When a person rents an apartment or a home, he or she has the right to expect that the unit will be free from hazardous conditions. In fact, Florida law requires that landlords only rent dwellings that are fit to live in. If the tenant is harmed in the unit because of the landlord’s negligence, the tenant might opt to seek compensation for his or her injuries.
All landlords have to ensure that the places they rent to tenants meet all applicable safety, building and health codes. At a minimum, the dwelling has to have heat, hot water, working plumbing, working and locking doors and windows, and reasonable security. The building has to be structurally sound.
When things break in a rental unit, the landlord has a duty to fix it if that breakage makes the unit unfit to live in. The landlord has to cover the expense.
Negligent maintenance, building code violations, safety violations and several other hazardous conditions are some that might lead to injuries. If you notice these defects before you are injured, inform the landlord in writing so there is a paper trail of the issue.
Another important point is that the landlord can’t disconnect utilities or intercept this. This is an important point to remember because even if you are late on your rent, you have the right to utilities. If the landlord disconnects your utilities or intercepts them and you are injured, you can seek compensation.
If you have been injured because of hazardous conditions that your landlord didn’t fix, you have the right to seek compensation from the landlord. It is important that you understand the landlord’s responsibilities so that you can decide how to proceed.
Source: Online Sunshine, “The 2015 Florida Statutes,” accessed Sep. 06, 2015
