Should a landlord preserve the health of their tenants? While there is no law that states the landlords must preserve their tenant’s health, landlords can face legal consequences for health hazards within their properties.
Indeed, tenants can hold the landlord liable for injuries sustained on the property due to the landlord’s action (or inaction). Additionally, if a landlord fails to comply with their obligation to provide safe housing in any way, they can face legal pursuit. They could be made to pay compensation to the tenant.
So, as a landlord, you must be clear about your responsibility when it comes to your tenant’s health.
Make any and all repairs necessary to keep the premises in a habitable condition
Issues, such as a leaky roof, fall under the landlord’s responsibility. More importantly, in residential rentals, the landlord must arrange for regular maintenance with the tenant’s help. The tenant can argue that a leaky roof puts them at risk of prolonged mold exposure or affects their health if they have an underlying condition. So, suppose you struggle to keep on top of maintenance and repair appointments. In that case, it can be a good idea to consider working with a professional roofing company that can check your properties regularly and provide durable solutions.
The tenant may not pursue their legal complaint if they have intentionally or accidentally caused delays to the repair by postponing appointments. Yet, it can be stressful to receive a complaint in the first place, so you don’t want to give your tenants a reason to be unhappy.
Maintain electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and other facilities supplied by the landlord
In winter, the last thing anybody needs is to get back to a cold home because the heating system encountered a fault. As a landlord, you must react quickly and tackle this kind of issue immediately. It can be difficult to manage rental problems when you are busy. But to prevent unnecessary delays, you can entrust your rental property to a real estate management agency. This guarantees that there is always someone to organize emergency repairs.
Maintain appropriate garbage receptacles and arrange for its removal You must provide good bin solutions for the property. Additionally, your tenant could comply if the garbage options presented additional health hazards, such as being too easily accessible to wildlife (especially if other properties in the same communities are wildlife-proof), constantly leaking smells even when empty, etc. For instance, your tenants could lose sleep through the noise or smell caused by the garbage. As sleep is essential to their health, they could prevent the complaint to a lawyer if they face aggravated medical issues.
Supply tenants with running water and reasonable amounts of hot water and heat
Tenants appreciate that plumbing issues related to the water supply but happening between the water company and the property may not always be your responsibility. Yet, if you have an exclusive deal with a specific supplier and the supplier fails to provide running water, the tenant could sue both the landlord and the supplier. Individuals with specific health requirements, such as a serious skin condition, may require frequent washing, and failure to provide reasonable access to the water at all times would put their health at risk.
The bottom line is that you never know how your property could affect the tenant’s health. Your property plays a role in the health of tenants and their relatives. Therefore, you can’t afford to fail on your legal obligations.
