Landlord Liability for Tenant Injuries

Landlords are required to take reasonable care to prevent injury to their tenants. In practical terms, the doctrine of ‘caveat emptor’ for residential leases no longer exists. However, landlords are not automatically liable whenever a tenant is injured on the premises. Instead, whether or not the landlord is liable depends on “ was the landlord acting as a reasonably careful person in maintaining the property, so as to prevent or avoid the specific accident? “

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Landlord’s Duty to Maintain Pipes and Plumbing

Landlords must repair the pipes and plumbing in a rental unit and maintain them in good shape. If the cause of the leak was negligence—for example, carelessness in maintaining or fixing the pipes—the landlord will probably be responsible for any reasonably foreseeable damages or losses to the tenant caused by the negligence. So if the landlord didn’t keep the plumbing in good order, he could be responsible for paying for any losses, which would include property damage (e.g. if the tenant’s belongings are damaged) or a heightened water bill.

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