Can a Gainesville, FL, Landlord be Held Liable for Tenant Injuries?

Annoying Legal Disclaimer

This blog should not be considered legal advice nor does it create an attorney-client relationship.  

Yes, a Gainesville, FL, landlord can be held liable for tenant injuries under Florida law.

Our law firm represents tenants who have been injured in their rental homes due to no fault of their own.

In fact, by the grace of God, we have obtained over $1,000,000.00 in results for injured tenants in Alachua County and the surrounding areas.

If you want, you can call or text our firm now at (352) 415-4571.

According to recent census data, approximately 61% of the households in Gainesville, FL, are tenant-occupied.

According to recent census data, approximately 61% of the households in Gainesville, FL, are tenant-occupied. 

Tenants who pay rent money to live in a home, apartment, condo, or mobile home are considered tenants under Florida law.

Under Florida law, landlords are required to rent a dwelling that is fit to be lived in or "habitable."

In general, landlords are responsible for: (1) adhering to all relevant building, housing, and health code requirements; (2) maintaining the roofs, doors, floors, steps, porches, external walls, foundations, and all other structural elements in good condition; and (3) keeping the plumbing in working order.

Although, in certain instances landlords can argue the tenant waived their right to the landlord's maintenance of certain aspects of the rental home.

All else equal, landlords are required by law to maintain a safe and livable environment for their tenants.

There are, however, often instances of negligence where landlords and property owners do not maintain the standards set by applicable building, housing, and health codes.

Landlord negligence is something our law firm has thought about a lot.

In fact, through the help of friends and family, we created an equation to try and explain why (we think) landlords sometimes fail to make timely repairs.

You can read about the equation, here.

In the instances where a landlord fails to keep their rental home in compliance with the law, an individual can bring a claim against the landlord (typically in the form of a claim with the landlord's insurance company) for injuries/harm.

Here is a general list of instances where a landlord may be liable for injuries a tenant sustains:

• The injury occurred in a common area.

• The tenant was a victim of a violent crime on the landlord's property.

• The tenant's guest was injured on the landlord's property.

• The hazard was something the landlord knew about or ought to have known about.

• The landlord failed to remedy a hazardous situation in a timely manner.

• An injury from the hazard was foreseeable.

In conclusion, a landlord can be held liable for their tenant's injuries in Gainesville, FL.

A lot of Gainesville, FL, tenants do not realize they can contact Gainesville Code Enforcement at (352) 334-5030 to have the City of Gainesville inspect their home for building code violations.

If you have been injured due to dangerous property conditions, please call our office to discuss your legal rights at (352) 415-4571.

We are here to listen, and empathize with you.

It is uniquely difficult to be injured in your rental home –– especially when that injury was avoidable through proper maintenance.