If someone breaks into your apartment, who is responsible for paying for damages to rental property?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If someone breaks into your apartment, who is responsible for paying for damages to rental property?
If they say you know the person who broke the window.
Asked on March 24, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Michigan
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If it is the case that it was a friend, family member, etc. of the tenant, that it probably would the tenant him- or herself who would be responsible. If it was a more distant acquintance--for example, a cowork of the tenant, which the tenant barely knows and has no influrnce or control over--it probably *should* be the landlord who pays; however, if the landlord wants to charge the tenant (or take it out of the security deposit), if the tenant knew the person, effectively the honus should be on the tenant to show that the person was not someone over whom the tenant had any control or influence. If the person was not at all connected to the tenant, the landlord would pay.
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.