Question

(20) landlord/tenant activity
started: sep 19 at 7:15pm
quiz instructions
the following situations describe questionable landlord and tenant actions. you get to be the judge. for each case listed below, review the testimony of the landlord and the tenant. for each case state whether you rule in favor of:
__ landlord tenant __ both
and the rationale for your ruling. please write your responses in complete sentences. use correct grammar and spelling. your response should be at least 3 sentences.
question 3
5 pts
case #3
tenant: \the heater in my apartment wasnt working. it was the middle of winter and i was freezing! i called my landlord and asked her to fix it right away. she never called me back, so i sent her a letter requesting immediate repairs. after two days with no response, i decided to fix it myself. i deducted my labor and materials from my rent the following month. two months later, the heater caught on fire causing $2,000 in damage. the fire department determined that it was incorrect wiring in the new unit i installed, so now the landlord wants to stick me with the bill for damages. if she would have responded to my complaint more quickly, none of this would have ever happened.\
landlord: \i could have responded more quickly, but i had other serious repairs issues to deal with at the time. issues that were much more serious than being a little cold for a few days. regardless of what he says, it wasnt that cold during that period! anyway, the repairs required a certified electrician. he had no business trying to repair it himself. as a result, we ended up with a fire resulting in $2,000 in damages. why should i have to pay for his bad judgment?\

Explanation:

The landlord had a duty to respond to the tenant's repair request in a timely manner. However, the tenant also should not have attempted a repair that required a certified electrician. The landlord's delay contributed to the tenant's decision to fix it themselves, but the tenant's improper repair caused the damage.

Answer:

Both. The landlord is at fault for the delay in responding to the repair request, which led the tenant to take matters into their own hands. The tenant is at fault for attempting a repair that was beyond their expertise, resulting in the fire and damage.