Are Landlords Liable for Power Outages?
Almost half of the United States is suffering from extreme heat, and millions of people are experiencing power outages.
For tenants in apartments without power, they have the option of suffering through the heat in their units or going out and spending time at a place where there is air conditioning like an indoor mall or a friend's house.
But tenants who have no choice but to remain home may be wondering if they have any recourse for their suffering in the dark. Particularly, tenants may be wondering if they can sue their landlords for the power outage.
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is probably "no." If the power outage and lack of air conditioning are caused by reasons outside of the landlord's control like a regional power outage or just hot weather, tenants probably cannot sue the landlord. Your landlord is probably suffering just like you.
However, if the landlord is somehow responsible for the power outage, then the landlord could potentially be held liable. Fox example, if a building has extremely outdated wiring that causes a fuse to blow, and a building experiences a power outage, the landlord could potentially be liable for creating the condition that caused the outage.
Liability may also occur if a landlord intentionally cuts power to an apartment to retaliate against a tenant. If that happens, an experienced landlord-tenant attorney can help protect your rights.
There is a massive heat wave on the East Coast and millions are experiencing a power outage. While tenants probably have little recourse if they want to sue their landlords, tenants can try to keep cool by drinking plenty of water, going to an air conditioned place or cooling center, or taking a dip in the pool.
Related Resources:
- Do Landlords Have to Provide Air Conditioning? (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)
- Southwest Blackout Caused by Negligence? (FindLaw's Injured)
- 5 Things to Do Before You Move Out (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)
- Are Boston Landlords Required to Provide Air Conditioning? (FindLaw's Boston Real Estate Law News)