QUESTION
How much notice must real estate agent give renters?
Asked on Jan 18th, 2013 on Real Estate - Nevada
More details to this question:
Hi we rent a home in Las Vegas. We are friends with the owner and agreed we would have the option to buy when she was ready to sell the home. She is now going to short sell it and was happy to hear we would be making an offer. She gave us the number for the woman in charge of listing the house. After calling her we did not trust her she kept jacking the price around. So we got our own real estate agent and submitted and offer yesterday. The owners real estate lady called and left a very snotty message saying she would be here in person at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon about an hour ago around 6:30pm to take pictures and get the keys not even giving us 24 hour notice to prepare the inside for photos, and people work nights and sleep during the day in my home. We can only assume she is being so rude because we went through another agent. but how much notice MUST she give us before entering the home?
1 ANSWER
R. Christopher Reade
There is the legal answer and then there is a practical answer. Pursuant to NRS 118A.330, the tenant is required to allow the Landlord to peaceably enter the unit to inspect, make necessary repairs or exhibit the unit to prospective or actual purchasers. However a landlord cannot abuse this right and (except in case of emergency), the landlord shall give the tenant at least 24 hours' notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times during normal business hours unless the tenant expressly consents to shorter notice. This is the legal rights of the Landlord.
Of course, you have indicated that you have developed a good relationship with the Landlord/Seller, who may be mortified by the bad form which his agent is self-servingly showing to you. You are not merely a tenant but a prospective (and the most obvious) purchaser for the property. You would be within your rights to appeal to the Landlord/Seller to have their agent show better manners.
Answered on Jan 22nd, 2013 at 2:33 PM