Is the landlord liable for damages if an apartment gets robbed?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is the landlord liable for damages if an apartment gets robbed?
I recently moved into an apartment in a semi-safe neighborhood. I have been having issues with repairs that needed to be done and the landlord doing them, so one day I come home and the lock on my door looks like it has been tampered with. I informed the landlord that it needed to be fixed and he did nothing. The next day I came home and my apartment was robbed; I have only been here 2 months.
Asked on September 22, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
In all states in this country a landlord is required to provide safe and habitable housing for his or her tenant given the circumstances. In your situation you mention that your unit is in a semi-safe neighborhood.
You noticed that there seemed to have been some issues with the lock on your door to your landlord and the next day you were robbed. Did you ask the landlord to immediately come out and change your lock? Did you do anything to get a new lock that day?
From what you have written it does not seem as though your landlord unreasonably delayed fixing your lock to have a basis for a negligence claim as to him or her. I do not see any liability as to your landlord from what you have written.
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.