What Should Tenants Know When Landlords Decide to Fix Up Your Apartment?

Getting an apartment upgrade or repair may sound great, but this process can also be somewhat disruptive. Your health, comfort, legal rights, and living conditions should all be taken into consideration by your landlord because these are rights that you and your landlord have agreed to. Here are some considerations to keep in mind if your landlord has decided to fix up your apartment.

Get Your Ducks in a Row (You Might Need Them Tomorrow)

Gather all relevant documentation pertaining to your accommodation. This includes your lease, your rental insurance documents, images, and your record of conversations with stakeholders. Having all this information in one place will equip you to handle this situation appropriately and with cooperation with your landlord.

Your renters’ insurance documents will also contain a lot of information about your personal liability insurance for renters. Go over this information and know what rights you have as a tenant. Your landlord should also be made aware that you have this insurance and that you are covered in terms of damage, injury, health & safety, etc.

Check Your Lease

Go through your lease and highlight any sections that speak to the maintenance, repairs, or upgrading of your apartment. This may not have been noticed by you when you signed your lease, so refresh your memory by going over those sections meticulously. In these sections your landlord will have certain rights and obligations, and so will you. Make yourself aware of these so that conversations can flow from a place of agreement.

Pay Attention to Health and Safety Concerns

Your landlord has an obligation to make repairs or upgrades in a way that doesn’t affect your health & safety negatively. Whether it’s a new paint job or a more serious fix like structure repair, the tenant’s health is of major importance.

Evaluate the nature of the repair and be sure to point out any health or safety concerns that may arise. You can also notify your renters’ insurance company about the work that’s being planned to get legal advice on what your rights are.

Take Note of Comfort Concerns

Tenants also have a right (under law, not contract) to enjoy peace and quiet within their accommodation. This will obviously depend on the type of work that’s involved in fixing up your apartment. If the work that’s being planned is disruptive to your life, you are allowed to bring these concerns up with your landlord.

Try to accommodate him or her as much as possible when raising these concerns, but remind them that they are under an obligation to you as a tenant to provide a safe, comfortable, and livable environment as long as you are paying your rent.

Important Tip: Don’t wait until the work starts before having these conversations. Prevention is better than cure, so raise your concerns beforehand and make sure you, your landlord, and the contractors are on the same page.

Take Responsibility for Your Possessions

Your devices and valuables are your responsibility. When the work starts, be sure to keep these items safe and out of harm’s way. Although many contractors are trustworthy, it’s always a good idea to lock away your valuables just in case. Don’t be careless with laptops, phones, jewelry, or valuable artwork. Remember, there will be strangers in your home, so plan a strategy for keeping these items out of sight.

Tenant Responsibilities After an Apartment Fix-Up

Once repairs have been completed it’s your responsibility as a tenant to mention any problems with the work. Your landlord isn’t privy to this information unless you bring it up. Inspect the work after it’s been done and note any substandard work or mistakes. These conversations will protect you later in case you are held liable for damage, wear & tear, or any other problems when you move out.

Actively Display Your Cooperation

Remember that most apartment fixes are to the benefit of the tenant. You wouldn’t want a landlord who never cares about maintaining your apartment, so show your gratitude for their efforts to fix up your apartment when necessary.

Make sure your conversations are civil and professional. Show your cooperation as much as possible and try to accommodate the work however you are reasonably able to. Let your landlord know that any concerns you may have are for the protection of you and him or her and that your due diligence is nothing more than an attempt to keep a record of the situation from start to finish.

Wrapping Up

Having these steps in place will ensure a happy process in getting your apartment fixed up. If these repairs are serious, it’s all the more reason to be consistent and diligent in your dealings with the landlord. Always remember to consult your insurance expert if anything is unclear to you during this process.