Contract trap · Lease
Unrestricted landlord entry
Landlord and 'agents, servants and workmen' may enter 'at any time', 'with or without notice', for viewings or 'any purpose', keep keys and inspect monthly; no overnight guests or guests limited to a few nights with 'guest fees'; only named persons may occupy (excluding partners/children); absolute bans on subletting, pets or registration at the address; consent 'may be withheld for any reason'.
- Severity
- Expensive
- How often it turns up
- Common
- Holds up?
- Often void
- Clause phrases
- 24
What it looks like in a contract
Redline matches these phrases against your document verbatim. Drafters rarely invent new wording — they copy it, which is why the same sentences turn up across unrelated contracts.
In English-language contracts
- enter at any time
- with or without notice
- landlord retains a key
- for any purpose
- in the tenant's absence
- inspect the premises monthly
- no overnight guests
- guests may not stay more than 3 nights
- guest fee
- no persons other than those named
- consent may be withheld for any reason
- no pets under any circumstances
In Russian-language contracts
- в любое время
- без предварительного уведомления
- беспрепятственный доступ
- Наймодатель сохраняет комплект ключей
- в отсутствие Нанимателя
- не реже одного раза в месяц
- запрещается регистрация по месту пребывания
- Наниматель не вправе регистрировать кого-либо
- проживание иных лиц запрещено
- гости не более 3 дней
- запрещено содержание животных
- штраф за каждого незаявленного проживающего
Check your own contract
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Why it bites
It negates exclusive possession and privacy, enables harassment and surprise viewings; restrictions on private life become pretexts for fees or eviction; blanket assignment bans lock the tenant into the full term; in RU a ban on временная регистрация leaves the tenant unable to register children for school and exposed to administrative fines.
Is it enforceable where you are
The same clause can be routine in one country and void in another. What follows is what the law says where you are — not advice on your particular contract.
In the US, deposit deadlines and entry notice are set state by state; in England and Wales the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the deposit protection schemes apply, and in the EU national tenancy law sits on top of Directive 93/13.
United States
Most states require reasonable (24-48h) notice except emergencies; CA Civ. Code 1954 (24h written notice, business hours) cannot be waived; repeated unnoticed entry supports harassment/constructive-eviction claims; occupancy limits must meet fair-housing rules (HUD 2-per-bedroom); NY RPL 235-f voids bans on one additional occupant/immediate family; NY RPL 226-b — sublet consent not unreasonably withheld in 4+ unit buildings; guest fees attacked as junk fees.
- Cited
- HUD
European Union
Germany: no general inspection right, entry only for a concrete reason with notice (BGH VIII ZR 289/13), tenant may take in close family and claim sublet consent (BGB 553), blanket pet bans void (BGH VIII ZR 168/12); France: jouissance paisible (loi 89-462 art 6), viewings max 2h/day at end of lease, clause interdisant d'héberger réputée non écrite (art 4).
- Cited
- BGB 553
- BGH VIII ZR 168/12
- BGH VIII ZR 289/13
- loi 89-462 art 6
United Kingdom
OFT/CMA: entry 'at any time' is unfair — 24 hours' written notice at reasonable times (LTA 1985 s.11(6)); quiet enjoyment implied; harassment an offence (Protection from Eviction Act 1977); absolute assignment/subletting and blanket pet bans potentially unfair (LTA 1927 s.19); Renters' Rights Act 2025: pet requests cannot be unreasonably refused.
- Cited
- CMA
- LTA 1927 s.19
- LTA 1985 s.11(6)
- Protection from Eviction Act 1977
- Renters' Rights Act 2025
Russia
Неприкосновенность жилища (Конституция ст. 25, ЖК ст. 3, УК ст. 139) распространяется на нанимателя; доступ «в любое время» противоречит ст. 671/676 ГК; регистрация по месту пребывания обязательна свыше 90 дней (Закон 5242-1 ст. 5; штрафы ст. 19.15.1-19.15.2 КоАП для обеих сторон) и требует согласия собственника — договорный запрет фактически работает; вселение несовершеннолетних без согласия (ст. 679); поднаём только с согласия (ст. 685) — запрет законен.
- Cited
- ЖК ст. 3
- Закон 5242-1
- Конституция ст. 25
- ст. 19.15.1-19.15.2 КоАП
- ст. 5
- ст. 671
- ст. 679
- ст. 685
Where this has actually happened
Regulator actions, court rulings and the contracts they were fought over.
- OFT356 (2005) unfair examples: 'permit the landlord and its agents or servants with or without workmen to enter the property at any time'; 'must not assign underlet charge part with or share possession'
- California Civil Code 1954 (non-waivable 24-hour notice)
- Яндекс Аренда типовой договор (2026): не чаще раза в месяц 'с предварительным уведомлением Арендатора за 3 (три) дня'
- NCLC et al. comments to FTC (Feb 2023): guest fees for stays beyond a set period
What to do
In order, from the thing that takes a minute to the thing that takes a letter.
- Require at least 24 hours' written notice (RU: 3 days is common), reasonable hours, stated purpose, tenant presence except emergencies and a frequency cap
- Limit occupancy clauses to reasonable numbers with family/partner exceptions
- Replace absolute bans with 'consent not to be unreasonably withheld'
- Delete guest fees
- RU: включить «Наймодатель обязуется предоставить согласие на регистрацию по месту пребывания на срок договора».
Traps that travel with it
Drafters who use one of these usually use several.