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Does a landlord be responsible for the full cost if the refrigerator does not work?

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jinl11

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Las Vegas
My tenant wants me to pay for her damaged food cost and expenses for her family eat outside. When I purchased house, I did house inspection, it seems the refrigerator was working. But after she moved in, she said it was not working. We tried to find people to fix and eventually we bought a brand new one for her.
Now she is coming back to me asking me to reimburse her more than $900 since she bought worth $380 food, they all rotted during this 5 days without refrigerator. And they ate 5 day outside.

I offered to pay her $400, she said she want the full cost which is $900. Is this reasonable? What should I do now?

Thanks for your help.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


Who's Liable?

Senior Member
You have offered her more than enough.

Unless there is a specific clause in your lease covering the cost of perishablable food should the fridge go bad, you owe her nothing.

While offering $400 was sufficient, it is not legally required.

Watch to make sure they don't try to deduct it from the rent.
 

jinl11

Junior Member
Actually she didn't pay the monthly rent, it is in 5 day eviction notice now. She is trying to say the refrigerator didn't work before she moved in, but we have the inspection report which said it was working during the inspection time.

We are just trying to see if we are fair to her or not.

There is no specific item to mention perishablable food in the lease.

Thanks so much for your help.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
=jinl11;2541701] She is trying to say the refrigerator didn't work before she moved in
,then tell her if she is dumb enough to put food in a refrigerator that she knows is not working, it's her loss. A LL is liable for a lot of things but they don't have to reimburse a tenant for being dumb.



We are just trying to see if we are fair to her or not.
You are being more than fair. I don't think I could put $380 worth of food in my fridge unless I started buying Wagyu steaks.

and $520 for eating out for 5 days? I cannot figure out why not having a fridge would require a person to eat out at all. Chef Boyardee lasts a long time setting on the shelf. Water comes from the faucet and pop does not need to be refirgerated.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Besides, if the chef was lying, his pants would be on fire.
actually I was thinking that maybe somebody needs to keep an eye on the Chef. I mean, after all, even after that little girls mom said no, he chased her down to her house just so she would put him in her mouth.

Something about that oozes pedophile.
 

Searchertwin

Senior Member
If ref was working on day of inspection and she sign paper stating everything was in order..than you owe her nothing..that is what renters insurance is for. You are being more than fair in giving her that amount, but once you give it to her she has proof that you acknowledge that it was broken. Be careful on what you do. She could come back wanting full amount since you paid her some of the money.
 

TigerD

Senior Member
If the fridge was working when they moved in, have you checked with the repair guy to see if the break was something that could have been caused by the tenant?

You may need to deduct the cost of the fridge (depreciated) from their security deposit.

DC
 

jinl11

Junior Member
The refrigerator was working from the inspection report, but she said it is not three days later. She is not paying my April's rent at all due to this so I have to call the eviction company to process eviction.

Thanks for all who replied.
 

Who's Liable?

Senior Member
actually I was thinking that maybe somebody needs to keep an eye on the Chef. I mean, after all, even after that little girls mom said no, he chased her down to her house just so she would put him in her mouth.

Something about that oozes pedophile.
What a surprise it would be to the chef if he sat at the kitchen counter and Chris Hansen walked around the corner!
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
And, let's assume that you wanted to accept liability. It would only be for the food or for eating out...not both. ;)
 

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