Natural Disasters: What Are Your Responsibilities as a Monterey Park Landlord?

Natural disasters can happen at any time and anywhere. Whether a tornado, flood, earthquake, or fire, natural disasters cause extensive property damage and displace thousands of people every year. When a natural disaster hits and damages a rental property, landlords have some responsibilities to their renters beyond working on the havoc to the rental property. The nature of these tasks hinges on whether your Monterey Park property is still habitable or not.

As a landlord, you realize that all rental homes had better be right for human habitation. No matter the location of the territory, all rentals must provide a tenant with water, heat, electricity, and a sanitary and structurally safe building. Even if the regulations differ, most of these regulations will state if the rental home fails to comply with these standards, a tenant is under no obligation to pay rent and may even cancel the lease. They could possibly be allowed to get their security deposit returned without any delay in full.

If a rental home is ravaged by a natural disaster in Monterey Park, the scope of the damage should be assessed as soon as possible. Damage should also be thoroughly documented in case questions arise in the future. If the damage is minimal and the tenant will be displaced for only a few days or weeks, your responsibility as an owner is to repair the damage as promptly as possible. Your tenant may still be obligated to meet the terms of the lease, plus pay to repair or replace any damage to their own personal property.

However, if the damage is extensive, or the repairs will take several months or more, it is the responsibility of the owner to determine how to handle the lease. If the home is uninhabitable, you may be asked to release your renter from the lease and return the security deposit in full. A tenant’s security deposit cannot be used to pay for damages caused by a natural disaster. Plus, if the natural disaster strikes close to the beginning of the month or immediately after a month’s rent has been paid, the landlord may have a responsibility to return that month’s rent to the renter.

Being aware of how to respond after a natural disaster and how to proceed in regard to the lease, rental payments, and security deposits is something the experts at Real Property Management Fairmate have plenty of expertise with. With our team working side by side with you, you can keep your cool and guarantee in the knowledge that even when a disaster occurs, your Monterey Park rental properties are in hands you can trust. Please contact us online or call us at 626-691-9749 for more up-to-date information.