Disaster Prevention for Renters

Renters get to enjoy a lot of freedom by not owning their dwelling. Most repairs are taken care of by the landlord or property manager. If you rent an all-inclusive apartment unit, you get all your utilities included in your rent, making it simple to stick to a monthly budget.

Sometimes bad things happen. Unforeseen circumstances, accidents and natural disasters can affect how you live. Floods can damage your personal property. Fires and smoke damage can force you out of your home, and mistakes can be costly.

And while you can rely on your landlord to protect the building and do what they can to ensure it’s a safe and viable dwelling for residents, there are some things that are your responsibility when it comes to disaster prevention.

Content insurance

Some high-rise rental buildings require residents to have valid content insurance in order to move in and to renew their lease each year. Even if yours doesn’t, it’s a good idea. Your building is covered by the landlord’s insurance; this covers the structure itself – the walls, floors, etc. However, the building’s insurance doesn’t cover residents’ possessions. This means if your furniture is damaged due to a disaster in the building, there will be no insurance money to replace or repair it and you’ll be stuck having to pay for it out of pocket.

While having insurance won’t prevent a disaster from happening, it will help you recover if and when it does.

Have a plan

Sometimes during a disaster, the power will go out and/or the elevators will shut down. If you are able-bodied, you need to know the way to the closest stairwell and where to go. If you have limited mobility, you need to make arrangements with your property super. The super may arrange for those with limited mobility to have assistance out of the building in an emergency, or may let first responders know the whereabouts of these residents.

Always have flashlights, batteries, extra blankets, and other items you might need during and after an emergency.

Preventative measures

While some disasters are due to accidents or extreme weather events, others are due to carelessness and negligence. As a renter, you are responsible for maintaining the general condition of the unit.

Sometimes small acts of carelessness can result in a major problem for the whole building. Things like forgetting a boiling pot on the stove while taking a nap, leaving the tap running unattended in the bathroom, or lighting a candle near a set of flammable curtains can harm not only your own apartment unit but also your neighbours’. Always remember to turn off the stove and oven, never leave water running, and be careful with lit candles, cigarettes and more.

Looking for an all-inclusive apartment for rent? Use Gottarent.com  to discover your next place! Once you find a place, contact an insurance provider to get you set up with a content insurance policy to protect your belongings in the event they are damaged due to a disaster in the building.