Riverpark Towers is said to be a place that offers the highest standards of resident service on a daily basis. Does this mean that they can enter your apartment whenever they please? I know that this issue has been brought up in the past, but I feel that it's getting ridiculous. I am currently a tenant at Riverpark, and I feel that their management procedures are unconventional. There have been three incidents that I am aware of that have resulted in the maintenance staff entering an apartment without notifying the tenants.
The first incident happened when my roommate was in our apartment alone one morning. She was sleeping in the privacy of her bedroom when she was rudely awoken by strange footsteps outside her door. She was not aware of their reason for entering. The men said they were there for something they already checked a week before.
The second incident that happened also occurred in my building. My friend was sleeping and she was awoken by strange voices in her bathroom. She was too scared to go out and look. She could hear the maintenance men whispering and saying obscene things about pictures of the girls on their wall. What really was their motive for this inspection?
The third incident also happened to a friend of mine who lives in the building. She was sleeping in her bedroom and was awoken by a strange man coming into her bedroom. This sounds quite bizarre if you ask me. They sent a notice a week before stating they would be making a visit on one of two days the following week, but that is no reason to walk into someone's bedroom while they are sleeping to do an inspection.
Is it too much of a burden to call the tenants before entering their apartment? I know that I would be petrified if I woke up to strange footsteps, voices or a strange man in my room.
These three incidents sound unorthodox if you ask me. What is the purpose of even locking your door if the maintenance staff seems to be coming in whenever they feel it is necessary?
Upon inspection, it is an Ohio law that you must tell your tenant that you will be entering the apartment. The management at Riverpark slips these notices under the door, and they expect the tenants to receive them. I know that we never received certain notifications in my apartment. I think they can take time out of their busy schedules and personally hand you the notice to make sure you are aware of the inspection. The management could also give the tenants a time in which they will be doing the checkup.
Riverpark might be renovating to make it a better place for the students to live, but do you really want to live under these conditions?
If you have any questions concerning your rights as a tenant, call the Center of Student Legal Services at 740-594-8093.' Jennifer Rice is a junior communications major.
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Letter to the Editor
