My landlord is selling my rent house and explained the new buyer would be my new landlord (unless of course, they buy it and give me 30 days notice.). My landlord told me this Saturday.

On Monday, the realtor calls me and tells me - doesn't ask - he will be coming the next day to take pictures and needed the code for my private security system. I reclunctualy gave him to code, which he said only he and several people showing the house would know. He told me to kennel my dog every day, as he would give at least an hour's notice. AN HOUR.

So there are now pictures of my house on the Internet with all my things. As a single female, I'm not keen on the idea, but he told me it was just part of the process. Kenneling the dog every day is part of the process. 1 hour notice is part of the process.

At work today I got a text at 1:30 that said they were showing my home at 5:15. It gave me an option to reply yes or no, so I replied no. I have dinner to cook, things to tidy, work in general. The realtor told me I couldn't just turn down a showing. We spoke on the phone about it and basically told me too bad. He acted like he went above and beyond because it was almost 4 hours notice. I also needed to take the dog with me wherever I went since I would get home before the showing. He recommended the dog park or leaving him in the car while I got something to eat.

I dragged my 45 lb. dog around on some errands I convinced myself I needed to do (check balance at bank, get a drink, drop off prescription, check store hours, park in the grocery store parking lot and contemplate life.). After I saw they closed the door on my mobile security system app, I headed home. At 5:50, I get a text that there is a second showing at 6:00. They did not leave until 6:45. I drove around/ran the A/C with my dog in the car for 1 hour and 45 minutes. I am livid. Landlord told me the showings would slow down, and he would discuss the inconvenience with the realtor. He didn't seem too concerned but apologized. He is in a bind and needs to sell the house along with the other house on the property (twin pack deal - rent house pays mortgage for main house.)

I refuse to accommodate people in my house with 1 hour notice. I refuse to kennel my dog because someone might want to see it whenever they please. The realtor and I are butting heads horribly. The landlord wants the property to sell quickly (within 30 days is the goal), but he does not/cannot lose me as a tenant because he is in such a bind. I am finding myself making catty comments. This is day 3 of the listing . . .

Well you look on this site for the AK landlord tenant law..

and see if or how much AK requires for notice to show the house for sale or rent..

Link under LL/tenant law then select the state

I'm in a phone and am having trouble finding that on the site. I just see posts going down the page.

Is the Realtor also the property manager or is it managed by the owner?

What does your lease say about quiet enjoyment if anything?

When it comes to entering the property, Arkansas is very pro-landlord. Without your lease saying anything, No notice is actually required but it must be at "reasonable times."

Your best bet is to try to work out a schedule with the owner and Realtor so that they have set times they can show the house.

IMO expecting to show the house at the drop of a hat is a little unreasonable.

My lease states that I will give my tenants the courtesy of AT LEAST 24 hours notice before entering except in case of an emergency. I think that's reasonable, and I've seen many properties for sale (in my state) that require 24 hour notice specifically because they are tenant-occupied.

I think they're bullying you a little. If your lease and state laws aren't specific, you could have a conversation that goes something like this:

"I appreciate that you need to sell the house, and I'd like to cooperate to make that happen. BUT it is cruel and inhumane for you to insist on my dog being kenneled for an entire day just because you MIGHT want to schedule a showing. Giving me only an hour's notice is unreasonable and interferes with my peaceful enjoyment of my home. If you insist on only one hour notice, you need to realize that there will be a high likelihood that that the house will be a mess, it will smell really bad, my dog will be roaming around the house, and that I will not be there."

"Therefore, how can we schedule showings so that both of our needs are met?" If they don't back off, make some specific suggestions that would be acceptable to you. Make it a win-win.

I also like the idea of setting up pre-set time slots for showings. But when I told him I didn't have enough notice, he told me that was just how it was though. People want to see the house, some person tells him, and then he schedules the showing to meet their needs that day. He is very condescending but has excellent reviews online which is confusing. He obviously gets things sold in record time. He is not about meeting in the middle. It isn't debatable unless you're holding money. Today he told me the buyers need to be accommodated (What about me?), and I told him it wasn't my problem, to which he told me was my problem - that the owner put him in charge of selling it.

I'm not looking forward to lounging around Saturday anymore, and I'm pretty sure I'll be napping hard on Mon. after a surgery and will have to deal with him again trying to force showings in while I'm on painkillers and can't drive. I'm honestly to the point of making up outlandish excuses (swinger "party," food poisoning, I'm drunk). The worst I could do is have the landlord give me 30 days notice to make things easier (w/out breaking terms of lease), and I get out of a then-convenient lease. I just really want peace and quiet though.

the number one thing, Stop leaving the home when the realtor wants to show the unit, while the LL owns the home the residential lease is the temporary transfer of certain rights from the bundle of rights hence the right to quiet enjoyments of the unit, which is found under state statute/law so it does not matter if its in the lease

plus until the lease ends its your legal domicile not the LL

So tell the realtor today you will not be leaving the home for any future showings , if the realtor push back simply file an ethics violation

Next keep a log, of the dates and times the realtor is trying to show the home and the notice given , if AR is reasonable then next time you get a one hour notice to

show simply say NO

Is the main house vacant? Last duplex I put on the market had one vacant unit. Showed that first.

Then IF the buyer was serious schedule a showing with the occupied house. "Serious" meant:qualified and VERY interested. Way too many looksy-loos and low-ballers making the rounds. This limited the inconvenience to the tennant (and the realtor).

I do not believe their request are unreasonable, and I do not believe you are either. This is not forever just for now.

IF you were my daughter/son,,, i would just give the Landlord my 30 day notice and move. Start packing up boxes and getting organized to move to my new place and not worry to much about what the realtor is doing or not doing.

I agree about not leaving the home. I've looked at plenty of houses to purchase where the tenants were home, especially for a first showing. Only if we got really serious and wanted to do inspections would we warn them we'd be there all day so they might want to leave.

And I agree about not kenneling the dog all day on the *possibility* of a showing! My dog doesn't even HAVE a kennel, what would they do then?

First, thank you for all of your replies. I'm sure I will get a text today at work telling me there is s showing, which I look forward to . . . I am on a 1-yr lease. I have 6 more months left on it. I am in Saline Co. - Benton, Bryant area.

The main house IS vacant, and your logic is my logic. Why can you not explain to buyers it has a current renter, and if they are serious about the sale, they can schedule an appointment? Well, the realtor cannot take no for an answer and gets his way by bullying his way through renters so he can sell the property as quickly as possible. He acts like it is not big deal to inconvenience me, but if a potential buyer is inconvenienced because they can't see everything at a moment's notice, it's the end of the world. I can't imagine every buyer wants to see the rent house, but they volunteer to show them regardless because no big deal to just tell me I have to leave.

He has to sell the property quick and invade my right to privacy to do it, which I'm not on board for. I have $650 tied up in the deposit, which I imagine I would lose if I was the one to give 30 days for refusing to deal with this.

Can they buy out my lease? Is this an option? Thanks for the keeping a log recommendation. It also helps that he texts me these things.

If your rent is paying the mortgage on the entire property why don't you make a deal with the LL to buy the place? You move up to the big house and rent out where you are now. No change in your monthly payment and you now own the property?

Then you get the advantage of a tax deduction for your mortgage interest and come out ahead at the end of the year.

If your rent is paying the mortgage on the entire property why don't you make a deal with the LL to buy the place? You move up to the big house and rent out where you are now. No change in your monthly payment and you now own the property?

Then you get the advantage of a tax deduction for your mortgage interest and come out ahead at the end of the year.

I've found a very helpful way to deal with bullies is to just communicate via email or text. Email is better, actually, because it leaves a better "paper trail." The next time he tries to schedule a showing, simply email back "No. I'm recovering from surgery and can't drive." Or whatever. It's a lot harder to argue via email.

I found an interesting law article that addresses this issue. Moshe might be able to clarify, but as I read it, unreasonable demands for you to leave the premises could qualify as a constructive eviction--which btw is illegal.

"Arkansas recognizes the doctrine of constructive eviction. As the Arkansas Supreme Court said, “the failure on the part of the lessor to perform his covenants in the lease may justify the abandonment of the premises by the lessee, and may work a cessation of the rent.” Arkansas courts equate the concept of constructive eviction with a breach of the landlord’s bligation

to provide quiet enjoyment. As stated by the Arkansas Supreme

Court, “[t]he concepts of constructive eviction and breach of the covenant for quiet enjoyment are very closely related, if not just different names for the same concept.” In the absence of language in the lease agreement to the contrary, Arkansas law implies a covenant of quiet enjoyment in all leases.

The Arkansas Court of Appeals recently summarized Arkansas’ concept of constructive eviction as follows:

Conduct by a landlord that effectively deprives the tenant of the use and benefit of the premises amounts to a constructive eviction. What particular acts or omissions by the landlord amount to a constructive eviction cannot be defined by a general rule and depend on the facts of each case. The landlord’s conduct must be such that it will prevent the tenant’s use of the premises for the particular purposes for which it was leased. Constructive eviction depends on the materiality of the deprivation. Similarly, the concept of first breach recognizes that a breach of a lease by one contracting party may release the other party from its contractual

duties if the first breach is material and sufficiently serious. In particular, if a landlord breaches his contract to repair or make improvements, the tenant may treat the relations at an end."

Here's the link: lawrepository.ualr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=lawreview

Understand that you are in a tough spot. You seem like a responsible tenant. You want to do what is right, yet this is causing you some pain. Since landlord tenant relationship are based on balance, you might want to contact your current landlord and ask that HIS realtor provide you a little bit more notice.

Getting upset and doing something foolish will only get you a 30 day notice (either by the current or future land lord), yet you shouldn't feel the way that you feel. It is the landlord's house - but its your home.

as long as you are taking care of the place, keeping peace with the neighbors, and paying on time......things normally stay balanced. A sale of the property is likely causing some stress to both you and the current landlord.

You must look closely at your lease and see what it entails. You may be out of luck until they get the place sold.

Maybe they can accommodate you to show just on certain days. Then you can plan what you will do with your dog, dinner, etc. As long as you are respectful to them, they should be respectful as well. The realtor doesn't sound like they care about their client because she doesn't care about inconveniencing you, either. There's no guarantee she's going to sell that house and while making attempts, she has pissed you off so bad, you might leave too!

I have met some bullheaded realtors too who didn't care about me as their client, they just want their commission.

If the realtor won't get on board, then just live as you normally do and don't worry about their demands.

Either way, though, you probably should have a backup plan to leave as you never know the plans with the new buyer. Sad you have to go through this...

I always pay on time, stay to myself, have good neighbor relationships. I make repairs more often than I should. I have two square holes in my bedroom wall from only God knows what I'm about to fix (old tenant, I'm assuming). I take responsibility for things. I am honestly thinking the realtor wants me out, which I would too if I were in his situation. That's a hard sell with a tenant - especially with a mad tenant. Who knows what they could do after all. Not that I will do anything, of course, but I feel the Hulk coming on.

I have called the landlord twice now. He told me to just let him know what works for me and that he can work around that. He said he couldn't afford to loose such a good tenant. That was the first call. Yesterday he told me to be patient, that he doubted the property would sell, and there was just an influx of interested buyers because it was new on the market. I get it. I really do. But this is something that I should not have to stress about if it can helped, and the realtor refuses. My landlord said he would talk to him, but I don't see it doing any good. I asked him to bring out an electrician before because an outlet was hot and I had some that didn't work, and he never got one. He probably can't afford it.

The info on constructive evictions is a HUGE help. Thank you. Because this situation is so ridiculous, I think it is what the realtor might be pushing for.

I'm not sure why they need you to be out of the home during showings...years ago I went to see several houses where the owner (and landlord) was trying to do a short sale and there tenants in place, home during the showing...it was not a problem for me as someone looking...

Jaqueline--I disagree that this realtor sounds reasonable in some of his requests or demands. You sound, and speak as though you are a considerate, competent, responsible tenant. I have had issues with realtors in the past on the sale of my personal residence and some of these realtors ARE pushy and bullies and sometimes you just have to put the brakes on them. If this realtor is indeed acting this way towards you, IMHO, I would do this:

E-MAIL so that you have a paper trail, to the LL AND Realtor at the same time, something like this----

"while I am doing my best to comply with what I consider some unreasonable demands by the realtor (i.e. short notice on showings, expecting me and my dog to be out of the house, having one showing then 10 minutes after I get back home calling me and telling me I have to be out again in 10 minutes, etc)--I find that it is interrupting my right to the quiet enjoyment of MY home, which I am paying rent for.

Going forward, I will require 24 or XXX hours notice of showings (this IS a reasonable request)--and that the realtor does HIS scheduling of group showings to between the hours of XXXX and XXX on XXX days, or XXX days of the week. No showings will be held after XXX p.m. during my workweek.

Furthermore--I am scheduled for some minor surgery on XXXXdate --after I get home for recovery, I WILL NOT be in a position to leave my home for a few days, will be on pain meds, nor will I be able to have my home shown from XXX date to XXX date. This is non-negotiable.

Please respond by XXX date so that we can work out a REASONABLE, mutually compatible schedule".

Then if your LL refuses to accommodate a reasonable schedule and this pushy little snot of a realtor won't comply, I would demand that the LL change the security code on the door until he, the realtor, and you come to a reasonable accommodation. This realtor is NOT the LL and you do have some rights as a renter regarding what happens during this sale, as long as you are willing to accommodate a reasonable showing schedule.

If you don't feel like vacating your home for the showings, just stay put---the showings will most likely be shorter if you are there--I would not care if it irritated this realtor. This alone should reduce your stress during this time.

I would also be talking to the LL about what is going to happen with your remaining xxx months of the Lease---is he going to release you from the lease when it is sold? is he willing to release you from the lease if you look for other housing now? Get it in WRITING and an amendment/change to the Lease. This way you should know where you stand and whether or not you should be looking NOW to moving.

I also agree with LLofF--I would put all my valuables, paperwork, etc in my bedroom and lock the door---this area would NOT be accessible to the realtor. Can you put your dog in your bedroom for the day?

It's YOUR security system, if I read correctly. Change the code - now. You'll then have a bargaining chip with Mr. Pushy Realtor.

Communicate politely through your landlord, not directly with the realtor. Work out with the landlord the parameters for when and where to show, and be reasonable. If you want to be there for showings, say so, and stick to your guns about it - he can't get in without the security code, anyway!

Once you have gotten the agreement about the showings to have a reasonable amount of time for notice, have the landlord tell the realtor to notify you ONLY through him. (Let the landlord find out what a pain this guy is!)

The landlord is required to give you reasonable notice. One hour isn't reasonable.

That said, with my tenants, I made it worth their while. I paid them $100 if they assisted with me securing a tenant before their departure by keeping the premises immaculate and cooperating with showings. I never had any trouble and most were happy to help. I also gave them reasonable notice, but if someone good popped up, I would just politely ask if they minded if I ran someone in quickly. It's all about relationship.

I said she doesn't have to kennel her dog all day on the off change that a showing be done - not fair to the dog at all!

To clear up a few things:

1. The security system IS my own personal system - smoke detector and all.

2. I AM having surgery Monday.

Thank you for all of the replies. This is such a helpful forum. I am stealing Lori's response (THANK YOU) if the landlord cannot talk any sense into the realtor. The good news is I have not had any calls/texts today, which I was expecting. Though if they were informing me of showings tomorrow, hey, it's all good!

As for putting away the dog/valuables behind a door, I only have a bathroom door since it is all open. I can puppy gate him, which I prefer, but since the barking is the realtor's main concern, neither it or the kennel would help. He's going to bark and growl unless I open the door for them and let them in. Otherwise, the whole neighborhood is going to hear about it from him. This is an easy solution though: Let me be present, but the realtor hasn't negotiated one thing. He just wants him removed, end of story.

many of the replies are nice.

The true answer lies in the law of your state and maybe even your city.

By & large, the Realtor CANNOT DO what they are doing.

change the code. Demand a 24 hour notice. Do not feel that you have to leave the house or cage the dog.

I tried making another post about how to proceed with legal action, but I think it said administrators would need to approve the topic. I need to proceed with legal advice now.

Things are going South, and this forum has been awesome. Thank you for all that you do. I am asking once again for help. I have put the breaks on this thing. I received a text today at 12:50 saying my rental home I live in will be shown at 2:00 to a potential buyer. I texted the realtor and asked him to work with me - that 1 hour was not enough. I also told him the dog was not put away, so he would not be able to show the home anyways. His response:

"As we have discussed, we can't limit when the buyers can come see the property, outside of a medical emergency, and we sure can't tell them they can't see it during the day while you are at work. I will be glad to adjust the notice to 1.5 hrs. The potential buyers must see your rent home, and the best option is for the dog to be behind the gate."

I told him adding 30 minutes does nothing, and I was changing the code. He just texted back okay, and he was going to let the owner know. I've already talked to the landlord Monday, and obviously he did not care enough to discuss it with HIS realtor.

So, what are my next steps/options. I am in Arkansas, so I understand my rights are quite limited as a tenant. I have searched for an advocacy groups in my area and am coming up with nothing. Perhaps I am searching for the wrong thing. I came across an attorney general's consumer alert about rights and responsibilities of renters and landlords. One of the tabs says, "file a consumer complaint." Is this a consumer complaint? Am I filing a complaint against the landlord first and the realtor second? I'm very lost. Someone mentioned to file a code?

I'm very sorry if I am asking this in the wrong area/website. I have a bit of a technology curve, and this site has been extremely helpful, so thank you again.

RE Changing the code, I assume there will still be times the showing will occur while you're out (which will entail giving the new code). I'd just change it after EVERY showing.

1) Find out from your security company what the max length is and use that as the passode length.

Two steps

1) Ethics violation - Search for "real estate agent ethics violations" and take the article from ANtional Association of Realtors to start the process

2) Locate your local magistrates office and visit them. Talk to the people behind the desk. They will point you in the proper direction to proceed with a lawsuit for "constructive eviction and breach of the covenant for quiet enjoyment "