Recently, there have been quite a number of dispute cases between landlords and tenants on the right of the landlord to enter rented premises; especially if it is a single lady tenant. Some tenants complain that the landlord robs them of their privacy rights by entering the rented premises after 10pm at night without giving earlier notice.

Normally, when a tenancy agreement is drawn up, a clause regarding the landlord’s right to enter your premises with reasonable notice at a reasonable time, upon reasons such as making necessary repairs or reasonable inspection, or to show the premises to prospective purchasers or tenants, should be included.

The following tips may help the landlord or tenant when drawing up the tenancy agreement to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

1. The landlord’s right to enter a tenanted premises:
   • When a fire has occurred or is occurring at the premises
   • When water is leaking heavily in the premises
   • With the tenant’s permission after giving reasonable notice
2. When it is unreasonable for landlord to enter:
   • When he or she simply wants to check the premises without reasonable notice and excuse
   • When it is already late, for example 11pm at night

Mutual respect plays an important role between the landlord and the tenant. Both parties should spell out the dos and don’ts in the tenancy agreement and each party should try his/her best to follow the terms and conditions stated in the tenancy agreement. It is always better to have a property tenancy agreement done by a lawyer than just a verbal agreement, as the written word is always stronger than the spoken one.