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Owner vs. Renter Liability: Navigating Disaster Responsibilities

A tree fallen on an SUV during an intense storm.
As a rental property owner in Allen, it’s vitally important to understand your responsibilities as preparation for major storms and natural disasters that can bring about extensive damage. This counts understanding how to handle the potential damage or havoc of your residents’ personal property.

Who is responsible for damage resulting from a disaster?

It’s a common misconception that any damage caused by a storm or natural disaster is naturally and singularly the property owner’s responsibility. But in actuality, both renters and rental property owners have liabilities regarding property damage. Grasping well these liabilities is an essential part of being prepared for and recovering from misfortune.

 

For example, lots of rental properties feature one or more large trees around the home’s exterior. If a tree on your rental property falls down during a storm and harms a vehicle belonging to a resident, whose responsibility is it to cover the cost of repairs? In cases like this, paying for the damage is not your responsibility. On the contrary, the resident’s auto or renter’s insurance should cover the cost of servicing the resident’s car.

What about other types of damage caused by a natural disaster?

Floods, wildfires, tornados, and more are all potential events that rental property owners and residents may face occasionally. In the unfortunate event of a natural disaster damaging a rental property, it is the legal obligation of the property owner to nail down that the living conditions of the property are safe and habitable for the tenants. Besides that, the property owner is also definitely financially responsible for setting up and covering the expenses related to the repair work required to restore the property to a habitable state.

 

On the other hand, the resident’s personal property, namely vehicles, the cost of transportation by reason of an evacuation, lodging, food, and other expenses are all the resident’s responsibility. As long as the property is appropriately returned to a habitable state within a short period, the resident may still be responsible for the lease terms. They must have a good deal of renter’s insurance to cover, for a short time at least, needing alternative accommodations and to suitably protect their personal belongings in case of damage or loss. Coaxing your tenants to do so may save you both so much headache in the event of a disaster.

How to stay prepared as a landlord

As a landlord, it is very important to prioritize disaster preparedness. Possible disasters can indeed hugely impact your rental properties and tenants. To make absolute sure of the safety and security of your properties, think of completing a total property risk assessment, acquiring more than adequate insurance coverage, performing preventative measures involving reinforcing vulnerable areas, securing loose objects, and affixing surge protectors.

 

Creating a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan and properly communicating evacuation routes and emergency contacts to your tenants are imperative steps to take. Putting together protocols for securing the property, on top of that, contributes to proactive disaster preparedness, fundamentally safeguarding your rental properties and the welfare of your tenants in the end.

 

At Real Property Management Focus, we are earnest in helping Allen rental property owners like you navigate the complications of natural disasters and other weather-related incidents. Contact us online or call us at 773-443-7439 today to glean more as regards to how we can extend to you the proper guidance and support you hope to find.

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