Q: Can my landlord be held liable for the theft of my bike inside the building if there are fake cameras installed?
We were never informed the cameras are not real and that led me to believe my $1,000 bike was secure.
A:
Generally, a third party such as a landlord is not liable for the criminal acts of others. Further, landlords are almost never responsible for tenants' personal property. However, some factors may shift more responsibility on the landlord such as whether the fake cameras were placed in response to a rash of bike theft at your building, or if the landlord affirmatively stated that the cameras were real (not just "led to believe").
If you have renters insurance (and you absolutely should), you could possibly make a claim for your bike. That would be the best case scenario for you. If you don't have renters insurance, you should put it on your list of priorities now, because you cannot assume a landlord will have any liability in these cases.
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