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Flood and Fire Victims' Rights as Tenants
by: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (New Orleans office)
Q.	Can My Landlord Evict Me Because of Flood or Fire Damage?

A.	Generally, you cannot be evicted if you have a written lease and your apartment was only "partially" damaged. Read your lease to see if it allows your landlord to evict for "partial" destruction. "Total" destruction by flood or fire generally ends the lease and allows your landlord to evict. If you have an oral month-to-month lease, your landlord may cancel your lease by giving you 10 days notice before the end of the rental month. Of course, if you caused the fire damage, the landlord may evict you.

Q.	What If I Live in Subsidized Housing?

A.	Your landlord can only evict you if the flood 'totally" destroyed your apartment. If that happened, you can get a new voucher to relocate.

Q.	Do I Have to Pay Rent if Flood or Fire Damage Forced Me to Leave My Apartment?

A.	No, rent is generally not owed for the time you are forced to be out of your apartment due to flood or fire damage and the necessary repairs.

Q.	Can I Cancel My Lease Because of Flood or Fire Damage to My Apartment?

A.	It depends on how badly your apartment was damaged. The law says that a tenant can cancel a lease if the apartment was partially or totally "destroyed." Damage requiring only minor or short-term repairs (such as replacing the carpet) generally would not give you the right to cancel your lease. Whether you can cancel your lease depends on the individual facts of your case. You should get legal advice from a lawyer.

Q.	Who Must Repair Property Damaged By Flood or Fire?

A.	The landlord is responsible for the repair of any flood or fire damage to the apartment itself. (Of course, if you caused the fire, he would not be responsible). Generally, the landlord is not responsible for flood damage to the tenant's personal property. However, he may owe you money for fire damage if his negligence caused the fire. You may want to buy renter's insurance to protect your personal property from loss due to fires and theft.

Q.	What Can I Do If My Landlord Does Not Make the Repairs?

A.	You can cancel the lease if the apartment is no longer fit to live in or if the damage was substantial. Or you may make the repairs yourself and deduct a reasonable cost from the rent due. Rent withholding may not be used to force repairs. For more information on how to repair and deduct, see our FAQ, "Repairs--What Can I Do When My Landlord Won't Make Them."

Q.	Can I Get Any Help for Flood Damages or Losses?

A.	A federal agency called "FEMA" may give you rent payments if you suffered a financial hardship as a result of a major disaster declared by the President. Property damage or loss (not covered by insurance) in a disaster may be deductible on your income tax return. You may have the right to a tax refund. For more information, see our FAQ on "When Disaster Strikes--Where to Go for Help."

Links:	Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)--Help for Disaster Victims


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	Last Reviewed On: 02/20/06

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Information, Not Legal Advice.

Esto es solamente información, no es consejo legal.

This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice depends on the specific facts of each situation. Some information in this web site may not be correct for where you are. The information in this web site is not guaranteed to be up-to-date. The information in this web site cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel licensed in your state.

Este sitio del Internet fue preparado para dar solamente información. La información en este sitio no es consejo legal. Consejo legal depende de los datos específicos y las circunstancias de cada situación. Es posible que alguna información en este sitio no comporte con el área o la jurisdicción donde usted vive. Es posible que la información en este sitio no esté corriente. La información en este sitio no puede sustituir el consejo de un abogado competente y licenciado en su estado.

Lawyer Advertising. In some jurisdictions this web site may be considered lawyer advertising. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Propaganda de Abogados. En algunas jurisdicciones, este sitio puede ser considerado propaganda de abogados. Contratar con un abogado es una decisión importante que no debe depender solamente sobre anuncios.

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Información sobre un abogado no es una recomendación del abogado. Antes de contratar con un abogado, usted debe investigar la reputación y las capacidades del abogado.

Links. This web site contains links to other resources on the Internet. Those links are provided as citations and aids to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest, and are not intended to state or imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons or entities who created such site, nor are the links intended to state or imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.

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