Residential landlords have obligations to their tenants. They have to maintain properties in safe, habitable condition. Maintenance services that range from repairing the HVAC system to changing the light bulbs in the entranceway light fixtures are necessary.
Unfortunately, many residential landlords, especially those who own multi-unit properties, try to limit their maintenance investments to maximize the profit the property generates. Their decision to delay or ignore maintenance matters may ultimately result in people sustaining significant injuries.
What types of maintenance issues have a strong association with visitor or resident injuries?
1. Deferred stairway maintenance
Many multi-unit apartment buildings are two or more stories. In some cases, tenants may rent residential units above a first floor featuring retail shops. The stairs used to access the upper levels of an apartment building can easily become a safety hazard. Loose or missing handrails could lead to people falling. Burned-out lights and insufficient lighting are both concerns. Even the failure to regularly clean the stairwell to prevent debris from accumulating could lead to people falling and getting hurt.
2. Unaddressed leaks
There are many ways for water to leak into a residential apartment building. In some cases, the leak may come from a failing roof. Other times, pipes supplying water to tenants might start leaking, or old windows might allow water incursion during particularly severe storms. Any liquid accumulation in the interior spaces of an apartment building could lead to a devastating slip-and-fall incident.
3. Damaged flooring
The flooring in shared spaces throughout an apartment building could become a slipping or tripping hazard. If there is tile or other hard flooring, allowing fluid or debris to accumulate could lead to people falling and getting hurt. The over-application of wax during maintenance efforts could also theoretically lead to a slip-and-fall incident. Torn carpet can create tripping hazards or leave dangling strings that become tangled around people’s legs.
All of these risk factors are preventable with appropriate facility maintenance. Landlords who fail to properly maintain residential apartment buildings may eventually face premises liability lawsuits. Requesting appropriate financial compensation for slip-and-fall injuries can help injured apartment tenants and their visitors defray their losses. Landlords are often liable for injuries caused by a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall caused by insufficient property maintenance.