Can landlords enter at any time, or is it trespassing? Here are the rules in NC
North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the U.S., drawing in more people who are renting apartments and homes.
Many leasing contracts and agreements come with conditions about what a tenant can and can’t do on a property, but there are also several state rules and regulations in place related to renter and landlord rights too.
State law requires landlords to do whatever is necessary to put and keep a home in “fit and habitable” conditions for tenants. But do they have the right to to come and go as they please?
Here’s what to know.
Can landlords enter unannounced or could it be considered trespassing?
According to Isaac Sturgill with Legal Aid of North Carolina, state law generally requires a landlord to respect the tenant’s right to “quiet enjoyment” of the property.
“Although there may be instances when it is justifiable for a landlord to enter the property unannounced, like to make an emergency repair, a landlord who shows up unexpectedly, often, and without a legitimate reason to do so would likely be violating the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment,” Sturgill, the Charlotte Housing Project Director for LANC, told The Charlotte Observer.
[RELATED: Here are some important things to know about your tenant rights in North Carolina]
According to Safewise, North Carolina is one of 13 states that doesn’t limit entry for landlords.
You can find more information about the basic rights of tenants and landlords in Chapter 42 of the state statute at ncleg.gov.
This story was originally published September 14, 2023 at 8:02 AM.
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