What is and is not permitted during a landlord’s inspection of a rental unit? Can they take photos?
My landlord asked if she could inspect my apartment and I said yes. During the inspection, she opened kitchen cupboards, closets, even my bedside drawers. And she was taking photos. I was shocked. Is she allowed to do this?
Yousef
Vancouver, BC
Your landlord must tell you why they’re accessing the rental unit. It must be for a “reasonable purpose.” Many landlords inspect rental units once or twice a year to keep tabs on the condition of the property. So a routine inspection generally counts as a reasonable purpose.
A landlord has a right to inspect their property to assess whether it’s in a reasonable state of repair and maintenance. So they could, for example, open a built-in closet to test whether the closet door is functional. They could open kitchen cabinets to check for mold. They could open the cabinets under the bathroom sink to make sure the plumbing’s in good working order.
But there are limits to how far they can probe. They can’t do things during the inspection that go beyond their stated purpose. For example, they can’t open up your own dressers or bedside drawers. They could inspect furniture they provided with the unit — but even then, they shouldn’t be digging through or inspecting your personal belongings.
A landlord is not allowed to collect your personal information unless you say they can. That includes taking photos in your apartment, if those photos include elements that would identify you or another person. To be safe, if your landlord has asked to take photos of your unit, it’s wise to remove or cover items such as your own documents or photos.
Oscar Miklos
Refresh Law