Tenant And Landlord Responsibilities
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Tenant And Landlord Responsibilities
Sometimes people move into an apartment under the impression that the landlord is at their beck and call for every little thing that goes wrong. It's true that the landlord has specific responsibilities, mostly related to your health and safety (smoke detectors, for example), however, the landlord isn't necessarily responsible for repairing damages to furniture, household appliances that belong to you, or damages to the apartment caused by tenant neglect. In the state of Michigan, tenants (you and your roommate) are required to pay the rent on time, keep the rental property safe and sanitary, notify the landlord right away if any maintenance problems occur (heating unit fails, leaking, plumbing problems, etc.), exterminate insects if they appear after you and your roommate have moved in, and leave the apartment in good condition when you and your roommate move out.
Keep in mind that responsibilities can be modified within rental agreements, but tenants do carry a fair amount of responsibility for their behavior and actions as they impact on their rental environment.
Just because you and your roommate have made a security deposit, doesn't mean you won't be charged for additional damages caused by neglect. Ultimately, an apartment is considered home to you and your roommate, but the property belongs to someone else, so treat it with care.
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| Sheri Ann Richerson |
