Am I responsible for repair damage in my apartment?
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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 13 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.
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