Stories from landlords detailing the impact of the damage left by tenants can be horrifying. Unfortunately, finding that your previous tenants have trashed your property, causing thousands of dollars of damage, is not entirely uncommon. Landlords will be responsible for finding new tenants and repairing the damages from the previous tenants before the new tenants move in. You may wonder if landlord insurance can help pay for the repairs. Unfortunately, many landlord insurance policies will not cover damages incurred by tenants.
Luckily, there are other avenues of recuperating compensation for tenant damages. If you need help reviewing your tenant negligence case in Georgia, contact Attorney Ali Awad, ‘the CEO Lawyer,’ and his team of experienced personal injury attorneys. The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law firm has quickly become one of the fastest-growing law firms in the U.S. If you need assistance with your landlord-tenant case, The CEO Lawyer provides free, no-obligation consultations. If we take your case, you will not pay anything until we win.
Does Insurance Cover Tenant Damage?
Does landlord insurance cover damages left by tenants? This is a common question many property owners face. However, whether or not landlord insurance will cover tenant damages will largely depend on the nature of the damage, as well as specific policy coverages. Tenant damages can be categorized as either intentional, accidental, or general wear and tear. Landlord insurance will only cover accidental damages.
Accidental Tenant Damage
Suppose a tenant accidentally caused damage to your property by allowing pipes to freeze and burst or starting a grease fire. In that case, your landlord insurance will likely cover the damages, but this will largely depend on your insurance policy.
Intentional Tenant Damage
Unlike accidental tenant damage, intentional damage includes all damages done intentionally. This can consist of holes in walls, graffiti, broken doors, and more. If your tenant left intentional damages to your property, you would likely turn to their security deposit to cover the damage. Additionally, you may choose to sue your tenant for damages in some circumstances.
Wear and Tear
Unlike accidental or intentional tenant damages, general wear and tear damage is extremely common and may be caused by even the best of tenants. Everyday living may cause scratches, scuffs, dents, and stains to the home. This type of damage is unlikely to be avoided. Landlord insurance will not cover wear and tear damage or general maintenance. The security deposit should cover this type of damage.
What Can You Do About Tenant Damages?
If you are left with wear and tear or intentional damage to your property by your tenant, you cannot pay for damages from an insurance claim. However, this doesn’t mean you have no recourse to pay for the damages. Find some of the options you may have as a property owner below:
Security Deposit
Security deposits are designed to be available if a tenant has left damages to your property. Hopefully, the security deposit will cover wear and tear damage. Ensure that you follow all procedures and laws determined by the state where you reside regarding using the security deposit to cover tenant damages to avoid potential legal issues.
Sue for Damages
If your tenant left intentional damages, the security deposit might not cover all of the damages. Suppose you have utilized all the security deposit, and there are remaining expenses left over to repair the damage left by the tenant. In that case, you may either cover the costs yourself or sue the tenant for damages. However, consider that pursuing legal action is often expensive and time-consuming and should only be used as a last resort.
Eviction
In many cases, landlords will only discover damages to their property after a tenant has left the residence. However, if a tenant is intentionally damaging your property while still residing in your property, you will need to get the tenants to vacate the premises. Eviction proceedings will vary from state to state. As there can be many nuances regarding tenant eviction law, it is often best to work directly with an experienced attorney to avoid getting into legal trouble and resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm to discuss your options for recourse.
How Can Landlord Insurance Help With Tenant Damages?
Depending on the specifics of your policy, landlord insurance will likely only cover accidental tenant damage. However, landlord insurance may also cover a scenario in which the tenants caused so much damage that your property is unlivable or unable to be rented out. If you have a loss of rental income coverage, your landlord insurance may reimburse you for rent during the repair of your property. Damages will need to be covered by you or from the security deposit.
Does Landlord Insurance Cover Tenant Belongings?
No, landlord insurance will only cover damages to the property due to natural disasters or accidents and not damage to any personal belongings. Tenants should hold renter’s insurance to ensure their property is covered.
How Can You Prevent Tenant Damages?
The best way to prevent tenant damages is by successfully screening potential tenants to weed out any tenants with a negative track record or who do not have an excellent rental history. Good screening practices can significantly reduce the chance of damages occurring beyond reasonable wear and tear.
If the security deposit does not cover general wear and tear, itemize your damages and provide the tenant with a bill detailing the remaining costs. Tenants will be more likely to pay for damages incurred if they promptly receive a detailed bill indicating how much they will need to pay to cover the damages.
Finding the Right Landlord Insurance
Landlord insurance will not cover all landlord damages, but it will protect you and your property from events such as:
- Water damage
- Fires
- Freezing pipes
- Hail
- Windstorms
- Natural Disaster
- And more.
Landlord insurance may cover accidental damages left by tenants and help you financially recover from lost rent due to tenant damages. Ensure that you understand your landlord insurance policy and select the best coverages to ensure that you are adequately covered.
Landlord Liable for Tenant Negligence
So, is a landlord liable for tenant negligence? Unfortunately, if your tenant damaged your property and your damages exceed the amount of the security deposit, you will be liable for financially covering all repairs. You may opt to take your tenant(s) to court to attempt to recover your lost damages. However, the legal process can be confusing, costly, and lengthy. If you seek to recover compensation for damages to your property left by a tenant, the best thing to do is to contact an experienced attorney to discuss options available to you.
If you are experiencing trouble with a current or former tenant involving property damage, contact attorney Ali Awad, ‘the CEO Lawyer,’ at (470) 323-8779. or contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm online to receive a free and confidential case evaluation.
