Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit?

Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit? by MrDan (GA) on April 19, 2016 @23:01

It would be natural if someone kicked in or broke in your front door and tried to rob the place, that you would call the police right away, get mad and angry. And if you are renting, to call the landlord to get it fixed right away.

From your statements, it seems you are the only one concerned about the break in. That the tenants have not reported the break in and made a police report?

You have a few choices to make;

Repair the door and frame and eat the cost

Invoice the tenants for the cost of repairs and hope they pay

Do nothing as it was caused by either the tenants or tenants guest. Which tenants are responsible for their guest.

Issue a 'Notice of Lease Violation' per your State law and require the tenants to cure the door issue or you will start eviction proceedings.

Or you could try a little adverse persuasion;

Dear Sirs’,
Mr________
Mr________
Mr________
(Address every tenant)

RE; Damaged Front Door

Since no police report has been file by you in regards to the damaged front door, the only conclusion
is that the damaged occurred, either by you or your guest. Since you are responsible for every person
you invite as a guest upon the rental property, any damages they do, is your responsibility as you are
responsible for any damage caused by you.

There forth, I am issuing a ‘Notice To Vacate’ for willfully damaging the rental property in violation of
your lease. The cost of repairing the damaged front door is $______.

If this damage cost is paid in full by xx/xx/xx, I will consider rescinding the notice to vacate.

As it might occur to you, that finding another rental under this condition of a pending eviction, you will
have a hard, if not impossible time in finding another rental property close to school.

I hope you take this opportunity to make restitution for the damage front door and not incur any future court
cost and attorney fees if further action is necessary to recoup the cost for repairs.

Please find attached: ‘NOTICE TO VACATE’

Sincerely,

This is more of a bluff to get payment for the damaged front door. If they do decide to vacate, the landlord has the security deposit and court to seek additional cost. The chances are they believe that as long as they deny any knowledge about the damaged front door, the landlord cannot do anything. It's up to the tenants to prove that criminal activity was the cause of the damaged front door. Calling the police and filing a police report would be their evidence, which sounds as if they did not report it.
Every State has a procedure to end the tenants lease when they willfully damage the rental property or become a threat or endangerment to others.

The burden is on the landlord to show that damage occurred to the front door. It then shifts to the tenants to show that they were not responsible for the damage.

As was stated, do not report this as a possible break-in. If you feel the need to report it, do so only as vandalism.

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Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit? by Eddie G (Maryland) on April 19, 2016 @23:33	[ Reply ]

I'll take it into consideration. For sure, I'll only claim it was "Vandalism" on the police report. I'd feel bad about trying to bill the group when it's almost certain it was just one of them or maybe his friends.

Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit? by Patty on April 19, 2016 @23:54	[ Reply ]

They are all responsible under the terms of the lease. Think of it this way, if one of them fail to pay his share of the rent, you would hold the others responsible to come up with the difference. They can settle up with who they know caused the damage amongst themselves. If you drive your friend to the liquor store and he decides to rob the place, the law will charge you as an accessory. Same principle applies here. They know who did it, and how and when it happened. You just want to be reimburse for the repair cost. Let them work it out between themselves.

Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit? by Magic Mike on April 21, 2016 @18:28	[ Reply ]

You feel bad that they destroyed your property? This doesnt make sense.

Re: Who pays for broken front door to rental unit? - Landlord Forum thread 344510