I posted this in the landlord/tenant issues forum too but someone advised it was better suited here. My state is Masachusetts.
We accidentally left a small candle lit in our apartment a few days ago, and came back to find a bookshelf burning and the whole place covered in smoke and soot. Fortunately, none of our other furniture caught fire and we were able to return in time to put it off.
Our building superintendent called a contractor because the ceiling, walls, and cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom (all black with soot and smelly) all had to be painted. It's a studio apartment so the repainting is now all done and it cost us about $2500. We are supposed to clean up the balcony, all the wooden floors and the windows. My question is this: Wouldn't the building fire insurance have covered this small accidental fire? Someone suggested that the building superintendent and his contractor friend may be trying to "double dip" by getting the insurance claim as well as money from us. Is that possible? We have spent a week cleaning up and need to know whether we have been taken for a ride or not. We assumed that since it was our mistake to leave the candle on, we are liable for all damages and have to pay up. Would the building fire insurance cover any part of this? The superintendent did take pictures of our burnt apartment for his records, he said. Please let us know soon. Thanks.
We accidentally left a small candle lit in our apartment a few days ago, and came back to find a bookshelf burning and the whole place covered in smoke and soot. Fortunately, none of our other furniture caught fire and we were able to return in time to put it off.
Our building superintendent called a contractor because the ceiling, walls, and cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom (all black with soot and smelly) all had to be painted. It's a studio apartment so the repainting is now all done and it cost us about $2500. We are supposed to clean up the balcony, all the wooden floors and the windows. My question is this: Wouldn't the building fire insurance have covered this small accidental fire? Someone suggested that the building superintendent and his contractor friend may be trying to "double dip" by getting the insurance claim as well as money from us. Is that possible? We have spent a week cleaning up and need to know whether we have been taken for a ride or not. We assumed that since it was our mistake to leave the candle on, we are liable for all damages and have to pay up. Would the building fire insurance cover any part of this? The superintendent did take pictures of our burnt apartment for his records, he said. Please let us know soon. Thanks.
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