Disturbance of peaceful living

As a tenant, you are entitled to peaceful living. Therefore, it is a main responsibility of the landlord to provide peaceful living circumstances for the tenants.

Peaceful living can be disturbed in a number of ways. It can be the case that the tenant feels disturbed by the landlord, for example, when the landlord enters the apartment unannounced. Uncertainties about what is acceptable or unwanted concerning privacy of the tenant often occur in situations when the landlord and tenants are staying in the same building.

When a dispute about peaceful living occurs, a judge can provide a verdict. The following rules are hereby maintained:

  • A landlord always preserves the right to access to the accommodation. It is not allowed for the tenant to deny the landlord access to the accommodation.
  • A landlord cannot enter the accommodation unannounced. He or she is obliged to first knock or ring the doorbell, and wait until the door is opened.
  • A landlord is not allowed to visit the tenant at any given time. When the landlord wants to visit the accommodation, he or she needs to have clear and well-formulated reasons to do so.
  • Privacy rules also apply to public spaces with different tenants. This means that a tenant is also not allowed to enter a public area unannounced.
  • A landlord can only enter a rented space when he or she has a reason for it that is part of the so-called ‘landlord’s rights and duties’.
  • A landlord can always decide to change the locks. However, he or she is always obliged to make sure that the tenants have access to the actual rented space.