Am I responsible for repair damage in my apartment?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Am I responsible for repair damage in my apartment?
Recently a fire started in my room due to a fire that I lit. The sprinkler went off and the landlord was notified. He came to install a new sprinkler but when he messed up the pipe he had to cut a hole in my sealing to put a new pipe in. I am paying for the the pipe because I feel that is my fault. But my am I responsible for the hole that he made in my ceiling that he made?
Asked on October 2, 2010 under Real Estate Law, Colorado
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
In a case such as this, yes you probably are. For the very simple reason that if you hadn't started the fire no repair would have had to have been made in the first place. Even if a professional had been called in this could have happened (and it would have cost more for their time). I'm sure your lease addresses the issue of damages directly. At any rate, why don't you try and work something out with your landlord; either some kind of discount on the cost of the total repair or at least a payment schedule that you can live with.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.