# Right of entry in an apartment? Or: Ashtar begs for marginal legal advice. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542 "2003-08-30T00:48:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/1 "2003-08-30T00:48:24Z")
I live in a corporate-owned apartment complex in Utah, and we recently had an inspection. Inspections are one thing, ya know? The lease manager gave us a week’s notice, but what bothers me isn’t that representatives from the corporate office came to inspect the apartment–rather, representatives from the Americans with Disabilities Act and Utah’s own Disabled Rights Action Committee came inside my home to take measurements of the different walls and whatnot. In my copy of the lease agreement–it states that entry can be made by lease managers and officials with or without prior notice. Is this legal? Was it legal for a couple of old people from ADA and DRAC to come poking around my apartment? It’s not like I have anything illegal to hide, really…just that I like to keep the details of my personal life very secretive. I’m kind of an introverted person–and I don’t like having strangers wandering around in it. Does anyone have any comments or questions? I was reading over some of the legal code I could find on the internet, but it’s a little difficult to navigate. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/2 "2003-08-30T01:00:17Z")
In most states (or at least many–I can’t speak for Utah), the law requires landlords to give, typically, 24 hours notice prior to entering your apartment, except in the event of an emergency–like a gas leak or something. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/3 "2003-08-30T02:41:59Z")
I was under that impression, too. It kinda surprised me to see in the wording of the rental agreement that they are declaring the right to entry at -any- time. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/4 "2003-08-30T03:03:11Z")
Perhaps there’s some sort of issue with the corporation’s compliance with the ADA, and now all their properties are subject to inspection as part of a lawsuit? The Disabled Rights Action Committee is already involved in [litigation over adequate access in certain Salt Lake City malls.](http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jul/07292003/Utah/79373.asp) I would also guess that as long as the lease manager accompanied these folks and didn’t just turn them loose in everyone’s apartment, the spirit of your lease agreement wasn’t violated. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/5 "2003-08-30T03:08:04Z")
Apparently, [Utah](http://apartments.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201c.htm) is one of 21 states with no defined notification period, however: > [@](#): > > Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have no stated notice period within the law. **This does not mean that the landlord can enter on a whim, however**. He must still have a purpose like those examined in page 1. > > The 21 states: > Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-of-entry-in-an-apartment-or-ashtar-begs-for-marginal-legal-advice/198542/6 "2003-08-30T05:40:19Z")
I just signed my lease (Georgia) and it says right there, paraphrased, that management or staff may enter whenever they like for reasonable repairs and inspections.