Our floor is starting to sink about an inch in the corner of the bathroom the flat I live in. The support beam underneath is completely rotted through. I told my landlord over two months ago. He sent someone to look at it and then my landlord never called me back. I waited patiently for two months but after sending him $900 a month in rent for half a crappy house in the Detroit area (where you can buy a whole house for $500 a month) I finally got sick of the situation and gave my landlord a 30 day notice (we don't have a lease.) That was a few days ago and now he calls me and tells me he wants to send a repair guy over on Tuesday morning to fix the floor (probably in some jerry-rigged fashion.) I told him my boyfriend and I will be at work and he says he'll give the maintenance guy a key. I politely told him that was unacceptable to me and I don't trust someone I don't know with a key to my place and before I even got a chance to tell him that there were 7 other days in the next 10 days that I could be home at any hour to let in the repair guy my landlord starts yelling at me that it is his property and he can send the guy over whenever he wants. First of all I'm glad I'm moving in ten days but secondly am I right? Can a landlord just supply a key to a repair guy to let himself in when you are offering the alternative of a flexible time when you can be home to monitor your home? I mean how do I know the guy isn't a thief or worse yet some kind of pervert who can copy the key and walk in in the middle of the night when I'm asleep?

No he can't give your key to anybody to be in your apt. when you aren't there. The LL has to make arrangements around YOUR schedule as long as you are paying rent.

Tick

Sorry, but you are wrong. While the landlord does have to give you reasonable notice, He can have a repair person go in without you being there. This would normally be stated in your lease. See:
Michigan Landlord's Notice to Enter

On the other hand, if anything of yours is damaged or missing after the repairman has been there you could have a cause of action against the landlord for negligence in choosing his service people.

[QUOTE=ScottGem;2607409]

On the other hand, if anything of yours is damaged or missing after the repairman has been there you could have a cause of action against the landlord for negligence in choosing his service people.[/QUOTE

Surely this doesn't include giving a complete stranger a key to the apartment. I would think the LL would have to escort the mtce. Person in after giving notice so the occupant can hide any valuables. I would want to be there whilst the mtce. Person is attending to duties though.

Tick

He is allowed to give a key or allow someone in to do repair work, All he has to do is give you notice when, then it is your option to have someone there to watch your things if you want to.

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Originally Posted by tickle

Surely this doesnt include giving a complete stranger a key to the apartment. I would think the LL would have to escort the mtce. person in after giving notice so the occupant can hide any valuables. I would want to be there whilst the mtce. person is attending to duties though.

tick

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But the maintenance person is not a complete stranger. Assumedly the landlord has done due diligence in vetting the maintenance person before allowing access. That;s why the landlord could be held liable. But that the landlord has the right to repair damages.

Just be there to ensure your things are not riffled through. Tell landlord what time you'll be home and for him not to give out the key. And then be there while the maintenance man is there. Oh you DO have renter's insurance too, don't you? This will cover any thefts or damages to your property should you decide not to "supervise or babysit" the maintenance man.

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Originally Posted by twinkiedooter

Just be there to ensure your things are not riffled through. Tell landlord what time you'll be home and for him not to give out the key. And then be there while the maintenance man is there. Oh you DO have renter's insurance too, don't you? This will cover any thefts or damages to your property should you decide not to "supervise or babysit" the maintenance man.

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The problem here is the OP apparently can't (or it will be inconvenient to) be there when the LL wants to send the repairman. And the LL has rejected the OP's suggestions of a more convenient date. So either the OP must change her plans or take a chance on the repairman being honest (not a large risk). Because the LL HAS the right to send the repairman when he wants to as long as reasonable notice is given beforehand.

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

The problem here is the OP apparently can't (or it will be inconvenient to) be there when the LL wants to send the repairman. And the LL has rejected the OP's suggestions of a more convenient date. So either the OP must change her plans or take a chance on the repairman being honest (not a large risk). Because the LL HAS the right to send the repairman when he wants to as long as reasonable notice is given beforehand.

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I was just pointing out to the OP that she CAN chose to be home or risk peril to her apt contents via the repairman. If this was me I'd make it my business to be home if I was that freaked out about my contents.

And yes, the landlord can give a key to any repair person that he choses to give a key to and he does not have to be there to "babysit" the repair person either. That's why I totally advocate renter's insurance. Very little monthly cost. Don't plan on getting reimbursed by the landlord for any theft or damages when you could have been home if you so chose to be regardless if it's "convenient or not".

Normally there is not options for when a repair person will come, If you call to get someone to come repair, first even if they show up when they say ( it is a surprise) but next they tell you when they will be there, not when you want them.

Thanks for everyone's input. Again to reiterate the problem was we couldn't be there, my boyfriend and I both had important meetings at work. So that wasn't an option.

My landlord rescheduled the maintenance for a time I could be there. I no longer consider him a "complete and total jerk" just a "really big jerk."

And I just wanted to clarify and give more info - it was more than just a worry of replaceable stuff going missing. The biggest issue for me was just a matter of principle and being annoyed that my landlord wasn't being reasonable. Also, It would be hard to tell if anything was missing as a lot of my stuff is now in boxes. I also sort of worried my cat would get out. Even if I put him in a room with a note on the door someone might open the door and not bother to catch him and put him back in. If an outside door was open he'd make a run for it and I wouldn't know until 7 hours later when I got home. Computers and cameras and jewelry are replaceable but my kitty is priceless.

Let me add that we all could understand and appreciate your concerns. Its just that the law was on the landlord's side here. Glad you were able to work it out.

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Originally Posted by whatwhatwhat

Can a landlord just supply a key to a repair guy to let himself in when you are offering the alternative of a flexible time when you can be home to monitor your home?

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Hello w:

I don't agree with my friends... If notice CAN'T be refused, you'd wonder WHY he has to give it in the first place.. Well, I don't wonder. In my view, the key is who is acting REASONABLE. If you happen to have, let's say, a BIRTHDAY party scheduled on the date your landlord wants to come in, you CAN and SHOULD refuse...

You're not refusing him entry. You're only refusing entry when you're NOT there, and to me, that's a VERY reasonable position to take... I'd write your landlord a letter telling him this very thing.

excon