that he bring a female companion with him, similar to a doctors' visit.

    So now the landlord has to hire or otherwise recruit a female to accompany him at all times when entering apartments after making a reasonable attempt to determine occupancy? Really? That's gonna drive up the rent for women if he has to make sure that he hires someone to accompany any males into the apartment at all times, but if OP wants to pay for that, fine.
    That's a pretty ridiculous request. If you are that untrusting of your landlord that you think they need to have a female on call 24 hours in case he needs to enter an apartment then perhaps you should move to a less seedy place. A doctor's office has staff, other doctors, nurses, CNAs, etc he can have come into the room. A landlord may well have only his own family members or no one at all.
  • HotCuppaJo
    HotCuppaJo Posts: 476 Member
    If you had just shot him that first night, you wouldn't be dealing with him barging in all the time. Oh well. . hindsight and all that. .

    Lol....nice! You better hope she senses your sarcasm, Cam... ;)
  • artbkward
    artbkward Posts: 238 Member
    Think about it from his perspective. He gets a call in the middle of the night about a water leak in his building, any reasonable person would jump right out of bed to make sure the water gets shut off and to do anything necessary to minimize damage and cost. He realizes he needs to see if it's coming from your place, he calls- no answer, he knocks- no answer. What would you do? I'd be going into the apartment too as it well within the scope of both the law, the lease and common sense.

    What if the leak was coming from your place and he hadn't entered? Wouldn't you be mad that all your stuff is ruined and the landlord did nothing?
  • green_emerald0530
    green_emerald0530 Posts: 12 Member
    I hear you all. I wasn't mad at him - my logical side knows he called and knocked before he came in. I just felt very unsafe that I didn't hear someone in my apartment while I was asleep.

    And the fact the he tried to enter this morning without knocking made it worse. He told me the plumbers would be here yesterday, so I wasn't expecting anyone today.
  • green_emerald0530
    green_emerald0530 Posts: 12 Member
    I lol'd :laugh: at shooting him (although I wouldn't!/couldn't!)
  • Pollywog39
    Pollywog39 Posts: 1,730 Member
    I am a single woman who also lives in an apt alone.............my landlords (two guys) are very considerate, and will call or ask if they need to enter for any reason......the rare times there has been an emergency (I've been there 11 yrs), they are very gracious and try their best to let me know.

    Now, I've never had them enter when I'm sleeping, but have had knocks on the door when I'm in my jammies, when I'm not dressed appropriately, and once when getting out of the shower. He didn't barge in, but I had to say WAITTTT, I'm here, give me a second!

    Life happens...............I love these guys, as they are very very good to me. If they had to come in while I was dead asleep, well, I guess that's life. (They tease me about looking through my underwear drawer when I'm not home, and planting cameras in the shower...........guys will be guys, hmmmm???)
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