Is it right for my landlord to forbid others from visiting me when they have done nothing wrong?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it right for my landlord to forbid others from visiting me when they have done nothing wrong?
I had a verbal agreement with a relative that I could live in a house owned by her, no rent. I have been living here for over a year now. However, she is now trying to forbid my two friends from visiting on weekends for her opinionated reasons, claiming they have been influencing me to smoke and drink when I am the only one of legal drinking age and have been smoking for over a year, and they have been visiting on weekends only for the past few months. My friends have done nothing but help me improve living conditions here. Is it legal for her to restrain them? If so, how do I prevent this?
Asked on August 29, 2011 Virginia
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
In all landlord tenant situations, when there is a lease, the landlord as a matter of law gives up possession of the rented unit to the tenant and has no say as to who can or who cannot visit the leased property provided the visitors are obeying all laws and are not creating damages to the unit and are not disturbing adjoining neighbors.
In your situation, since you are being allowed to stay at your relative's home for no rent under a verbal agreement, your living situation is more as a "guest" as opposed to a tenancy. A "guest" is essentially a person who has no legal obligation to pay any rent or do anything to allow him or her to stay in the unit owned by another. A "guest" is like a visitor to one's homewho can be asked to leave at any given time.
Since you appear to be a guest in your relative's home paying nothing to stay, your landlord seems to have the right to forbid others from visiting you at her home if he or she does not want them there.
Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.