If you are a tenant and live in a landlord’s property, you expect it to be safe for you. When you move in, you write down everything you notice is wrong. However, there may be hazards you don’t know about right away or things that have to be repaired over time as you live there.
As a tenant who has suffered an injury, it’s important to know if you can hold your landlord liable for what’s happened on his or her property. Here are a few things you should know.
Landlords must provide a safe environment
Landlords have a few duties including the duty to maintain common areas, make furnished dwellings safe for short-term leases and to warn about any potential hidden dangers.
Landlords must not be negligent
If there is a problem with the property that arises due to the landlord’s negligence, the tenant has a right to sue. You’ll need to show that the landlord had a responsibility to repair a certain dangerous condition and did not do so in a reasonable amount of time. You need to show it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to expect the landlord to pay to fix the problem and that you were injured as a result of the disrepair of the property.
Landlords can be held liable for more than medical bills
Finally, remember that landlords can be held liable for many losses resulting from injuries including emotional distress, personal property damage, medical bills, pain and suffering and lost earnings.
Tenants have rights. Landlords need to keep their properties safe for those who live there.
Source: FindLaw, “Liability for Tenant Injuries and Insurance for Landlords,” accessed June 07, 2018
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed
