My bedroom ceiling broke and all this debris, dust and insulations came crashing down. There was a giant hole in the ceiling from all the rain from the past week. It is now fixed (took them forever to do it) and I wanted to know if it's possible to get some kind of compensation for some damages and for inconveniencing the hell out of me and the wife. The ceiling came crashing down on saturday night so we couldn't sleep in the bedroom cause of the dust and crap (they had cleaned up but not what I would define as clean) and sunday nothing was done either. It's all good now but I want to know the best way of trying to get something out of this. I thought about it and I feel like they could just say NO and that's that. I did sign a 1 year lease and I just feel like I have no control. I am going to see them tomorrow morning or that day after since they are almost done repairing it (ceiling needs a painting). Any advice would be good as I am just planning on going there and saying that because the ceiling collapsed, I couldn't sleep in the bedroom for 2 nights and minor damage was done to some furniture. If you were me, how much would be acceptable to ask? Should I even expect anything?
My Apartment Ceiling Collapsed..Advice?
- Thread starter mr_burnzz
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You need to check the laws of your state. Typically, the landlord would put you in a hotel until the repairs are done and I assume that it would be covered by their insurance. The problem with that is it only covers the repairs and related costs of your displacement ie the hotel. Any damages you incur would be something covered under rental insurance, which I hope you purchased and didn't cheap out on options that would cover these types of incidents.
The move was done a little more than a month ago because of some stupid shit. That resulted in a hasty and unplanned move which was executed in 1 day so I don't have renters insurance and I haven't even read the lease to be honest. It was the only place that'd take us in such a short time. I guess I can take a look at the lease but even if it doesn't cover it I am still going to try and get something. It was just a lot of un-needed stress. Although the more I think about it the more I feel that I'm shit outta luck.
Allnatural
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[quote name='mr_burnzz']The move was done a little more than a month ago because of some stupid shit. That resulted in a hasty and unplanned move which was executed in 1 day so I don't have renters insurance...[/QUOTE]
Is this your first apartment? Renter's insurance travels with you, so you're statement implies that you didn't have it to begin with. Shame on you.
Is this your first apartment? Renter's insurance travels with you, so you're statement implies that you didn't have it to begin with. Shame on you.
metaphysicalstyles
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Renter's insurance also can be conveniently upgraded to home owners insurance in a matter of minutes over the phone.
I remembered back when I lived down in Miami I was renting out a converted house that was sectioned off into apartments. In was the apartment from hell during the first year.. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong.
My kitchen ceiling started leaking water. So I reported it to my slum lord and she eventually (days later) sent her "handy man". Eventually the guy showed up , saw the problem and said the problem is that the woman's refrigerator directly above my kitchen was leaking and causing the damage. He said he will be back tomorrow and of course he never did. Woke up one morning and found the entire kitchen ceiling about to collapse. Called my slumlord again and she said the guy was on his way.
Went to school to tell my teacher I need to take care of this issue and when I came back the entire ceiling had collapsed, destroying the kitchen. The guy eventually arrived two days later but the damage was done. All he did was patch up the ceiling and that was it.
My kitchen ceiling started leaking water. So I reported it to my slum lord and she eventually (days later) sent her "handy man". Eventually the guy showed up , saw the problem and said the problem is that the woman's refrigerator directly above my kitchen was leaking and causing the damage. He said he will be back tomorrow and of course he never did. Woke up one morning and found the entire kitchen ceiling about to collapse. Called my slumlord again and she said the guy was on his way.
Went to school to tell my teacher I need to take care of this issue and when I came back the entire ceiling had collapsed, destroying the kitchen. The guy eventually arrived two days later but the damage was done. All he did was patch up the ceiling and that was it.
DestroVega
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moral of story renters insurance it's so cheap
Your landlord, unless extremely generous. isn't going to give you anything for your 48 hour period of discomfort, especially if you're not legally entitled to anything despite feeling that you should be entitled to something.
The only way you're realistically going to get something is if you look up the rental laws of your state, think your landlord likely violated one of them, you can sue on that violation for money damages, and you have a good chance of winning.
But then be prepared to move again or have the landlord up your ass for every little thing you do as a tenant.
The only way you're realistically going to get something is if you look up the rental laws of your state, think your landlord likely violated one of them, you can sue on that violation for money damages, and you have a good chance of winning.
But then be prepared to move again or have the landlord up your ass for every little thing you do as a tenant.
powercreep
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[quote name='kodave']Your landlord, unless extremely generous. isn't going to give you anything for your 48 hour period of discomfort, especially if you're not legally entitled to anything despite feeling that you should be entitled to something.
The only way you're realistically going to get something is if you look up the rental laws of your state, think your landlord likely violated one of them, you can sue on that violation for money damages, and you have a good chance of winning.
But then be prepared to move again or have the landlord up your ass for every little thing you do as a tenant.[/QUOTE]
This.
Unless you stayed in a hotel or someting after the collapse and have a receipt to show how inconvenienced you were, I don't think there's much you can or should do. If you have renters insurance and something was damaged, then go that route. If stuff was just dirty and you weren't satisfied with the cleaning, that's on you.
The only way you're realistically going to get something is if you look up the rental laws of your state, think your landlord likely violated one of them, you can sue on that violation for money damages, and you have a good chance of winning.
But then be prepared to move again or have the landlord up your ass for every little thing you do as a tenant.[/QUOTE]
This.
Unless you stayed in a hotel or someting after the collapse and have a receipt to show how inconvenienced you were, I don't think there's much you can or should do. If you have renters insurance and something was damaged, then go that route. If stuff was just dirty and you weren't satisfied with the cleaning, that's on you.
Dead of Knight
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The past 2 apartments we've been in have required proof of renter's insurance. Though if a 
ing ceiling collapses, something tells me you're renting from a slumlord not unlike the guy in speedracer's thread and it's not required.
ing ceiling collapses, something tells me you're renting from a slumlord not unlike the guy in speedracer's thread and it's not required.Not necessarily. A ceiling collapse can be caused by things like a pipe bursting, or a sink leaking in the apartment upstairs when no one's home etc.
My parents had the ceiling collapse in a downstairs room in their house as one of the water lines to the bathroom sink upstairs burst in the middle of the night and the water soaked through the floor and the ceiling in the kitchen collapsed.
From the OP's post though, it sounds like it was due to rain so it was probably a top floor unit and had a roof leak.
Just shitty luck. As long as they fix it quickly etc., then no reason to think it's a slum lord. Also, no apartment complex I've ever lived in has required renter's insurance. It's your stuff and your risk if you don't have it. The condo I'm in now requires proof of homeowner's insurance so everyone is covered for things like leaking sinks that cause damage to other units etc.
But yeah, situations like the OP is why you always get renter's insurance as the landlord isn't responsible for damage to your belongings from accidents like that unless you could prove negligence on their part. So the OP is probably out of look in this case.
My parents had the ceiling collapse in a downstairs room in their house as one of the water lines to the bathroom sink upstairs burst in the middle of the night and the water soaked through the floor and the ceiling in the kitchen collapsed.
From the OP's post though, it sounds like it was due to rain so it was probably a top floor unit and had a roof leak.
Just shitty luck. As long as they fix it quickly etc., then no reason to think it's a slum lord. Also, no apartment complex I've ever lived in has required renter's insurance. It's your stuff and your risk if you don't have it. The condo I'm in now requires proof of homeowner's insurance so everyone is covered for things like leaking sinks that cause damage to other units etc.
But yeah, situations like the OP is why you always get renter's insurance as the landlord isn't responsible for damage to your belongings from accidents like that unless you could prove negligence on their part. So the OP is probably out of look in this case.
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Trancendental
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[quote name='mr_burnzz']The move was done a little more than a month ago because of some stupid shit. That resulted in a hasty and unplanned move which was executed in 1 day so I don't have renters insurance and I haven't even read the lease to be honest. It was the only place that'd take us in such a short time. I guess I can take a look at the lease but even if it doesn't cover it I am still going to try and get something. It was just a lot of un-needed stress. Although the more I think about it the more I feel that I'm shit outta luck.[/QUOTE]
.
DestroVega
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^yeah they had to replace my ceiling in my last apartment, JUST before it caved we were able to get in there and fix, and they were totally legit. Sometimes it just happens.
[quote name='mr_burnzz']It is now fixed (took them forever to do it) [/QUOTE]
Dude, get some perspective. The problem came up Saturday night and you lost access the room for only two nights? That's impressive service, not "forever". If this had happened in the ceiling of the bedroom in the house you owned, would you really expect everything to be fixed by Sunday afternoon? If I were you I would be feeling lucky that I had a good landlord that cared and not be trying to extort money out of them.
Dude, get some perspective. The problem came up Saturday night and you lost access the room for only two nights? That's impressive service, not "forever". If this had happened in the ceiling of the bedroom in the house you owned, would you really expect everything to be fixed by Sunday afternoon? If I were you I would be feeling lucky that I had a good landlord that cared and not be trying to extort money out of them.
silentevil
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[quote name='zshipp']Dude, get some perspective. The problem came up Saturday night and you lost access the room for only two nights? That's impressive service, not "forever". If this had happened in the ceiling of the bedroom in the house you owned, would you really expect everything to be fixed by Sunday afternoon? If I were you I would be feeling lucky that I had a good landlord that cared and not be trying to extort money out of them.[/QUOTE]
This and sounds like there's no real damage to your property so just be thankful they got it done so fast.
This and sounds like there's no real damage to your property so just be thankful they got it done so fast.
The main inconvenience I was dealing with was the air in the bedroom from the debris and shit from the attic. The guys coming in were wearing n95 masks to protect them from the air in the room. Cuz of that we had to sleep in the living room. I said they took awhile to fix because I had notified them about 2 weeks ago about it when it was a stain at first. Then it progressed to a crack and then the collapse. I was calling them every day about the problem but nothing was done and I had no idea it would just bust through like that.
I went over today and had a battle to see who can control a conversation more. These guys can really talk out their ass and stick to it. They ended up offering $100 but I asked for more and am planning to talk to them tomorrow to see if they agreed on upping the compensation.
Sorry ITDEFX and destrovega that you had to go through the same shit.ing sucks. Oh and funny and insightful comments, guys. I'm planning on getting renter's insurance now but I feel that even if I had it, I wouldn't get squat since the damage was minimal. I had already moved most stuff out the way when the ceiling was leaking.
I went over today and had a battle to see who can control a conversation more. These guys can really talk out their ass and stick to it. They ended up offering $100 but I asked for more and am planning to talk to them tomorrow to see if they agreed on upping the compensation.
Sorry ITDEFX and destrovega that you had to go through the same shit.
ing sucks. Oh and funny and insightful comments, guys. I'm planning on getting renter's insurance now but I feel that even if I had it, I wouldn't get squat since the damage was minimal. I had already moved most stuff out the way when the ceiling was leaking.
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