Major storms and natural disasters can cause a lot of damage to your Ransom Canyon rental property. As an owner, do you know what your responsibilities are if a natural disaster damages your property? Do you know what your responsibilities are if your resident’s personal property is also damaged or destroyed?
Some property owners don’t know what to do if there is damage caused by a natural disaster, and some assume that all damages are their responsibility. However, both renters and owners are liable when it comes to damaged properties. Knowing which liabilities are yours and which liabilities belong to your residents is a crucial part of recovering from a natural disaster.
For example, your property has one or more large trees surrounding the exterior of the home. If a tree on your rental property falls during a storm and damages a vehicle belonging to a resident, who is responsible to cover the cost of repairs? In this case, the resident’s auto or renter’s insurance should cover the car repairs.
How about other kinds of destruction caused by a natural disaster? Floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and more are all events that rental property owners and residents may face. If a natural disaster damages a rental property, it is the owner’s responsibility to make sure that it is safe to live in and to pay for necessary repairs if it is not.
Be aware though that the resident’s personal property, including vehicles, and the costs of evacuation like transportation, alternative lodging, and food are all the resident’s responsibility. If the property is repaired quickly, the resident may still be responsible for the terms of the lease and should have enough renter’s insurance to cover temporarily needing alternative housing.
At Real Property Management Services, we help rental property owners like you understand what your responsibilities are in the event of a natural disaster or another weather-related incident. No matter what nature throws at you, our quality property management services will help ease your concerns about liability and ensure that your residents are shouldering their fair share of responsibility. Contact us online or give us a call at 806-853-6546 to find out more and discover what we can do for you.