Should I be compensated if my apartment flooded?

[FearoftheNight]

Hey guys. Would like some input on this....

I recently took over a lease and moved into an apartment. About a week after I moved in the sensor in the laundry machine broke and resulted in most of our living room being flooded. We were moved into a different apartment for 3 weeks while they repaired our apt.

1) The temp apartment was poorly located and loud.
2) They originally said 10 days and it became more like 20.
3) The apartment complex should be responsible for maintaining their apartments and the facilities within them.
4) They ran about 10 industrial strength dryers along with other machinery to repair the apartment.
5) I've been sleeping in a half furnished room with a plastic table and my mattress on the floor during this time. Both my roommate and I have been making multiple trips between the two buildings to grab stuff which is massively inconvenient...

Based on some conversation with some friends, I believe we're due some compensation due to the situation caused by their washing machine. Based on their experiences, we shouldn't pay for utilities and also receive a discount on our rent.

What do you guys think?

 

[theknight571]

Did they intentionally setup the washing machine to break?

If so, then yes.

Otherwise, they already put you up in a different apartment and fixed the washing machine (presumably) and fixed the problems form the water damage.

What are your losses during this time? Some time and a little inconvenience? To me, that is better than having them "put me on the street" to find my own temporary housing while they repair the damage.

Are you "entitled" to some compensation? I don't think so.

Would it be nice if they gave you a break on the rent for a month, just to be nice and apologize for the inconvenience? Sure.

You could always sue the sh!t outta them. I'm sure a sympathetic jury would rule in your favor for millions. It's the thing to do now days, since there are no such things as accidents any more.

 

[BUTCH1]

No, none at all, if a fill level switch malfunctioned that's on the manufacturer of the appliance not the apt. complex, unless the malfunction was caused by them not maintaining equipment and it failed for that reason then maybe you have a case. Sounds like they did their best to mitigate the situation and you sound like a greedy person looking for a free handout..

 

[TwiceOver]

No, the complex owes you nothing. But your renter's insurance may have some provisions to help you out. You do have renter's insurances right?

 

[waggy]

No, the complex owes you nothing. But your renter's insurance may have some provisions to help you out. You do have renter's insurances right?

/this

it is up to you to have renters insurance for such situations. shit happens just because they own the building and washers does not make them liable for YOUR STUFF..since you know YOU ARE.


Based on their experiences, we shouldn't pay for utilities and also receive a discount on our rent.

What do you guys think?

lol i think you are nuts. shouldn't pay utilities? why not? did you stop using the utilities? a discount on rent? because 1 bad thing happened? fuck..lol

then agian go tell them that. i bet they offer to rip of the lease and let you move.

 

[Kyle]

Happened to me a couple years back- landlords put me in a hotel for a week or so during repairs- huge inconvenience for sure- but it was for them too- I was just happy I had the hotel and nothing major was damaged- didn't even cross my mind to expect additional compensation...not like they did it on purpose or had any direct role in it. Shit happens.

 

[drebo]

If any property of yours was ruined, and the washing machine was owned and provided by the apartment complex, you might be entitled to the replacement cost. Typically, though, you'd file that through your renter's insurance and let them fight the apartment complex.

 

[Uppsala9496]

As mentioned already - check your renters insurance policy. Most are only going to cover replacement cost for your damaged goods. Some may provide language for alternative housing during situation like this. It's doubtful however.

What state are you in and what company do you have your coverage with?

 

[EagleKeeper]

I suspect the OP does not have renters insurance.

Also, he has not indicated any damages, just inconvenience.

They put him in a different apartment instead of a Motel 6.

Repairs take time. Unforseen things happen. An estimate is just that.

Simple answer, the OP is trying to make a quick buck with no justification

 

[waggy]

I suspect the OP does not have renters insurance.

Also, he has not indicated any damages, just inconvenience.

They put him in a different apartment instead of a Motel 6.

Repairs take time. Unforseen things happen. An estimate is just that.

Simple answer, the OP is trying to make a quick buck with no justification

well he is saying he thinks he should get by with no utilities and lowered rent..

so yeah it was my first thought too. he is not out anything besides convenience and even that was minor.

 

[KaOTiK]

No, sounds like the landlord has done a good job to fix the situation.

People nowadays just want more shit for free just because something distributes their little world, getting sick and fucking tired of it.

 

[FearoftheNight]

Hey no need to jump the gun here. If I was so sure I wouldn't be here asking. The fact of the matter is that they do have a maintenance crew here and isn't it their role to prevent things like this from occurring? Also, if any of you actually read the OP I indicated that they were in here with 12 industrial strength driers and other machines that were running 24/7 for like 2 weeks. Are you saying I should foot the bill for this as well?

 

[FearoftheNight]

Read the previous post I made about why I should not have to pay utilies. Thanks!

/this

it is up to you to have renters insurance for such situations. shit happens just because they own the building and washers does not make them liable for YOUR STUFF..since you know YOU ARE.


Based on their experiences, we shouldn't pay for utilities and also receive a discount on our rent.

What do you guys think?

lol i think you are nuts. shouldn't pay utilities? why not? did you stop using the utilities? a discount on rent? because 1 bad thing happened? fuck..lol

then agian go tell them that. i bet they offer to rip of the lease and let you move.

 

[skull]

I work in property management. You don't deserve a thing stuff happens thats what renters insurance is for. Just think if you owned a house and that happened you would be responsible for everything so be glad they put you in a different apartment for 3 weeks.

 

[Meghan54]

Hey no need to jump the gun here. If I was so sure I wouldn't be here asking. The fact of the matter is that they do have a maintenance crew here and isn't it their role to prevent things like this from occurring? Also, if any of you actually read the OP I indicated that they were in here with 12 industrial strength driers and other machines that were running 24/7 for like 2 weeks. Are you saying I should foot the bill for this as well?

Read the previous post I made about why I should not have to pay utilies. Thanks!

First, write what you mean, not juvenile shorthand. When you said the apt. should pay for your utilities, without any other sort of guidance (like we can read your mind for the "minor" details you finally added), one was right to assume you meant the apt. take over for paying your utility bills for an indeterminate amt. of time.

Now that you've made yourself clear, finally, I can see the apt. covering your added expense for the elect. used to dry your apt.

On the other hand, despite having a maintenance crew, is it the responsibility of said crew to check every single item in every apt. every day, just in case something is on the verge of breaking? Honestly, there would be no way for them to guess that the switch was going bad, unless there was a history of that switch giving problems previously....but if the switch was bad already, you'd have had water in your apt. before.

So, I guess you expect the maintenance crew to be God-like and be able to "sense" things going bad just before they do indeed break.

LOL!

 

[EagleKeeper]

Industrial strength dryers may add $0.50 a day to your electric bill.

Find out what the power draw is and multiply by your electric bill rate.

At most; that is all you should be compensated for.

 

[Andrew111]

Hey no need to jump the gun here. If I was so sure I wouldn't be here asking. The fact of the matter is that they do have a maintenance crew here and isn't it their role to prevent things like this from occurring? Also, if any of you actually read the OP I indicated that they were in here with 12 industrial strength driers and other machines that were running 24/7 for like 2 weeks. Are you saying I should foot the bill for this as well?

Um, the washing machine that broke was actually in your apartment right? So when is the maintenance crew supposed to maintain it? If you noticed any issues with the washing machine then you'd notify them but they aren't going to come over unannounced to do that, lol. I'd actually put some of the blame on you since you shouldn't be doing the laundry when you are out of the house...I've signed a tenant agreement previously where the landlord put in a provision about not running the washing machine when not at home.

 

[dud]

OP, who owns the washing machine. Please remember that we are lucky to have what we have and that you are lucky to have a roof over your head.

If you disagree ... please buy a ticket and fly to China ... our soon-to-be new overlords.

 

[cmom]

Going through this is a major pain in the neck. It should not be wrong to seek compensation. We are in a close situation.

We live in a condo and the upstairs neighbor's water line leaked into my sons room and our bathroom. They opted to replace the whole carpeting. Luckily we had renters insurance active at the time, which covered the hotel (Residence Inn) at 100% of the additional living expense and a POD unit at 100%. The expenses we have, I don't think will be enough to cover the deductible.

I am a single mom to 3 children, on a school nite us having to empty the furniture from the bedroom so that the damage could be assessed. Then us having to remove our contents from the entire condo with minimal notice, loading and unloading a POD ourselves (family helped). Having the continental breakfasts and dinner hardly compensate for the the commute and our loss of sleep since the children remained involved in their afterschool activities, plus having to catch the morning school bus. All I can say is thank goodness we can move back in this weekend after four long weeks.

 

[jagec]

Threads like this make me realize what a good tenant I was back when I was renting. I guess someone has to subsidize tenants like the OP, huh?

 

[Geosurface]

I agree with those who say "shit happens" and that it's unreasonable to expect excessive compensation, or the maintenance people to be godlike, there are a lot of good points being made in that regard.

However, I think those points should've been made in a less douchey, assish way. And there may be some merit to SOME sort of compensation, though I am not sure on that. Maybe just the cost of running those dryers.