Steps To Take When Your Apartment Complex Floods

11/7/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage from flooding will have serious consequences for your apartment complex. It can make units impossible to live in and can also ruin personal property permanently. Even a smaller flood can have long-lasting consequences, both to you as the owner and to your residents. 

Here are some important steps for you to take when your apartment complex floods:

• Make sure everyone is safe. This should always be the very first consideration in any emergency situation. Even the most minor flooding event can create unsafe conditions, such as washing out walkways or causing potholes in the parking lot, so you will want to inspect your grounds thoroughly to identify any unsafe situations that have become an issue. Log these observations and take plenty of pictures and videos, and make sure that your residents are notified to stay clear. 
• Inspect unit interiors. Visit each and every affected unit to ascertain what damage has been experienced. Be on the lookout for mold, especially. Wet surfaces are fertile environments for mold which can further damage the apartment and create substantial health hazards.
• Know your responsibilities. You will be responsible to repair the damage up to a point. Be aware of your tenants’ rights, as well, and be sure to always do the right thing. (It’s good advertising!) Some residents may be under the impression that the owner is liable for the replacement of personal property, for example, so knowing the laws will really help in such cases. The principles that support the rights of tenants are the same throughout the U.S., with each state varying in the details. You or your residents can consult the local housing authority or a tenants’ rights organization if there are any disagreements or if clarification is needed. 
• And what about the rent? If a resident has to leave their unit due to severe water damage, they do not have to pay rent for that particular month, nor until their apartment is completely repaired. If the apartment is totally destroyed, they can request to cancel their lease. 
• Call in the professionals. After you have ensured that the safety of all involved is secured and you know where the repairs need to be made, call in a professional repair company with the expertise and equipment needed to get you back to normal as soon as possible. You are required by law to get these repairs completed in a timely manner and to ensure that units are fit to live in, so make sure you use a company that has a great reputation for thorough and timely completion of all projects.

 Here at SERVPRO of Huron & East Seneca Counties, we have the experience and skill you need to get your apartment complex back to pre-flood condition as soon as possible!