Can landlord charge rent when tenant has moved out for construction? (Redondo Beach: apartments, renters)

[Lula05]

My landlord is paying our hotel expenses (the very cheapest hotel she could find) while our only bathroom with a shower is being completely rennovated. She tells me she expects to be reimbursed the daily rate of our rent by her insurance company for each day that we are out of the unit.

Can she also charge us rent for the time that we are not occupying the unit?

We had also continued to live in the unit without the use of a shower for 8 days before she arranged for a hotel. Should that amount of rent be deducted since the unit was technically uninhabitable?

We (my husband, our 10-month old daughter, and me) are in Redondo Beach, CA.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Lula05

My landlord is paying our hotel expenses (the very cheapest hotel she could find) while our only bathroom with a shower is being completely rennovated. She tells me she expects to be reimbursed the daily rate of our rent by her insurance company for each day that we are out of the unit.

Can she also charge us rent for the time that we are not occupying the unit?

We had also continued to live in the unit without the use of a shower for 8 days before she arranged for a hotel. Should that amount of rent be deducted since the unit was technically uninhabitable?

We (my husband, our 10-month old daughter, and me) are in Redondo Beach, CA.

If she is paying your hotel bill (doesn't make any diference if it the cheapest hotel she could find) I would think you are responsible for your apt rent. What she works out with her insurance co (which I don't understand) has nothing to do with it. that is between her and the insurance complany.

Nita

[Lovehound]

I agree with Nita. You are being provided a hotel at the landlord's expense as a replacement for your unlivable apartment. It may not be exactly what you wished for but it's fair. Since you voluntarily lived in the unit for 8 days without shower before the construction started it's probably too late now to expect any recompensation. Perhaps it would have been different if you had made a big issue of it at the beginning, but that's water under the bridge now.

Whatever business the landlord has going with the insurance company is no concern of yours.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by Lula05

My landlord is paying our hotel expenses (the very cheapest hotel she could find) while our only bathroom with a shower is being completely rennovated. She tells me she expects to be reimbursed the daily rate of our rent by her insurance company for each day that we are out of the unit.

Can she also charge us rent for the time that we are not occupying the unit?

We had also continued to live in the unit without the use of a shower for 8 days before she arranged for a hotel. Should that amount of rent be deducted since the unit was technically uninhabitable?

We (my husband, our 10-month old daughter, and me) are in Redondo Beach, CA.

No, you owe the rent due because you still stayed. Your recourse would be to ask for compensaton or small claims court. But as Lovehound stated, it's water under the bridge.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Can your insurance agent help out? Our policy includes issues such as these. For example if an issue arises and the place becomes unfit to inhabit, moving expenses, the cost of another place are paid. But then I learned by living in an older building and watching people get moved because the plumbing was breaking. Those with the renters insurance were covered. Those that didn't have it were stuck. Then again our apartments required you to have the insurance. (Not everyone had it back then.)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Can your insurance agent help out? Our policy includes issues such as these. For example if an issue arises and the place becomes unfit to inhabit, moving expenses, the cost of another place are paid. But then I learned by living in an older building and watching people get moved because the plumbing was breaking. Those with the renters insurance were covered. Those that didn't have it were stuck. Then again our apartments required you to have the insurance. (Not everyone had it back then.)

and so many renters do not think about renters insurance. it is too bad..

Nita

[Beth56]

What were the circumstances regarding the renovation?

I know that the insurance I carry on a rental home I own will cover the rent loss in some circumstances. If your landlord is receiving rent from the insurance company for the period you are living in a hotel, then your landlord should not be getting rent from you also for those days. Your rent would be prorated. You would owe for the days you actually lived in and used the home. Meaning if there are 31 days in the month, you lived in a hotel for 10 days, you would owe 21 days rent.

It would be nice if the landlord compensated you something for your 8 days without a shower if your bathtub was also unusable. If you were able to take a bath, then I don't think compensation should be expected. Taking a bath would be more inconvenient but does not make the home inhabitable.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by Beth56

What were the circumstances regarding the renovation?

Repair, not renovation.

Originally Posted by Beth56

I know that the insurance I carry on a rental home I own will cover the rent loss in some circumstances. If your landlord is receiving rent from the insurance company for the period you are living in a hotel, then your landlord should not be getting rent from you also for those days. Your rent would be prorated. You would owe for the days you actually lived in and used the home. Meaning if there are 31 days in the month, you lived in a hotel for 10 days, you would owe 21 days rent.

The insurance reimburses the landlord for loss of rent. The landlord provides the tenant replacement housing during the repairs. The tenant lost nothing except the inconvenience of having to move out for a few days. The insurance company lost, the landlord lost, the tenant lost, and nobody won.

There isn't any room here for bleeding hearts. There is no reason for the landlord to offer the tenant anything beyond replacement housing for the duration.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

Repair, not renovation.



The insurance reimburses the landlord for loss of rent. The landlord provides the tenant replacement housing during the repairs. The tenant lost nothing except the inconvenience of having to move out for a few days. The insurance company lost, the landlord lost, the tenant lost, and nobody won.

There isn't any room here for bleeding hearts. There is no reason for the landlord to offer the tenant anything beyond replacement housing for the duration.

I agree with you. I do think it is pretty crappy if the landlady collects rent and asks the insurance company to pay for lost rent and I am surprised she would tell her tenent this, but again, that is between the landlady and the the insurance company..Of course I am also pretty sure, the cost of the hotel, is as much, if not more than the amount of rent being collected.

Nita

[Lovehound]

Nita, the landlord has gained nothing but being reimbursed for paying for the tenant's hotel accommodations, and probably repair costs for the water damage (but not the plumber's bill). The tenant continues to pay rent because the tenant continues to have a place to live, even if it's a hotel.

The tenant would have good reason to complain if they got kicked out during repairs and didn't get either free hotel accommodations or suspension of rent. Either would have been reasonable but not both.