For the average renter, there aren't many scenarios more stressful and mortifying than a flooded apartment – aside from maybe an apartment on fire. When the flooding comes from upstairs, it can be out of your control and leave you petrified, not knowing how to handle it. It can be a complicated process keeping everything safe and dealing with the aftermath, but we're here to break it down for you to make things easier to deal with.<\/p>\n
Keep Your Things Safe<\/h2>\n
First and foremost, you want to worry about keeping your valuable's from being water-damaged once you notice the beginning of the flooding. Take everything you can into a room of your apartment that the upstairs water isn't leaking into. Also, consider moving things to your car or asking your neighbor if you can keep things in their apartment until you can handle the situation.<\/p>\n
Call the Landlord<\/h2>\n
As soon as you can, call your landlord or property manager to notify them of the situation. In the meanwhile, seal any ceiling leaks you can and catch the water with buckets or big plastic bins. Try to minimize water damage as much as possible.<\/p>\n
Determine the Problem<\/h2>\n
If your apartment flooded from upstairs, chances are something went awry with your upstairs neighbor. It may have been an overflowing bathtub or toilet, a busted pipe, a leaky fridge or water heater, or some other issue of the sort.<\/p>\n
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By immediately calling your landlord, they'll probably go up and inspect the cause. The sooner the cause is identified, the sooner it gets fixed. Eventually, you'll be able to start worrying about what happens next instead of scrambling to figure things out while water continues to leak into your apartment.<\/p>\n
Have Insurance<\/h2>\n
Frequently, tenants will be required to have renter's insurance before moving in – not always, but often. Even if it isn't needed, it's smart to get in case of situations like these. Luckily, it isn't too expensive either, just a few hundred dollars a year or less. The point is, if you have renter's insurance, things will end up going a lot smoother.<\/p>\n
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Your renter's insurance will cover the cost of your damaged belongings such as clothing, jewelry, electronics, etc., and sometimes even appliances under some policies. The renter's insurance does not cover the damage done to the apartment building itself, like to your floors and the pipes, but that will usually be taken care of by the landlord. If you don't immediately notify your landlord when the flooding begins, however, they may try to get out of paying for repairs.<\/p>\n
If you don't have renter's insurance, things will be a little more troublesome. While your property manager will most likely replace your carpets and make sure any stains in the ceiling are taken care of, you'll be responsible for replacing your personal belongings.<\/p>\n
On the occasions where your landlord does not offer to take on repairs themselves, ask if they can reimburse you for taking the repairs into your own hands – either by doing them yourself or hiring a repair-person out of your pocket. Alternatively, negotiate whether or not you can take the cost of repairs off the next rent payment.<\/p>\n
If your landlord refuses to repair anything inside your apartment and your upstairs neighbor was proven to be at fault but refuses to cover the cost of the damage they caused, you can always attempt to take either of them to court.<\/p>\n
Natural Disasters<\/h2>\n
Flooding via natural disaster such as a hurricane or tropical storm may be unlikely, but it happens sometimes. If your upstairs neighbor experiences flood damage due to natural conditions, their water will leak into your home, too, assuming your apartment hasn't been affected by the weather already.<\/p>\n
In this case, your renter's insurance may not cover the damage done to your belongings because the cause was a natural disaster and not any fault of anyone in the apartment complex. If you don't have flood insurance, which you can tack onto your renter's insurance, then you may be out of luck, even if your landlord makes the structural repairs.<\/p>\n
If your apartment flooded to the point where it's no longer able to be lived in, it might just be time to move. In these cases, you can often end your lease without any financial complications. If you're lucky, you can get a new place within the same apartment complex, but you may have to move out if things get that bad.<\/p>\n
Overall, a flooded apartment is a terrible time for anyone, but it's able to be dealt with often than not. By keeping as much safe as you can, fixing the problem as soon as possible, and having the right insurance, you can get back on your feet even after all the hassle. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst, as they say.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For the average renter, there aren't many scenarios more stressful and mortifying than a flooded apartment – aside from maybe an apartment on fire. When the flooding comes from upstairs, it can be out of your control and leave you petrified, not knowing how to handle it. It can be a complicated process keeping everything… <\/p>\n