The relationship between renters and tenants has always been an awkward one. This is only more apparent when communication between renters and landlords is not great. While most rental agreements have all of the nitty-gritty details worked out in the fine print, there is often some confusion as to who is responsible when damages arise. At Florida Dry, we often see water damage create issues for both renters and landlords. Considering that water damage is one of the most common causes of property damage, it’s only natural to ask, are renters responsible for water damage? Or does the burden fall on the landlord?
Common Water Damage Causes
Before we get into the meat of who is responsible for water damage repairs, let’s look at the common water damage emergencies that will likely be at the center of this issue.
There are three main sources of water damage:
- Leaking fixtures
- Blocked drainsBurst pipes
Responding to Water Damage
When you notice that there is water damage in your home, regardless of whether you are renting the property or if you are the landlord, you will need to respond quickly. A quick response will limit the amount of damage that the water will cause.
First, turn off the water main. Then, open a faucet to drain the water that remains in the pipes. This will prevent further water from entering the property.
After that, you will want to remove excess water from the affected area. Call Florida Dry today, our experts will help remove water from the water damaged areas so that we can proceed to make the necessary repairs that will make your home habitable once again.
As a landlord, you will want to ensure that you work with your tenants to ensure that the unit that the rent is habitable in the short and long term.
What Are Your Landlord’s Duties?
While the answer may change on a case-to-case basis, generally speaking, a landlord is required to provide tenants with a habitable place to live. This means that a house or apartment must have working plumbing (e.g. a working toilet, hot and cold running water, a place to bathe, etc.).
These necessities must be met at a minimum in order for them to be compliant with the legal obligations to provide a habitable unit for their tenants.
Are Renters Responsible for Water Damage?
Whenever a new tenant rents a house or an apartment, it is common practice for the landlord to collect a security deposit. This deposit, while refundable, covers any damage that occurs to the unit as a result of the renter. Security deposits are a guarantee on behalf of the renter to the tenant that they will try to keep the property as maintained as possible.
If a renter causing damage to the property that they are renting, a landlord may use this security deposit to pay for repairs. So while the landlord will likely handle the repairs, from contacting a water damage repair company and dealing with the paperwork, the renter will likely not get their security deposit back.
