Q: Can a tenant sue his landlord for property damage due to neglect and untimely repairs?
Apartment had plumbing and electrical issues that we the tenants of the building made known to the management over the period of October 2013 till July of 2014. Finally a regional manager came to view the apartment and upon witnessing the damage and smelling the toxic odor from the water damage and mold they moved us immediately to another apartment and promised to reimburse us for our lost. Since then we have got the run around.
A: If you intend to sue the landlord, you should have proof of the damage, including costs for cleaning and/or replacement and receipts items damaged. In addition, pictures of what the apartment and damaged items looked like before the instance(s) will also assist you in your case. Yes, there is a statute of limitations. Also, the landlord may argue that you increased the damages by not remediating the damaged items immediately. Depending on the amount of your damages, you may be able to sue in small claims court (magistrate court). The limit of small claims court is $15,000.
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