People coming into my apartment...vent and question!

[bride03]

Ok, I hate maintnance/contracted people/managers coming into my apartment without me here. For one thing I have a dog and I don't want him to stress because of people coming in he doesn't know. I also don't want them coming into my place where I keep everything I own. Is this just me?? I have always been like this. I don't like people I don't know around my stuff when I'm not here to see what they do. My DH waited here for 2 days when they said they were going to come in to check all the appliances. NEVER came. Now they are saying that they are letting a fire extinguisher company have access to our apartments to put in a fire extinguisher. That is a three day job. Guess DH will be staying home again. I don't like these apartments very much anymore. Oh well.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Check your state laws. They may not be able to enter without your prior written consent.

 

[bride03]

The right to be given reasonable notice, in writing, of any non-emergency inspection or other entry into your apartment.

This is all it says. I can't find anything else. I just wish they would let me at least know what day they are coming, not give me 2 or 3 choices and I don't know which one!!

 

[Brendita]

Ok I'm a Maintenance Tech for a apt complex.
Yes I'm a gal.
When we have sheduled preventive maintenance to do in an apt.
It is posted 24 hours prior.
All Maintenance people are checked out prior to employment.
Drug test, Criminal background, ect.
If it is done by an outside vendor.
The vendor has been checked out by Management Headquarters.
In 10 years the only problem I have come across is.
People that refuse to give use permission to enter the apt.
Then complain things don't get fixed.
JMO

 

[PixieDust32]

Well, it should be on your contract that they have the right to enter to your apartment to do maintnance, or whatever other reason, you know the lines where we put our initials, there! I lived in apartments for a long time and they do inspections, maintnance etc.

Check your contract and if not stated on it, you can do something about it. Good Luck.

 

[epcotfan]

I HATE IT TOO! Today they are testing the fire alarm system and must enter every apartment. I'm amazed they actually gave us more than 24 hour notice this time. Usually they put in on our doors the night before. Which is really stupid, because if someone is on vacation, everyone will know they are away if the notice isn't removed. I hate when they come in because I have to wrangle my cats into another room, so they don't escape.
This past summer they were painting the hallways and doors. They said they would have to open everyone's doors in order to paint them. But, they didn't give notice as to when it would exactly be done. It practically ruined my last vacation because I didn't know if they would come in while I was away. I ended up creating a giant cardboard barricade around the door so they could open it, but not have my cats escape. My petsitter was worried they'd put the notice on the door after her last visit for the day and she wouldn't know to put the cats in another room. It was a total nightmare! Many tennants complained since they posted this information all over the building, making it easy for some thief to see the doors would be open at some point.
ARGH!

 

[epcotfan]

Oh yes, and then there was the time we needed the insulation on our fridge door resealed. We were never given an approximate date or time for when this would occur. One day the phone rings and the Super is saying, "he's on his way up" I told her to give me 15 minutes as I was just getting dressed. Then she gives me attitude. ***? I hate that the management thinks they can just walk in whenever the Freak the feel like it.

 

[bride03]

All I'm saying is...let us know in advance, give us the option to be there. I realize that you can't accomodate when you have to check every apartment, but at least say buildings 1-10 will be Mon, 11-20 will be Tue, and so on.

That paint thing epcotfan, that's just nuts. This apartment did that too and I hated it. What if someone decided to come in a rob us while the maintnace was painting. Makes me light headed just thinking about the battle I'd have to get everyone to tell the truth. The whole "note on the door" thing...you are totally right. My neighbors have tons of those on their door...I think they are out of town. What do I do though, take all the papers down and then they don't know about people coming into their apartment? They have three kids in a small one bedroom. Two sleep in the livingroom I think.

I like our maintnance workers here, actually only one apartment complex (when I was in college) had workers I didn't trust at all. BUT, I just don't trust other people when it comes to my pet and my belongings.

 

[Feralpeg]

Many years ago I lived in an apartment by myself. I was on vacation and therefore, home for the day. I got up late one morning and was taking a shower. Since I lived by myself, I did not shut or lock the bathroom door. I did, fortunately, take my robe into the bathroom with me. Suddenly, I hear a knock on the door. Before I can even get out of the shower, I hear the door open and a voice yell, "Maintenance". I jumped for the bathroom door and shut it just in time. I threw on my robe and went stomping out to see what was going on. He needed access to the roof and his ladder wasn't long enough to reach from the ground. He wanted out on my balcony. After that incident, I installed a chain on my door and always kept it on when I was home.

 

[bride03]

OH MY!! That is ridiculous! People just don't stop and think..."would I want this to happen to me in my home??"

 

[CheshireVal]

That's funny-- I'm just the opposite. I *hate* being at home alone when the maintenance guys come into the apt, so I go out of my way NOT to be there!