When it comes to apartment security negligence, there is some good news for Texans.
Burglary is on the decline in Texas for the eleventh straight year! The burglary rate dropped 5.1% in 2020. (Texas DPS Report)
Even though burglary at apartment complexes is less common than in recent years, it still happens.
Sometimes, it’s caused by landlord negligence. If you rent an apartment, your safety and belongings should never be jeopardized by a break-in caused by your landlord’s failure to provide a reasonably safe place for you to live.
Condo and apartment security negligence can lead to serious repercussions for tenants. If negligent landlords fail to secure their property, people can fall victim to break-ins, theft, assault, and worse. It can cause tremendous pain and suffering.
If you’ve been the victim of a crime or burglary in your apartment, condo, or apartment complex, you should ask:
Is your landlord liable for damages?
As we’ve mentioned before, apartment complexes and landlords must take reasonable measures to ensure their tenants are safe. But what does that mean, exactly?
To help clarify what exactly apartment security negligence looks like in the real world, let’s sketch out a few hypothetical scenarios where a landlord might be held responsible for damages due to negligence…
Scenario #1:
Let’s say your apartment has fenced-in areas with keyed gates. If the gate’s lock is broken and it stays broken for any period of time, it becomes a point of entry for thieves and assailants. A landlord might be held accountable for damages done by criminals who gain access to their property through shoddy gates and fences.
Scenario #2:
Imagine that a known sex offender moves into an apartment complex, but the landlord doesn’t provide proper notice to the other tenants. If people are unaware that a sex offender lives in the same building as them, they might get lax with their security. Children and other vulnerable people might get hurt because they were never told about the threat in their apartment complex. In this case, the landlord may be held liable for damages.
Scenario #3:
What if your front door lock doesn’t properly engage because the door is misaligned? The key turns when you insert it into the lock, but the door isn’t really able to be secured.
If you’ve notified your landlord about the faulty lock, but they haven’t done anything to secure your door, they are a negligent landlord. If a break-in happened, that landlord could be found liable for damages.
Thankfully, tenants who are victims of crimes due to landlord negligence can seek damages in court.
But, the whole process of getting restitution can be daunting, complex, and time-sensitive. It’s best to get help from experts as quickly as possible after an incident to get the ball rolling on your claim.
Get a qualified attorney on your side. Be sure to choose a lawyer with expertise in apartment liability and security negligence. That way, you can get the compensation you deserve as a victim of apartment complex negligence.
Reach out for a free case evaluation to get started. It’s risk free, and the sooner you get the process started, the sooner you get compensated. Help is closer than you think…
