5 Tips for Taking Legal Action Against a Landlord for Unsafe Living Conditions

Landlords and tenants should always have a casual relationship without conflicts, but sometimes disagreements occur that only the law can fix. As a tenant, you may be impacted emotionally, physically, or financially. If you’re considering filing a lawsuit against the landlord, you need a lawyer to represent you in the entire process, who can advise you on the best legal steps to follow. When choosing a lawyer, ensure they are experienced, accredited, and professional. Here are some tips for taking legal action against a landlord for unsafe conditions in their property.

Fire Outbreak

Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties to ensure tenants are in a conducive environment. Therefore, landlords can be liable for compensation for damages incurred if they neglected to maintain a property and the actions resulted in a fire outbreak. If the tenant alerted the landlord about particular hazardous conditions, but the landlord didn’t repair them, this can act as evidence for a claim. Approximately 50,000 fire outbreaks result from electrical failures in a building. If you are a victim in such a situation, you can send a demand letter to the landlord and if they fail to respond, follow the law to ensure you are compensated.

Pests

Every tenant has a right to live in a habitable space. Before you move into an apartment, ensure that you are given a warranty of habitability. This warrant assists in reminding the landlords that they should do everything in their power to ensure the habitat is safe for the tenant. One of the most widespread conditions that make a house inhabitable is the presence of pests that infest humans. Landlords are supposed to regularly exterminate the property to kill all pests like bed bugs and ants. Ants are the number one most prevalent pests, then spiders and roaches follow. If your landlord fails to meet the warranty of habitability, you have the grounds to sue them for compensation according to the law. This is because the pests threaten your overall health and diminish your living conditions.

Air Conditioning

When moving into a new home, it’s ideal to have air conditioning. There are things a landlord can improve on your property to ensure the air conditioning is reliable. This includes installing double-glazed windows to maintain heat loss in winter and drapes during summer to avoid direct sunshine. Heat loss and gain through windows are liable for 25% to 30% of a home’s cooling and heating energy consumption. When you note that your house is impacted by heat, you should make the landlord aware. If they neglect to fix it, you can file a legal claim.

Illegal Deduction of Security Deposit

As you move into a new crib, most landlords request the tenants to pay a deposit fee to help repair the place if you damage the property. It can be refundable if you don’t incur any damage. If you note that a deduction has been made without reason, you should take legal action. You can also file a lawsuit if the landlord fails to return your security deposit or they falsely accuse you of violating the guidelines or renting their property.

Injury

Accidents occur unexpectedly, but sometimes the cause of an accident may result from a property failure. For instance, slip and fall injuries can occur if the tiles are installed recklessly. If the property owner fails to take it into account, you can press charges against them. Remember that you can’t sue the owner if the injury results from your negligence. For example, if you spill water all over your floor and slip.

Other instances where you can sue your landlord include illegal eviction. The landlord fails to reimburse you after you paid for a repair and discrimination. Before you head to file a suit, ensure you send the landlord a demand letter, and if they fail to meet your needs, you can have the green light to proceed with the law actions. You should know the risks of suing your landlord before you decide on pursuing legal action, as they can decide to terminate your lease agreement.