If our van caught on fire in our garage, can our landlord make us responsible for structural damages?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If our van caught on fire in our garage, can our landlord make us responsible for structural damages?
And rthe emainder of lease if the house is not liveable?
Asked on June 29, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Wisconsin
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
A tenant is responsible for damage to the landlord's property done by the tenant (or his/her household, guests, or pets). If your van caught fire and did the damage, the landlord can look to hold you liable for the damage done. And you can be held to the remainder of the lease since the reason the house is uninhabitable is your responsibility--if it was due to a third party's fault, an "act of god," or the landlord, you would not be responsible for the lease after the home is no longer inhabitable, but from what you write, it is your responsibility.
The landlord can only hold you reponsible for any amounts not covered by his insurance.
If the van catching on fire was due to a design or manufacturing defect, you could possibly sue the manufacturer for compensation. If it was due to something wrong done at the last servicing, you may have a cause of action against your dealership/repair shop.
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.