Q: Can a landlord go through belongings during a pest inspection?
I recently experienced a situation during a regular pest inspection where, although we received an email notification the day before, I found my bed all undone and the mattress slightly off the bedframe afterwards. In the 3 years and 5 months I've lived here, this is the first incident of this kind. Can a landlord legally go through my personal belongings during such an inspection?
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A:
In Pennsylvania, a landlord can enter your apartment for certain reasons, such as a pest inspection, but they must provide notice and respect your privacy. If you received an email notification for the pest inspection, it is likely that the landlord followed the required notice procedure, which is usually 24 hours. However, they should not be going through your personal belongings without your consent, and moving your mattress or disturbing your bed is not generally acceptable unless necessary for the inspection.
You can ask the landlord for clarification about why they moved your personal items during the inspection. It’s possible that this was done to check for pests in hidden areas, but it should have been communicated to you beforehand. If you feel uncomfortable with the situation, you could remind them of the importance of respecting your personal space and belongings during future inspections.
If this kind of behavior continues or if you feel your rights are being violated, you may want to send a formal complaint or even consult with an attorney about your rights as a tenant. In most cases, the landlord should avoid unnecessarily disturbing your possessions unless there’s a legitimate reason tied to the inspection.
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