Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Washington
Property damage/arson in complex.
A vehicle next to mine was set on fire, the burning vehicle was stolen and uninsured. My vehicle is damaged bad from the flames. This is not the first criminal incident in our complex, in fact all the tenents have been asking for security for many months now. My question is should the property management have some kind of prorerty damage insurance that would cover my vehicle under... anything? I called the manager and they tell me they will not help. The complex is indeed private property. Are they not obligated to insure a safe invironement? Is there a civil case I could pursue atleast? Thank you very much for your time.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Property damage/arson in complex.
You would probably benefit from contacting the Tenant's Union in Seattle. In the meantime, 1. figure out what your car is worth, and how much it is going to cost to fix it (get a couple of estimates). 2. Write a letter to your landlord and tell him in writing what's going on at the complex. Remember this letter could well wind up in front of a judge, so stay polite and stick to the facts. Tell him about the damage to your car. He's going to say he's not responsible for your property, but he's wrong: It is not possible to disclaim liability for negligence (failure to provide adequate security for common areas). If the $ you need to be made whole is less than $4K, take him to small claims court. If it is more, call a local attorney, and remind them that the statue, the contract and the caselaw provides reasonable attorney's fees in this area. That should make their ears perk up a bit. Good luck. Powell
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
