First Steps: How Should Landlords Set About Trying To Gain Access?
Access Clauses in Tenancy Agreements
Many tenancy agreements will contain a clause requiring the tenant to give access to the landlord for repairs, generally on 24-hour notice but potentially with less notice in the case of an emergency. Typically speaking, landlords should begin by sending a letter to the tenant, both by post and email, if the tenant has provided an email address by which they can be contacted.
Effective Communication and Scheduling Strategies for Landlords
The landlord should say that access is needed and explain why it is required, e.g., for gas or electrical inspections or other repairs for which the landlord is responsible. The landlord should book an appointment for the repairs to be carried out and give seven days' notice in the letter to the tenant of the appointment.
The landlord should also include contact details at which they can be reached in case the tenant needs to rearrange or cancel the appointment. The contractor should attend at the time given as if the matter later ends up in court, the court will generally expect the contractor to have visited the property before resorting to an application to the court. If the tenant does not answer the door or refuses entry, the contractor should leave a calling card, and the landlord should follow up with a second letter confirming what happened at the failed visit.
The Importance of Multiple Contact Attempts by Landlords
It is generally expected that landlords will make more than one attempt at the above steps. We would therefore suggest that a second attempt is made and that telephone calls and text messages to the tenant should also be made to try to gain their cooperation.
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