With cost-of-living expenses on the rise, many adults have to share living quarters with others to maintain balanced budgets. Taking on a roommate helps limit the financial liability that comes from renting. A roommate shares the monthly rent payments and utility expenses for a living space. They can also help with the actual maintenance of the space.
As beneficial as a roommate arrangement can sometimes be, it may also expose people to unexpected risks. For example, if police officers arrive at a rented home, a roommate might feel inclined to allow them inside. Tennessee renters may feel uncertain about what rights they have in such situations.
Can a roommate give up another person’s right to privacy and allow police into shared spaces?
There are limits on roommate permission
Technically, anyone living or staying at a property could grant others access to the space. However, they generally only have the authority to allow access to Shared spaces, like the kitchen and bathroom, as well as their own private space.
Particularly when a roommate secures their living space with locks, they should not have to worry about a roommate or anyone they allow inside accessing their private spaces. Unfortunately, when police officers gain access to a property, they often eagerly search for opportunities to access more of the space if they don’t immediately find adequate evidence.
Aromas, noises and limited visual access could give police officers the probable cause that they need to search someone’s private spaces without their consent. Those who realize that a roommate could compromise their right to privacy and put them at risk of prosecution could potentially address that concern with the person sharing their living space. They could help practice asserting the right to privacy when police officers come seeking permission to conduct a search.
Taking the time to consistently secure separate living and storage spaces can help protect against scenarios in which a roommate unintentionally puts someone at risk of criminal prosecution. In scenarios where police officers violate someone’s rights before pursuing criminal charges against them, that could affect any criminal trial that takes place. Learning more about privacy rights and police searches may benefit those recently accused of breaking the law who need to build the strongest possible defense strategy.
