5 Things to Know about Apartment Flooding

September 11, 2017 aptprepper Apartment Living, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Preparedness, Flood Preparedness, Floods

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

Over 100,000 apartment units were flooded during Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. With Hurricane Irma now approaching Florida, many apartments are at risk for wind damage and flooding.

Here are five things to know about what you can do if your apartment becomes flooded.

Rent

Hurricane Harvey drenched Houston on August 27th. In the ensuing days, an unprecedented amount of rainfall caused massive flooding, rendering many displaced residents.

The 1st of September arrived and many tenants found themselves wondering if they still need to pay rent if their apartment is damaged. The bad news is, rent is still due, unless the tenant and landlord agree that the unit is completely uninhabitable. If a tenant vacates and does not pay rent, and the landlord feels the unit is still serviceable the tenant may be liable for back rent, late fees and penalties.

Your Lease

Read your lease and find out what provisions cover water or other damage from a natural disaster. A landlord may offer an alternate unit, if tenant agrees to take it, then a new lease should be drawn up.

States’ Laws

The rights of tenants and landlords are also covered by the state where your apartment is located. In Texas, the law requires the landlord to fix any conditions that affect the health and safety of tenants. Each state may have a different definition of what is considered unsafe or unhealthy living conditions.

Renter’s Insurance

I found out that most standard renter’s insurance does not cover damage due to flooding. Only flood insurance covers damage from floods for both homeowners and renters. However, the policy may cover other types of damage such as losses that resulted from ceiling damage due to rain or wind.

Personal Items

The landlord is not responsible for your personal items that got ruined due to flooding.

Many legal experts do indicate that renters’ issues vary on a case by case basis. Keep in mind that every situation is different and it may be best to get a legal professional’s opinion about your situation before making important decisions.

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