As a renter, you know that your landlord is supposed to make repairs and give you a safe place to live. However, you also know that this happens far less than is ideal. Landlords often neglect their properties, ignore requests for repairs or try to leave it up to the tenants to do it on their own.
Because of this, you want to know what risks and hazards to watch out for. Doing so can help you avoid injury, even when your landlord is negligent or refuses to abide by the terms of the lease. Since fires are a major threat, the first thing to do is to go through and check all of the fire alarms every month. You can then begin looking for common fire hazards, such as:
- Power strips or extension cords that are worn out, outdated or have too many cords plugged into them.
- Outlets, lights and other fixtures that have not been wired properly.
- Items that are stored too close to a furnace or a hot water heater.
- Stoves that have become dirty with excessive use or lack of cleaning.
- A fireplace that has not been cleaned properly; if this is not done, the chimney can actually catch on fire when sparks rise.
- Outlets that are loose and move when you plug things into them.
- Workspaces that are dirty, such as a shop that is covered in sawdust.
- A dryer vent that has become clogged with lint and debris.
- Batteries that have been set aside and not disposed of properly.
If you see these hazards or get injured in a a fire resulting from them, you may need to seek compensation for your medical bills.