Just moved into new apartment building - window is leaking

[puffdiddy]

It's a pretty bad leak and it's creating puddles on the floor. what recourse do i have? if things get damaged, can i legally get them to reimburse? or do they simply have to repair it within a set amount of time and that is it?

Thanks!

[queensborough]

Have you notified the LL about the leak? If not, that's the first thing you should do, by phone and in writing detailing any loss to your property that may have occurred. Tell LL you expect this to be corrected ASAP. If you have anything that has been damaged, LL should have homeowners insurance to cover the cost of any loss.

[lofter1]

Landlords are not required to carry insurance that would cover the damage to your property. Apartment insurance purchased by the tenant should cover a tenant's belongings.

If the LL doesn't have insurance then a lawsuit may be the only way to force reimbursement.

[puffdiddy]

yeah, i just moved in and haven't had a chance to get renter's insurance. it's literally been one issue after another and have not had any time at all. i notified them and they pulled the legal "you should have renter's insurance" line on me. i'm asking for a small sum to replace a carpet that got stained.

so my options are a) suck it up or b) negotiate with them or c) file a suit in small claims court?

[queensborough]

Is it possible to clean the carpet, or is the damage beyond just cleaning? If it can be cleaned, then ask the LL to pay for the cleaning. I wouldn't suck it up. He is responsible for the leaking window, so that should be fixed first since it seems this would be an ongoing problem.

While renters insurance is a good thing to have, it doesn't cover everything.