Renting comes with plenty of rules, and sometimes it can be difficult to know where a landlord’s rights end and a tenant’s rights begin. While some landlord behaviors may feel invasive, unfair, or questionable, many are perfectly legal depending on your lease agreement and local laws.

That doesn’t mean tenants are powerless. Understanding what landlords can legally do can help you avoid surprises, ask better questions before signing a lease, and know when a landlord has actually crossed the line. Here are 10 landlord actions many renters assume are illegal but often aren’t.

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Restricting Home Improvements

Just because you rent a property doesn’t mean you can renovate it however you’d like. Installing new fixtures, painting walls, replacing flooring, or making structural changes often requires written approval from the property owner first.

Raising the Rent

Unless local rent control laws apply, landlords are generally allowed to increase rent when a lease term ends. While large increases can be frustrating, they are often legal as long as proper notice requirements are followed.

Entering Your Unit With Proper Notice

Many renters believe landlords can never enter their home without permission, but that’s not usually the case. In most states, landlords can legally enter for inspections, repairs, maintenance, appraisals, or to show the property to prospective tenants or buyers as long as they provide the required notice.

Conducting Routine Inspections

Periodic inspections may feel intrusive, but they’re often allowed under both lease agreements and state laws. These inspections help landlords identify maintenance issues, safety hazards, lease violations, or property damage before they become more expensive problems.

Requiring Certain Window Coverings

Some landlords prohibit the use of blankets, sheets, cardboard, or other makeshift materials as window coverings. These rules are often intended to maintain the property’s appearance, preserve community standards, and prevent damage to windows and frames.

Prioritizing Repair Requests

Not every maintenance issue receives the same level of urgency. Most landlords are legally required to address health and safety concerns promptly, but cosmetic repairs and minor inconveniences may be given lower priority.

Refusing Certain Pets

Many renters assume landlords must allow pets if they’re well-behaved, but property owners can often establish pet restrictions. Breed limitations, weight limits, pet deposits, and even complete no-pet policies are legal in many rental properties, although service animals are generally protected under federal law.

Not Disclosing Previous Deaths in the Home

Contrary to popular belief, landlords are not required in many states to volunteer information about previous deaths that occurred on the property. In some locations, disclosure rules exist, but often only under specific circumstances or when a prospective tenant directly asks.

Staying Silent About Past Bedbug Problems

Bedbug disclosure laws vary widely across the country. While some states require landlords to disclose current or previous infestations, others place far fewer disclosure obligations on property owners.

Not Mentioning Flood Risks

Many renters are surprised to learn that landlords aren’t always required to disclose whether a property has previously flooded or is located in a flood-prone area. Because flood disclosure requirements differ by state, renters often need to research flood maps and insurance risks on their own before signing a lease.