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Tenant liability for fire?

Asked Jul 15, 2011, 07:32 PM — 8 Answers
Who is liable to pay fire brigade bills if the fire was caused due to bad wiring and Tenants do not have content insurance?

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excon's Avatar
excon Posts: 21,041, Reputation: 15510
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#2

Jul 15, 2011, 07:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonicrab View Post
the fire was caused due to bad wiring
Hello s:

The landlord. The tenant can't do anything about the wires...

As a matter of fact, the tenant could sue the landlord for his loss.

excon
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ScottGem's Avatar
ScottGem Posts: 58,578, Reputation: 28375
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#3

Jul 16, 2011, 05:41 AM


Even if the tenant had renter's insurance, its is not likely to cover damage do to structural problems. The tenant has no control over faulty wiring.

However, if the tenant overloaded the wiring. For example, if there was evidence of using multi-taps (adapters that all you to plug multiple items into one outlet) that go behind the capability of the wiring, then the tenant could be held responsible.
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sonicrab's Avatar
sonicrab Posts: 3, Reputation: 10
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#4

Jul 16, 2011, 08:09 PM
Thanks for replying. I got letter from MFB asking me to pay $21,247.00 or provide them with the content insurance policy number. I didn't have content insurance so basically I have been asked to pay a $21247.00 bill. Can MFB ask tenants to pay the cost of ifrebage visit when the landlord is ready to provide his home insurance policy number which does cover the fire brigade visit?
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ScottGem's Avatar
ScottGem Posts: 58,578, Reputation: 28375
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#5

Jul 17, 2011, 05:58 AM


First, ANY question on law needs to include your general locale as laws vary by area. So we can't answer your question because we have no idea what the rules are governing your fire brigade.

I would respond to this letter with a letter stating that you are not responsible for fire3 caused by structural problems and refer them to the landlord. If the landlord will give you his insurance info, then include that.
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twinkiedooter's Avatar
twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 6045
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#6

Jul 17, 2011, 10:23 AM
The landlord insures the building, the tenant insures their posessions in the apartment. Why they would try to stick you with the bill for the fire brigade is beyond me. You may want to contact an attorney before they take you to court and get a judgment against you to pay this bill that the landlord should pay for.

What exactly happened that the wiring was determined to be the cause of the fire. Get the Fire Marshall's report to determine the exact cause of the fire. Without that report you can only speculate as to the actual cause.
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sonicrab's Avatar
sonicrab Posts: 3, Reputation: 10
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#7

Jul 18, 2011, 04:23 AM
@ScottGem - My house was in Footscray Victoria 3011. Falls under Marybirnong council.
@Twinkiedooter - I went to Police and firebrigade to have the copy of the report but they didn't give me the copy. I was asked to write a stat dec about the situation and got that attested by police. I was told that they have to incident reported in their computer systems which they can't get printed for me.
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ScottGem's Avatar
ScottGem Posts: 58,578, Reputation: 28375
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#8

Jul 18, 2011, 05:18 AM


I couldn't find an easily researchable set of rules for the Fire Brigade. Have you obtained a copy?
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JudyKayTee's Avatar
JudyKayTee Posts: 46,122, Reputation: 23840
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#9

Jul 26, 2011, 09:14 AM
I'm a liability investigator - is the "brigade" saying that YOU somehow overloaded the circuit?

I have seen those cases and the tenant has been found liable.
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