Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Kentucky
I paid rent on August 1st and at that time told the office management at the complex that I would be moving and was giving my notice and that I would be out by the 31st. By the 20th I had most everything out of the apartment and was getting settled into my new home. There were however still some of my belongings that I had not been able to get in my vehicle and I returned on the 26th or 27th to retrieve them and the locks had been changed. I had to wait for them to put the old lock back on the door and come back to get my belongings. Is what they did legal?
1 Answer from Attorneys
No, your landlord should not have entered your apartment either without 24 hours notice, or without an emergency situation. You still had possession of the apartment until the 31st. Therefore, you would be justified in asking for a return of your prepaid rent for each day since you were locked out of your apartment, which was an effective breach of your lease agreement, as they retook possession of the premises, pursuant to the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act. However, they will likely refuse, and also likely, the money you would spend in court costs to recover the prepaid rent would exceed the amount of prepaid rent.
On the bright side, at least they didn't come in and steal the remainder of your personal belongings.
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