#2 is very important in SF too. A landlord will never give you a truthful answer to #3 if that would cast the apartment in a negative light. You should try to

#2 is very important in SF too. A landlord will never give you a truthful answer to #3 if that would cast the apartment in a negative light. You should try to talk to the prior tenant directly if at all possible. In California an "entrance at will" clause in a residential lease is unenforceable. The reasons and notice requirements that a landlord may enter a tenant's apartment are set out in law. If you see in it your lease it does suggest that your landlord doesn't know the law very well though.