House fire

[SHANNONLONG]

What is the name of your state? WASHINGTON

We had a fire under our rental house a few months ago. It smoldered for a few days and then we saw smoke coming through the walls. The fire dept. came and put it out and did some damage to the floor and we cannot use the woodstove until it is fixed. Thus our power billls are tripled. Our landlord has finally said he will fix it in June and wants us to stay in a motel for a week. He said we had to pre-pay for the motel and he would reimburse us. We do not have the money to do this and he will not let us take it out of the rent. Do we have to pay this or since the fire was not from any fault of ours, shouldn't he pay up front to put us somewhere while it is being repaired? We really need some answers because we do not know what we are going to do. Thanks.

 

[FarmerJ]

Review your lease sections that adress the habitablility of the unit . you may have reason to cancel the lease . If you wish to stay in the unit when repairs are completed then get any agreement with your landlord about temp shelter cost in writting so if he/she fails to reimburse you your able to go to small claims court to enforce the agreement . Also I am curious after the fire did your citys housing inspections unit send any one out and decide that the unit cannot be lived in till repairs are made ?

 

[moe3]

here is the WA landlord tenant act.....

http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?fuseaction=chapterdigest&chapter=59.18


DO YOU HAVE A LEASE?????????????

The landlord is obligated to pay for your hotel room one way or another.

OR you can mutually agree to terminante the lease and the landlord must give you your FULL deposit back.

Remember everything has to be in writing and signed.

Also you cant take it out of the rent until you actually paid the hotel bill then you submit the bill with the difference for July's rent.

IF YOU DONT have a lease you can give the landlord a 30 day notice by Friday to be out by June 30th and then he has 14 days to refund ALL of your secuirty deposit, since he wont be able to determine the damages caused by you or the fire.

 

[Cvillecpm]

Landlord's insurance company should pay for your motel OR landlord should pay and get reimbursement from insurance.

Either way, ask landlord for insurance company, adjuster AND claim # for your files and then ask adjuster directly who will pay for motel. Sometimes, they will refer you to a motel that the insurance company gets preferred discounts from and you pay nothing.