What defense is available for a tenant if he has no insurance and a fire started from his stove?

Answer 1

A person has a duty to operate dangerous equipment with the ordinary care of a reasonably prudent person to avoid damage or injury to others. If the stove was defective, or the fire erupted from some unforeseeable circumstances, it might be shown that the fire was not caused by any lack of care by the tenant. On the other hand, the tenant is responsible for returning the premises in the same condition as when he rented them. That is why renter's insurance usually includes liability coverage; it covers accidents that injure or damage others. We suffered a similar situation. I was using hot oil on the range when it suddenly flared up into a torch. I was unaware the flames had lept into the hood. I was able to get the stovetop fire out. But when thick black smoke barreled through the house--I got out and called the fire department. The hood and stove were totaled. The landlord filed a claim with their homeowners' insurance. The insurance rep came to the house and lectured us about now having renter's insurance and warned we would be sued for the full amount of all of the repairs and cleaning. The total cost was $6,000: new cabinets, cleaning the floors, walls, ceiling fans and the blinds that belonged to us. The landlord received check for the full amount, according to the Nationwide rep that called me and tried to get me to pay $6,000. They asked me several times if I left the home with the stove on and I told them I had been there the entire time, following a recipe and it was not negligence. The landlord replaced only the stove. The cabinets are ok but not for the $1,000 rent we pay for a 20-year-old damaged home. We were never sued by the insurance company. Now, we want to move out of this home in which we have lived for nearly 7 years. I don't know how to handle whether or not we should get the security deposit back. If anyone can help please do. We feel we have been getting ripped-off for a few years. Please help, If the premises are not returned to the landlord in the same condition as when you rented them, they are certainly entitled to bill you for any repairs necessary from your possession of the premises, and keep as much of the security deposit as necessary to cover those charges, MINUS whatever they have collected from their own insurance. to cover the same damage (they can't collect twice). Your liability insurance (renter's insurance) should cover accidental damage to the landlord's property.