Is firewood considered a fire hazard???? Rental and insurance laws... (renters, house)

[LovinTheMountains]

I've been renting a home in Hamilton since June 2011. My husband has been getting wood from freshly cut trees, splitting them, and stacking the newly split wood in the backyard (off the ground to allow for drying and circulation). The wood is over 10 feet away from the house.

My landlord is angry at us for reporting him to the township for him refusing to fix a water leak that was leaking on our breaker panel, so know he's trying to mess with us. He wrote a letter stating that his property insurance carrier told him that firewood is considered hazardous and increases his potential loss on the property. I have a hard time believing that the insurance company said this. Our lease only states that we can't store anything on the property that is dangerous, flammable, or explosive in character that might be considered hazardous by a responsible insurance company.

So in everyone's opinion, can you seriously see properly stored firewood away from the house as being in violation????

[joe moving]

A lot of places won't let renters use firewood. You have a fireplace? If there wasn't anything in the lease about using it or not... then I think he's messing with you. Just move it further away.

[LovinTheMountains]

Originally Posted by joe moving

A lot of places won't let renters use firewood. You have a fireplace? If there wasn't anything in the lease about using it or not... then I think he's messing with you. Just move it further away.

There is nothing about firewood in the lease. And we have a total of about 1/8th of a cord of firewood which is not alot at all. We are only selling a few bundles here and there, this isn't a huge 'business' by no means. The landlord never had a problem with any of this until one day, water was dripping on the breaker panel. When he didn't remedy the situation with a week, I finally contacted the township inspector. They called him and told him to fix it, and which point he did.

Then suddenly we get a letter about 2 repairs made 6 months ago and the firewood.

According to our neighbors, he has been sued before and lost. My neighbor is a neurologist, the other is a police sergeant, both have said that time and time again the tenants who rent this house move out within the year because of his 'slumlord ways.'

I may have to eat some money on this one, but I always like to try to get others opinions and do some research to make sure I don't get screwed. I cleaned his rental and fixed many things wrong with this place so as not to bother with him with the little things. But now he wants to play hard ball and I guess I gotta get ready.

[GoYanks34]

I have a real hard time believing an insurer is saying firewood is a hazard. How many homes do you see each year with fireplaces that have their back/side yards filled with firewood, covered in plastic? Too many to count. If that were the case there would be a lot more problems that you would hear about. I asked my aunt, who resides in PA with a fireplace and stores wood outside and she said she has never heard of such a thing.

He's screwing with you. I'd ask him for a letter from the insurance company. Bet you never see it.

[timneh5]

Call your insurance company and ask if you need "special" renter's insurance to cover the hazardous firewood. Obviously, the answer will be "no." Tell your landlord you need a copy of what his/her insurance company is talking about to get this special insurance.

Also, if you're stacking wood on your front yard and selling it, that may be an issue with the landlord. That may become an annoyance to your neighbors, too. Be careful with that.

[LovinTheMountains]

Originally Posted by timneh5

Call your insurance company and ask if you need "special" renter's insurance to cover the hazardous firewood. Obviously, the answer will be "no." Tell your landlord you need a copy of what his/her insurance company is talking about to get this special insurance.

Also, if you're stacking wood on your front yard and selling it, that may be an issue with the landlord. That may become an annoyance to your neighbors, too. Be careful with that.

Thanks. I have the firewood stacked neatly over 10 feet from the house in the backyard out of sight. I only advertise on the internet and deliver a few stacks to people here and there. All my neighbors have no problem with us and hate for us to move out because we take care of the place and keep it looking neat.

I am writing the letter today and going to ask for a statement from his insurance company regarding stacked wood as a fire hazard that increases potential lose.

On another note, my neighbor told me that the LL drove by the other day and when he realized we were home he sped off real fast. This bothers me because he lives about 30 min from me, and just knowing that he is snooping around is pretty alarming.

[nybbler]

Demand he give you a copy of all the correspondence between him and the insurance company on this issue. I'd bet that either he's making the whole thing up, or he told the insurance company the firewood was stacked against the house.