What If my Landlord enters without giving me notice

When can the Landlord enter my Place?

The Issue

What if the landlord wants to enter my place?

What rights do I have? Can the landlord just walk in when the landlord feels like it?


The Law

There are rules when renting a place to live in Queensland whether it’s a house, unit, share house room, caravan or houseboat that protects you as a tenant.

These rules are set out in the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.

These rules are administered by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) which is a government body responsible for the fair operation of these Rules.

Your landlord does have the right to enter your place but only as allowed in the Rules, including for completing a General Inspection.


The Solution

The landlord can only come into your place only if you have been given prior written notice.

Prior written notice is most commonly issued by a form called an Entry Notice (Form 9).

You must be given a minimum of 7 days prior written notice of entry for a General Inspection and a minimum 24 hours prior written notice of entry for maintenance repairs to your place.

Your landlord cannot enter your place on a Sunday, public holiday, or between 6pm and 8am, unless you have agreed.

Your landlord can enter your place at all other times as long as you have been given the required prior written notice within the stipulated timeframe.

The Residential Tenancies Authority can provide you with general information as well as answer specific questions about your rental rights and responsibilities.  The RTA Client Contact Centre can be contacted at the cost of a local phone call on 1300 366 311. Alternatively you can refer to the RTA website at www.rta.qld.gov.au/renting.

If after contacting the RTA you still require legal advice, please contact QLD Law Group for assistance on 1300 QLD LAW.


Yellow Rhino - Diamond 65The Rhino Rule

What if the landlord knocks on my door and wants to come in to my place without telling me first?

The Rhino Rule is be polite and ask if there is a reason and if there is a good one, the place is clean and tidy and you have time let the landlord in but don’t let this become a common thing.

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