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frozen water pipes

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tinap05

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Illinois
We were renting an apartment for a short term lease until our home was done being built. When our home was done we decided to sleep there one weekend, while we were gone the pipes froze in our apartment and ther was a lot of damage. The landlord told the insurance company we had our heat shut off ( which was not true) so now the insurance company is after us for $25,000.00. We did not shut off the heat because our lease was not due till the end of the month and we still had alot of our belongings there? Are we liable for this?
 
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south

Senior Member
$25000 worth of damage? Sounds steep did they send you an itemized bill.

Send a letter back to insurance company and say 'Not True' I presume that is why the owner has insurance for events such as this, you have no proof of any malicious act and you have no proof that the pipes freezing were the tenants fault, were the pipes even insulated?

Let the insurance co sing for it they cannot just point a finger, ask them to show you proof it was exactly your fault.

Jeeeezuus I hate insurance companies that whittle cash out of you for years then when a problem occurs they try to wiggle out of paying.




tinap05 said:
What is the name of your state? Illinois
We were renting an apartment for a short term lease until our home was done being built. When our home was done we decided to sleep there one weekend, while we were gone the pipes froze in our apartment and ther was a lot of damage. The landlord told the insurance company we had our heat shut off ( which was not true) so now the insurance company is after us for $25,000.00. We did not shut off the heat because our lease was not due till the end of the month and we still had alot of our belongings there? Are we liable for this?
 

Who's Liable?

Senior Member
treese said:
Yes.

Pipes usually do not freeze without cause or reason.

And how do you know the pipes weren't properly insulated? Or the pipes were exposed to the exterior, which would make the LL responsible for the frozen pipes...
 

Happy Trails

Senior Member
tinap05 said:
What is the name of your state? Illinois
We were renting an apartment for a short term lease until our home was done being built. When our home was done we decided to sleep there one weekend, while we were gone the pipes froze in our apartment and ther was a lot of damage. The landlord told the insurance company we had our heat shut off ( which was not true) so now the insurance company is after us for $25,000.00. We did not shut off the heat because our lease was not due till the end of the month and we still had alot of our belongings there? Are we liable for this?
So did the pipes break because there was no heat? If so why was the heat off?
 
If the heat was on and running as you say, get a paper from the energy company that states it was running at the time of the alleged freezing of the pipes. Also get photos of where the pipes are located etc. It may not hurt to get a plumber( or whomever it would be) of your own to look at the pipes and give his interpretation of what caused the pipes to freeze. Didn't you say this was an apartment building? Where the pipes solely for your apartment? I'm sorry I'm not up to par on how it all works. Good luck.
 

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