The Civil Risks of a Landlord

A landlord has a lot of responsibility, including providing a safe and secure place for his tenants to live. In addition, however, he has a financial responsibility to his tenants. For example, if a security deposit is not being returned, there has to be ample evidence for keeping that deposit in order to avoid the case from being brought to civil court. Another example of a reason that a landlord could be brought to court is if he neglects to take proper care of the apartment or home.

Security Deposit Disputes

Security deposit disputes happen all of the time. The landlord can claim that you owe back rent, destroyed the apartment physically, or simply did not leave it in the condition that was required in the rental agreement. Of course, any of these situations have to be able to be proven in order for the landlord to hold onto your security check. If he is doing this for his own financial gain, the courts will put an end to that and hopefully help others avoid this scam from the same landlord in the future.

Injuries or Ill Fit Living Conditions

If you suffer an injury or are forced to live in less than optimal conditions because the landlord refuses to make necessary repairs or deliver the conditions promised, a suit can be filed. If the rental ad promised a certain type of living conditions, that is what must be provided. If a landlord is brought to court over injuries or illnesses that result from the living conditions in the apartment, he could be liable not only to take care of the repairs or damages, but to also pay the renter for his medical bills, lost wages, and pain or suffering that resulted.

As with any type of case, you will need ample evidence that the landlord acted in a manner that put your health or finances at risk. The he said/she said act will not work – everyone needs to provide concrete evidence of what happened and how it affected them. Just as the landlord has the right to take a tenant to court that does not pay his rent or that does not leave the apartment as agreed upon in the rental agreement, the tenant has the right to sue the landlord for any wrongdoing that he does. It is a two-way street that both parties need to do their part in so that the end result is profitable for everyone.