We are all aware that accidents can happen at any time, but how does this situation affect landlords? As someone responsible for the safety and general upkeep of a building where others live, it is your responsibility to ensure that no unnecessary dangers are present – and this means any accidents that occur in the property could be your fault.
While investing in liability insurance can help protect you from accident claims, you must take necessary action to protect your tenants. It means providing them with a safe place to live and communicating with them regularly.
You also need to know a few facts surrounding accident claims and landlords. If you have liability insurance, any compensation will usually be taken from this policy – so you won’t necessarily be out of pocket.
Accident claims solicitors
Accident claims solicitors are there to help make everything easier for the claimant. Some accident claims solicitors specialize in certain areas of accident claims. It may be medical claims or criminal injury claims and may affect how they handle any cases against you.
While people were often worried about filing an accident claim due to concerns over cost, this is now largely removed.
Many solicitors now operate on a ‘no win no fee’ policy. If they win their case against you, their fees are usually covered by your insurance, so the claimant pays nothing.
Staying safe
While there is little you can do to prevent an accident claim against you once it has been filed, you must continue to provide a safe environment for your tenants – regardless of whether they are claiming damages.
All properties you own should be inspected regularly, and you should keep a detailed inventory of any damages already present on the property. Any damages caused by your tenants can be billed to them, but any structural issues or other problems are your responsibility to sort.