Who pays what...

Azureus

Random one, and I dont know if you guys can help...but:

If you're renting an apartment/house, and there is a fire-who pays for the damage? You or the landlord?
Now assuming its covered in the insurance which is inclusive in your rent, the landlord would pay. But what if it's entirely your fault and the landlords insurance premium then goes up because of you? Is it one of those things thats a case by case basis, or is there a general rule of thumb here?


I ask because Im nosy, and my neighbour set her apartment on fire by leaving something on the cooker and going to work. Wondered what would happen if I were to do the same! (Which obviously I will endeavor more than ever to avoid, but ykno...) Couldnt find anything about it in my lease so Im curious!

silja

Are you sure contents insurance is included in the rent? That would be very unusual- usually the landlord insures his stuff (ie the structure/ public liability etc) and the tenant hers (contents).

Generally, the landlord pays for damage to his things (new bed if included in inventory, new floorboards if damaged by the water used to put out the fire etc), the tenant pays for hers (her own furniture, valuables, clothes etc). If the tenant was clearly culpable, I suppose the landlord could take a case against her.

Azureus

Yeah, I've no idea if the tenants stuff was included-I was just kind of assuming it would be...if it wasnt, in the case of an electrical fire or something that wasn't the tenants fault, would their stuff be covered? I wasnt aware tenants should take out their own insurance to cover their personal belongings, for some reason I always assumed it would be included in the rent/tenancy agreement? Dont know why I assumed that, wishful thinking I suppose!

The apartment was detroyed-so was the public halls etc, the landlord was not happy so Id be curious to se if a case will be taken. I suppose its his property that was wrecked due to someone elses negligence!

irlrobins

You can't insure something you don't own. The Landlord will generally insure any contents he owns (flooring, appliances) and the physical building is covered by the block insurance that he pays for as apart of his annual service charge.

But the tenant's contents are her own responsibility to insure.

As to the question if there is a case or not; not sure. Part of the experience of being a landlord perhaps....