Legal questions about access to your home

Questioner

My landlord has hired handymen to repair his restaurant (under my home). The repair requires access to my roof terrace to reach the exhaust hood. He is not there himself, but the handymen have keys to the building and therefore also to my home. My question is, are the handymen allowed to have keys and enter my home, even if I am not (any longer) present?

Lawyer

They are not allowed to do that. You must give permission to enter your home. The landlord will therefore have to carry out the job in consultation with you, unless the job cannot wait due to urgency.

Questioner

Thanks for your answer, the landlord did indicate the night before that repairs would be carried out the next day, which I gave permission for. I just wonder if the handymen are allowed to have the keys to the building and my house keys, isn't it true that only the tenant and the landlord are allowed to have the house keys?

Lawyer

In principle yes, but the responsibility then lies with the landlord for any damage if he calls in the handymen. You can agree with the landlord that he must be present when your home is entered or agree on a new day that you are present.