What would be the next best step?
This is not just a clause in your lease agreement but it comes from the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, Part 2, Section 16 (c) under "Tenant's Obligations":I have a tenant renting my house since February this year. So far so good. Rent paid on time and I haven't had contact with him since he signed the contract. I'll be in the area next month and would like to call in to say hello and maybe check the state of the house and garden. I emailed 10 days ago about a prospective visit (there's a clause in the contract which permits this) and haven't had a reply. What would be the next best step?
Write to the tenant (send by recorded delivery and keep a copy) and inform him that you have emailed him but he has not responded. Give a time and date that you will be at the house for inspection as per RTA 2004 16 (c). Failure to confirm the appointment will make him in breach of contract and he may therefore incur any reasonable expenses that you have should he not be at the property to fulfil his obligation.(c) allow, at reasonable intervals, the landlord, or any person or persons acting on the landlord’s behalf, access to the dwelling (on a date and time agreed in advance with the tenant) for the purposes of inspecting the dwelling,