Landlords must take sensible measures to keep tenants safe. Know what to do when your landlord’s negligence causes injury.
Landlords Must Keep Tenants Safe
The number of people who live in rental housing is rising. Approximately 35% of Americans pay residential rent. Tenant injuries are climbing. Property owners are under a legal duty to assure renters are not subject to an unreasonable risk of injury. An undisclosed electrical hazard, rotten subflooring, or smoke detectors that don’t work can result in serious injury or death. Tenants can’t tear up floors or knock down walls to search for a lurking danger.
North Carolina Law
In North Carolina, the general rule is landlords are not responsible for tenant injury. However, there are four exceptions to the general rule.
- Latent Defects – A landlord must disclose defects that he knows about, or should know about if the tenant has no knowledge of the defect.
- Furnished Short-Term Leases – Property owners are responsible for all defect-related injuries when the lease is for 3 months or less and the property is furnished.
- Common Areas – Landlords are liable for injuries that occur in common areas, such as shared hallways or courtyards if the landlord had control over the area and failed to exercise reasonable care.
- Negligent Repair – If the property owner is negligent when he fixes a defect, then he is responsible for any injuries the defect causes.
Hold Your Landlord Accountable
If a rental property defect causes you injury, then you may be able to recover from your landlord. An experienced lawyer can help you obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Thorp Law has extensive experience fighting for personal injury victims. Our team of lawyers will hold your landlord accountable so you can recover.
Our law firm and personal injury attorney handle personal injury, trucking accident, product liability, medical malpractice and other types of cases. Thorp Law handles cases throughout North Carolina, including Wake County, Durham County, Orange County, Johnston County and other counties throughout the state.