The Van Ness South Tenant Association today sent a letter to Dan Burkes, general manager of Equity Residential’s apartment building at 3003 Van Ness, objecting to the company’s announced inspections of all units. Equity Residential has not disclosed the reason for such inspections, nor has it made provision to minimize inconveniencing residents or invading their privacy.
The letter begins:
Dear Mr. Burkes,
I have received dozens of emails from residents of 3003 Van Ness who have expressed their concern about Equity Residential’s announced plan to inspect all units in the building, without the permission of residents.
Residents have a right to privacy – their apartments are their homes. Equity’s sudden and unscheduled inspections are an invasion of that privacy. Residents have called this an “intrusion,” “unacceptable,” and “outrageous.”
Specifically, the letter requests that Equity Residential:
• Strictly abide by DC law regarding inspections.
• Announce to all residents the purpose of the inspections, as required by law.
• Provide at least 48 hours warning of inspections as required by law, including a statement of the first possible date of the inspection of a given unit and the last possible date.
• Mandate that an Equity Residential employee accompany any outside inspectors or potential buyers who enter apartment units.
• Order inspectors not to photograph personal belongings in units.
• Leave written notice after an inspection has been completed.
• In the case of residents who provide written notice objecting to an inspection, negotiate with the tenant a date and time that is convenient for him or her for an inspection to take place.