Apartment Flooding

2/20/2024 (Permalink)

Flooding from any source in an apartment is a concern for both the tenant as well as the property owner. Even though you may be only renting, an apartment’s still your home and the place where your personal possessions are kept. To minimize water damage to your valuables as well as the building’s structure—and ensure you receive any compensation you are entitled—here are some suggestions in the event of a flooded apartment.

• Report any incident of water damage and/or flooding to the apartment management or property owner as soon as it happens.
• If a ruptured pipe, toilet overflow or other ongoing event is flooding the apartment and you are unable to immediately get a response from maintenance personnel or the property owner, call a plumber yourself and request emergency service to stop the water. Keep records, you will have good grounds to deduct the expense from your rent.
• Make sure the premise is safe to enter. A flooded or wet indoor environment can pose electricity hazards if power is still on. Ask management or the property owner to have an electrician verify that power is disconnected at the meter.
• Take as many photos of each affected room as well as all damaged possessions as soon as you enter the premise. Don’t wait until after clean-up begins.
• If you have renter’s insurance, contact your insurance agent to determine whether coverage will  apply. Generally, renter’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding from external natural events such as overflowing rivers or severe storms. However, if the indoor flood was caused by a ruptured plumbing pipe or other defect, this may be covered.
• Mold growth is a possible after-effect following flooding or other water damage. If you intend to continue to inhabit the property, ask the property owner to verify that professional mold remediation is included as part of the water damage recovery process.
• Always report any conditions, no matter how minor, which might lead to flooding or water damage to the apartment management or property owner as soon as they are discovered. This would include dripping plumbing pipes, roof leakage during rain, unexplained wet spots on ceiling or walls, as well as sewage issues.

Water Damage In Your Home Or Business? Contact the professionals here at SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby County today. 502.241.6861