Major storms and natural disasters can cause significant property damage. As a Rockville rental property owner, do you know what your responsibilities are in the event that your resident’s personal property is also damaged or destroyed?
Some property owners might think that any damage from a storm or natural disaster is their responsibility, but renters and rental property owners both have liabilities when it comes to property damage. Getting to know which liabilities are yours and which are covered by your residents is a vital part of recovering from a natural disaster.
For example, who is responsible for the cost of repairs if a tree on your rental property falls in the middle of a storm and damages a resident’s car? In this case, the cost of repairs is not your responsibility. Instead, the resident’s auto or renter’s insurance should pay for repairs.
What about other types of damage caused by a natural disaster? Floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and more are uncommon but possible events that rental property owners and residents may face. If a rental property is damaged by a natural disaster, it is the owner’s responsibility to check that it is habitable and to pay for repairs if it is not.
However, the resident’s personal property, including vehicles, and the costs of evacuation like transportation, alternative lodging, and food are all the resident’s responsibility. Provided that the property is quickly repaired, the resident may still be responsible for the terms of the lease and should have enough renter’s insurance to cover the cost of alternative housing.
At Real Property Management Capital, we help rental property owners like you figure out what your responsibilities are in the event of a natural disaster or another weather-related incident. Our exclusive property management services will help answer your questions about liability and ensure that your residents are taking on their share of responsibility. Contact us online or give us a call at 301-869-5001 to find out more and discover what we can do for you.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
