HomeInsurancelandlordliabilityRenterswindowIf a Window Breaks in My Apartment, Is It the Landlord’s Responsibility to Fix It?
September 19, 2022Insurance,landlord,liability,Renters,window,
Regardless of howit happened, fixing a broken window can be an expensive hassle. When you're renting, it can bedifficult to know whose responsibility is it to deal with repairs like these. Continuereading to learn more about what to do if a window breaks in your apartment andwho is responsible for the cost.
Who Is Responsiblefor Fixing a Broken Window?
In most cases, ifsomething breaks in a rental property, it is the landlord’s responsibility tomake sure it gets fixed. However, in a situation where a renter has directlycaused the window to break, it is possible the landlord may require the tenant to cover the repair costs. In caseswhere a landlord does ask their tenant to pay for repairs, they must haveevidence to support that the tenant is responsible for the damage. Pro-tip: review your lease agreementfor wording on who will be held responsible for damage in situations such asthese.
What Do I Do if a WindowBreaks in My Apartment?
If you have abroken window in your apartment, follow these steps to ensure the situationis taken care of safely and effectively.
Notify Other Membersof Your Household
This will help your housemates avoid accidentally stepping on any glass shardsor injuring themselves on the broken window. Be sure that children are keptaway from the window and surrounding area until the space has been cleared.Don’t forget to keep pets out of the room and away from the brokenwindow as well.
Document the Incident
Be sure to takenote of the time and date that the window was broken. You’ll want to take aphoto of the aftermath as well as any evidence that it might have been a burglaryor vandalism. This documentation can come in handy when discussing the eventwith the authorities or the insurance company.
Clean Up the Shardsof Glass
You will want tobegin your cleanup by picking up larger shards of glass and disposing of themfirst. Next, use a broom and dustpan to pick up smaller pieces. You may thenwant to use a vacuum cleaner to pick up the even smaller, less visible pieces.There may also be leftover pieces that you cannot see with the naked eye. Eventhe tiniest pieces of glass can injure someone or get stuck in their foot. Forthese, you will want to take a damp paper towel and wipe the floor around thearea of the broken window. Pro-tip: wearing protective gloves during this process can helpprevent you from getting nicked by lingering glass.
Contact Your Landlord
Let them know thatthe window has broken. Because your landlord is in charge of your building’supkeep, they will want to be informed of any damage that the building hassustained. They may also advise you on how to best go about taking care of theissue.
Cover Up the Holein the Window
Until you can haveit properly repaired, you’ll want to make sure that thehole is covered. You can use masking tape to cover the cracks and hold theremaining window glass together. Then, take a tarp and tape it around theoutside of the window to keep people, animals, and precipitation from entering yourhome.
Identify What Causedthe Window to Break
Depending on thecause of the break, you may be able to take preventative measures to help makesure it does not happen again. Once you find the source of the break, you canthen work with your landlord to decide what the best course of action is. Ifyou believe someone from outside your household purposely damaged your window,you may opt to contact local law enforcement.
Call a Contractor
Unless this issomething that your landlord has decided to take care of, it’s time to look fora local contractor to make repairs. It’s important that you have a discussionwith your landlord to see who will cover the costs. Pro-tip: It’s always a good idea to have written agreements orwritten proof of what has been decided in situations such as these. Be sure toconfirm the details of your arrangement with your landlord in writing or overemail.
Does My Renters InsuranceCover Broken Windows?
Renters insurancepolicies generally do not cover broken windows on the policyholder’s property.Since damage to a rental property is typically seen as a landlord’sresponsibility, broken windows are often covered by the landlord’s policy.However, if you accidentally break a window on someone else’s property, theliability portion of your renters insurance policy will likely cover theexpenses. For example, if you throw a baseball in the wrong direction and itgoes through your neighbor’s window, you are liable, and your policy may coverthe repair costs.
For moreinformation about a renters insurance policy with NYCM Insurance, follow thelink below to speak with one of ourtrusted agents.
