Landlord entered girlfriends' house unannounced. She thought it was a burglar.

JackieChang

So my friend had a day off work and was home alone listening to music in her bedroom.

Suddenly she hears a knock on the front door and somebody walking into the house basically while still knocking. She calls out her housemates name a few times thinking it's her but there's no reply. She starts to worry so turns the music up full blast to let the possible intruder know somebody's home. Whoever it was leaves the house quickly and my friend is left shook. It's a nice apartment but there are often winos and junkies hanging around outside the apartment block so she thought it might have been one of them. I mean it's a girl home alone so a million things went through her head.

However she made a couple of phone calls and it turns out it was the landlady.

The landlady was warned already about calling unannounced after multiple breaches of the "reasonable notice" rule. I'm guessing she thought everybody would be at work so she could sneak in and do whatever she planned to do. She wasn't betting on my friend having a day off.

So what's the best course of action here?

BrokenArrows

JackieChang wrote: »

So my friend had a day off work and was home alone listening to music in her bedroom.

Suddenly she hears a knock on the front door and somebody walking into the house basically while still knocking. She calls out her housemates name a few times thinking it's her but there's no reply. She starts to worry so turns the music up full blast to let the possible intruder know somebody's home. Whoever it was leaves the house quickly and my friend is left shook.

She made a couple of phone calls and it turns out it was the landlady.

The landlady was warned already about calling unannounced after multiple breaches of the "reasonable notice" rule. I'm guessing she thought everybody would be at work so she could sneak in and do whatever she planned to do. She wasn't betting on my friend having a day off.

So what's the best course of action here?

Who knows what she is doing in the house while everyone is away. Id invest in a cheap camera capable of taking timelapse photographs and set it up to take pictures during the day.

The basics of it are that if she enters the property without notice and its not an emergency then she is breaking the law. It is the same as if a strange was doing it.

Since its not the first time she is failing to follow the law then id report her to the police.

AlanG

The police is the way to go.

Paulw

If she is concerned about her safety, then she should call the Gardai. Let them investigate.

If she knows it's the landlord, then she should file a complaint to the RTB.

Stovepipe

Put the door chain on for a start! Set up a webcam facing the door.Call RTB and /or your solicitor. make it clear to LL that unannounced visits are a complete no-no.

TimeToShine

I do wonder if antagonizing the LL so blatantly and effectively waging war by going to the police is such a good idea when a simple conversation could solve the problem.

listermint

TimeToShine wrote: »

I do wonder if antagonizing the LL so blatantly and effectively waging war by going to the police is such a good idea when a simple conversation could solve the problem.

hmm what about this part ?


"The landlady was warned already about calling unannounced after multiple breaches of the "reasonable notice" rule"

Zulu

TimeToShine wrote: »

I do wonder if antagonizing the LL so blatantly and effectively waging war by going to the police is such a good idea when a simple conversation could solve the problem.

True, but it seems that the simple conversation was had previously? and the landlady is blatantly ignoring...

_Kaiser_

I'd go with a more "to the point" chat with the LL first and warn her that further unannounced visits will lead to a complaint being lodged with the RTB and Gardai

Make sure to point out that you have no issue with an agreed visit for a valid reason but letting herself in like that unannounced ends now.

garhjw

Tenant should write to the landlord stating they are reporting the matter.

Landlord should only enter property at short notice or without notice in the case if an emergency - burst pipes etc.

newacc2015

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I'd go with a more "to the point" chat with the LL first and warn her that further unannounced visits will lead to a complaint being lodged with the RTB and Gardai

Make sure to point out that you have no issue with an agreed visit for a valid reason but letting herself in like that unannounced ends now.

I second this. I dont see the point of the nuclear option. I would maybe send it in an email or a text, so there is a record if you go to the RTB later.

I imagine the Gardai will tell you its a civil issue and not their problem

spaceHopper

Write to land lady telling her she must in future give 24 hours notice, then change the front door lock, don't tell her, you can put it back when you move out. If she shows up she won't be able to get in and won't be able to say anything either.

Claw Hammer

spaceHopper wrote: »

Write to land lady telling her she must in future give 24 hours notice, then change the front door lock, don't tell her, you can put it back when you move out. If she shows up she won't be able to get in and won't be able to say anything either.

It is a breach of the Tenancies Act to change the lock. Could result in a termination notice. Best thing to do is to set up cameras and record her.

Suckit

If you go for a cheap wireless camera, make sure that you change the default user ID and password.
There are 360° cameras available for €30 or less.
They are flush nearly flush with the ceiling or wall and look like a smoke or carbon monoxide detector. It seems like a good option.

The guards will have absolutely no interest, even with proof (which there is none without a camera etc) they won't consider the LL a trespasser and say that its a civil matter.

listermint

Dominic Attractive Circus wrote: »

The guards will have absolutely no interest, even with proof (which there is none without a camera etc) they won't consider the LL a trespasser and say that its a civil matter.

Not entirely true, but sure.

LollipopJimmy

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I'd go with a more "to the point" chat with the LL first and warn her that further unannounced visits will lead to a complaint being lodged with the RTB and Gardai

Make sure to point out that you have no issue with an agreed visit for a valid reason but letting herself in like that unannounced ends now.

I had this issue with a landlord of mine. She was using the bin shed and used to get me to leave the key in the letterbox for her. I was locked out one evening and sitting in my car waiting for my housemate which was in a visitor spot when I saw her turn up, I wasn't in the mood for small talk so stayed in the car, to my horror she let herself in, I walked up and looked in the window to see her rifling through work files that were on my desk in my bedroom (ground floor apartment)
I took a picture and went back to the car. Afterwards I emailed her the pic along with a warning, if this happened again I was withholding one months rent or reporting to Gardai and RTB, it would be her choice.
This was a woman who used to ring me every month a week before the rent was due to remind me it would be due the following week, even though it went by standing order every month.
Ireland as a whole has too many 'accidental' landlords who give the genuine landlords a bad name. These accidental guys usually have an emotional attachment to the properties, as in they would have lived there or grew up there

Lukeskyrunner

Buy a Lucile and the next time she tries to come into the house , introduce them

newacc2015

listermint wrote: »

Not entirely true, but sure.

So when are you expecting the Gardai to take time out of their day to deal with this? They are dealing with gang killing each other, robberies, thefts etc. Yet they should go interview a landlord about going into a house she owns?

I know someone who had their car vandalised and the Gardai couldnt send anyone to inspect it as they were so busy. The gardai will not be in the slightest bit bothered with this

foggy_lad

spaceHopper wrote: »

Write to land lady telling her she must in future give 24 hours notice, then change the front door lock, don't tell her, you can put it back when you move out. If she shows up she won't be able to get in and won't be able to say anything either.

You are entitled to at least 7 days notice of any visits or inspections and such inspections or visits can only happen with the tenants agreement/permission.

_Jamie_

Dominic Attractive Circus wrote: »

The guards will have absolutely no interest, even with proof (which there is none without a camera etc) they won't consider the LL a trespasser and say that its a civil matter.

This post seems to almost be defending the landlady's actions.

_Jamie_

_Jamie_ wrote: »

This post seems to almost be defending the landlady's actions.

Don't know how you are getting that impression. A number of posters are taking about going to the guards some even giving the impression they will do something when the reality is they will want noting to do with it. I was simply pointing this out rather than the op thinking they will get somewhere by going to the guards.

Atari Jaguar

_Jamie_ wrote: »

This post seems to almost be defending the landlady's actions.

I hardly think so. Nox is completely correct, the Gardai will do absolutely nothing.

_Jamie_

Well, anyhoo, awful thing for the landlady to do. Just because it's the middle of the day, doesn't mean nobody is in. Not everyone works 9-5 and people have booked days off and sick days. I'd have been seriously freaked out in the OP's friend's position. Even in a case where the residents are licensees, not tenants, it is common courtesy for the property owner to give them a heads up beforehand. Coming to the house regularly would be seriously annoying too. Residents would not be able to relax in their home. It's the landlord's house but their home for the period they have paid rent for.

pilly

I would be so freaked out by that. Can she lock the door from the inside when she's in the house? And leave the key in the door. That sometimes prevents the door being opened from the outside.

RabbleRouser2k

Had a friend of mine who had a really disturbing experience of a landlord (Eventually this friend moved out once the lease was up, moved in with friends).
Her landlady would often go into her (my friends) room, while there was no tenant in there, and drop off stuff she believed belonged to her-shampoo, lotion, or whatever. The troubling thing about this is that the tenant would often have a wallet, or money, near her locker-so if someone were to do so, they could just take the money and it would be difficult to prove it had been stolen-one persons word against another (credit cards have more security, tbh). Couple that with my friend often finding bottles of vodka around the house(not hers, she's either a wine or beer drinker), and yeah, she was outta there after the 12 months was up.

I have had a similar issue with landlords (a separate post on here, you can find it under my name) but what I would do if I was you-is have a chat with the landlord (your girlfriend will have to do this, as you are not on the tenancy agreement) and explain that at least 24 hour notice has to be given before entering-so she knows you're there. Like explain that she thought she was a burglar, and had picked up a heavy object and things could have gone badly. So just explain it in a way that it sounds as if your landlady could have been injured, and so that it's not a blame thing. She may be one of these nosy landlords who thinks everything will be broken-but like, it's my experience that landlords can have different experiences of female tenants (not misogyny, just my experience). You either get the 'I'm paying my rent, it's my house now-go to hell everyone' and not taking neighbours into account, or you get the 'I'm gonna comply with every single rule you put on the lease, and some not on the lease, cos I wanna get my deposit back when I leave'. Lived in a place before where one of my landlords had a few properties, and while I was sharing, he had no issue with me or my roomies at all (a mix of two girls and 2 guys). However, in his other properties, he was getting constant harassment from his tenants (young women) who were having house parties (breaking the lease) while another house filled with women were constantly damaging stuff. Eventually he had to evict both of em.

Your landlady, while not excusing her behaviour, may be a little hesitant about trusting tenants after a bad experience. If it was a case of repairs needing to be done, that's one thing. But if its consistantly happening-either contact the RTB, or threshold.