What can a landlord do when a tenant refuses to let them in to make a repair?

What a typical access statute says

Florida Statute 83.53 is a useful example because it covers the whole situation. The tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry for inspections, repairs, agreed services or showings. For repairs, the landlord gives reasonable notice, defined as at least 24 hours, and entry is between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Entry is allowed at any time for protection or preservation of the premises, and in an emergency. The landlord may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant.

Other states differ on the notice period, the hours and the remedy. Many require 24 or 48 hours, and a few have specific forms. Read our post on notice before entering and your state's rule.

Steps when a tenant keeps saying no

1. Send written notice with a specific date and a time window inside the legal hours, and say what the work is and who is coming.
2. Offer a second time. A tenant who works nights or has a pet may have a real reason, and a documented offer helps you later.
3. Ask the reason for refusing. If it is a safety, privacy or disability issue, take it seriously and adjust.
4. If the work is not an emergency and the tenant keeps refusing, send a second notice that says refusing a reasonable entry may breach the lease, and attach your state's required wording.
5. Do not enter without the legal basis, and do not change the locks. If the problem is one that could harm the building or other units, such as a leak, tell the tenant it is an emergency in writing, and follow your state's emergency entry rule.

Emergencies are different

A burst pipe, a gas smell, a fire or active flooding is what the emergency exception is for. You do not need the usual notice, but you should still try to reach the tenant, enter only as far as needed, and write down what you found and when. The less you do beyond the emergency, the better your position.

Example a made-up tenant refuses entry for three weeks for a slow drip under the kitchen sink. You send two written notices with different times. The drip worsens and starts to damage the floor below. Your notice file shows two offers and a written warning, which is what you need if the damage becomes a dispute.

What not to do

• Do not enter just because you have a key.
• Do not threaten the tenant in a message you would not want read aloud.
• Do not use the access dispute as a reason to raise rent or end the lease unless your state allows that and it is a separate, properly documented reason.
• Do not skip the paper: a text that says "come tomorrow" is not a notice if your state requires writing.

How DoorKeeping handles it

Each repair is a work order, and DoorKeeping emails the tenant the date and window you pick, so the notice and its time stamp are in one place. Every message and each reschedule is saved on the work order, which gives you the dated file this situation needs. A notice with legal wording waits for your one-tap approval before it goes out.

Sources

1. Florida Statutes 83.53: Landlord's access to dwelling unit (2025), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

How much notice do I need to enter for a repair?

It depends on the state. Florida's statute says at least 24 hours for repairs, with entry between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Check yours.

Can I enter without notice in an emergency?

Most states allow it for true emergencies, such as fire or flooding, and ask you to limit entry to what the emergency needs.

Can I change the locks if the tenant keeps refusing?

No. Changing locks to force access or to pressure a tenant is a self-help remedy that most states prohibit.