I have just received an eviction notice for no reason following a routine inspection. What rights do I have?
I asked for photos not to be taken which I thought I was entitled to. The agent did not complete inspection but walked off. She then emailed me telling me I had to follow their rules and I had to leave the unit
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Answers & Comments
It would be unreasonable to expect you to obey the rules of your tenancy if you don't know the rules.
The rules should be printed either on the tenancy agreement or an accompanying document.
The tenancy agreement forms a contract between you and the owner or the letting agent; ie., you agree to obey the rules and pay the rent and they allow you to live there without hindrance except for routine inspections, maintenance and suchlike.
After signing the tenancy agreement and/or paying the first rent and any required deposit and receiving keys the contract is made and you become an official tenant as soon as you have placed any of your property inside, even if it is just your hat and coat.
As a tenant it is your duty to know and to obey the rules of the tenancy. The rules that apply are the ones presented to you at the time of contract. Any other rules are unenforceable though be aware of any small print in the contract saying something like, "the management reserves the right to amend the rules from time to time".
Even if that clause is there it still doesn't mean they can make up new rules just to trap the unwary. They have to tell you about any new rules and that is usually done by sending out an updated set of rules or the sending of a letter.
Believing you had the right to prevent photographs being taken during the inspection seems such a minor transgression it would not be grounds for notice of eviction as the misunderstanding could be fixed simply by pointing out the applicable rule. It would seem you have become an unwanted tenant who has unwillingly given the landlords the slight excuse they need.
From your description the notice of eviction doesn't provide details of your transgression and it should also detail the amount of notice before it comes into force, usually one rent period after your current rent period expires. If you pay monthly that could mean you could have nearly two months or as little as one month.
You need some good help and advice where you are. I suggest your local government offices, local public library or even the local police station as a starting point.
Depends on the state. Look online for your particular state laws. Also check the fine print of the lease you signed.