Out water heater caught on fire and caused a hose to burst. The entire first floor of our townhouse was flooded. We had multiple fans and dehumidifiers running in our home for over a week. The water and electric bills are going to be due in a couple of weeks and are considerably higher than normal. We also had to take our daughter to the doctor for smoke inhalation. Who is responsible for the charges incurred? Our landlord has not offered to pay for anything. We don't have insurance for our belongings so I know we are on our own for the damage caused to them. But what about the utility and doctor bills? I'm not sure what I have the right to expect from my landlord.
2007-03-05 01:18:52 · 4 answers · asked by Beth M 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Well you must break all three expenses down seperately. Your landlord is not responsible for the doctor visit if he/she took ordinary care. Meaning that he/she did not know that the water heater was going to catch on fire. The water bill is not his/her responsibility because there was no way of knowing that the hose would burst regardless of the age of the hose. The electric bill could be partially the landlord's responsibility because the fans and the dehumidifiers were running to dry out his property. However, if you were doing it for your comfort and enjoyment and not because he instructed you to do so then he is not responsible for that also. In the end, it really comes down to the terms of your lease and which state you live in.
2007-03-05 01:58:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The landlord for the additional water/hydro bills. Not sure about the doctors bills though unless it can be proven that it was due to the landlords negligence that the water heater caught fire (if that is proven then I would think he is also responsible for your loss of belongings as well) - talk to a lawyer.
We are also dealing with a utilities bill coming up from my daughter's landlord from a flood in the basement of the house she is renting. We will be refusing to pay for the extra costs of running dehumidifiers and fans 24 hours a day.
2007-03-05 01:30:40 · answer #2 · answered by Lucy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely all of those charges are on you. like the man said, the landlord didn't know it was going to happen. That is what renters insurance is for.
2007-03-05 03:11:43 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in case you had the heater repaired rapidly after the priority replaced into stated, you have completed your area. If the heater ran continuously using a situation with that fix, it incredibly is the accountability of the organisation that did the upkeep. if your settlement states that the tenant is in charge for their utilities, you're lined.
2016-12-14 11:17:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋