Flood Damage: Your Responsibilities as a Renter

6/15/2018 (Permalink)

Despite the tragic wildfires raging through California and the tornadoes touching down in that infamous tornado alley, the most common natural disaster in America is floods. Most homeowners know the best protection against flood damage is insurance, but what if you’re a renter? What are your responsibilities? What are the landlord’s? Will your renter’s insurance cover all the damage?

The Landlord.

To fully understand the responsibilities of a renter in the case of flood damage, it’s important to start with the landlord. Rented property must be habitable to be legally rented, so if there is a flood, the landlord is responsible for the repair of structural damage to the apartment or house.

This includes but is not limited to damage to these areas:

• Ceiling
• Walls
• Carpeting
• Doors

It’s also important to check the lease agreement, as this may have already ironed out the rights and responsibilities of the landlord versus the tenant in the case of a flood.

The Tenant.

Unfortunately for renters, the landlord is not legally responsible for personal items owned by the tenant. So, if computers, television sets, passports or work documents are damaged, the responsibility lies with the tenant, unless otherwise specified in the lease or unless the tenant can prove that the flood damage was due to the negligence of the landlord. If the home is still habitable, the tenant is also responsible for continued payments of rent.

To offset these costs, tenants should choose wisely when purchasing renter’s insurance. Some plans only cover the bare minimum, but others may include useful perks like covering rent for another home in the same price range during repairs and replacing prized possessions.

Renter’s insurance doesn’t always cover all the damage from floods. Because of this, good insurance coverage is often the difference between homelessness after a flood and a smooth recovery. However, perhaps even more important than this is knowing your rights and responsibilities as a tenant of a rented home in South Jordan, UT.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROsouthjordannorthdraper.com/.