Rental Fire Damage: Who's Responsible?

11/20/2018 (Permalink)

Apartment fire damage in Weedville,AZ

An apartment fire can affect multiple people in your commercial property. While the safety of your tenants are your first priority, it is also important to have a game plan for taking care of the damage to your building. When one entity owns the building and another occupies it, the lines of responsibility can become blurry. Here is a basic rundown of what you need to do and how you should handle related expenses.

Communicate Openly and Frequently

The best predictor of how long it will take to repair your building in Weedville, AZ, is your commitment to accurate information sharing. You must maintain an open line of communication with everyone involved:

• Get contact information for fire officer
• Call insurance agent to start claims process
• Find a reputable fire restoration company for repairs
• Keep in touch with tenants
  

Quite a bit of delay in apartment fire cleanup can be avoided if you stay in touch with everyone involved. This helps you stay informed and keep your tenants informed as well.

Document Everything

Arrange to walk through the property with the fire officer and your tenant. This lets you see the damage firsthand and pinpoint the areas that need the most attention. Take pictures during the walkthrough and make a list of all the fire damage you see. Any damage to the structure or the appliances you provide is probably going to need to be included on your insurance claims. The tenant's personal property is not reported on claims against your policy.

Make Responsibilities Clear

In general, the owner is responsible for the property itself while tenants are responsible for their own belongings. It is advisable to outline the expectations for fire damage in the lease agreement. For example, if you expect tenants to pay your property deductible if the fire is their fault, the lease needs to say so. If the tenant does not have renter's insurance, direct him or her to community resources that can help.

Knowing what to do after an apartment fire can speed up the restoration process. Understand your responsibilities and communicate frequently.