If a Window Breaks in My Apartment, Is It the Landlord’s Responsibility to Fix It?

Regardless of how
it happened, fixing a broken window can be an expensive hassle. When you’re renting, it can be
difficult to know whose responsibility is it to deal with repairs like these. Continue
reading to learn more about what to do if a window breaks in your apartment and
who is responsible for the cost.

Who Is Responsible
for Fixing a Broken Window?

In most cases, if
something breaks in a rental property, it is the landlord’s responsibility to
make sure it gets fixed. However, in a situation where a renter has directly
caused the window to break, it is possible the landlord may require the tenant to cover the repair costs. In cases
where a landlord does ask their tenant to pay for repairs, they must have
evidence to support that the tenant is responsible for the damage. Pro-tip: review your lease agreement
for wording on who will be held responsible for damage in situations such as
these.

What Do I Do if a Window
Breaks in My Apartment?

If you have a
broken window in your apartment, follow these steps to ensure the situation
is taken care of safely and effectively.

Notify Other Members
of Your Household

This will help your housemates avoid accidentally stepping on any glass shards
or injuring themselves on the broken window. Be sure that children are kept
away from the window and surrounding area until the space has been cleared.
Don’t forget to keep pets out of the room and away from the broken
window as well.

Document the Incident

Be sure to take
note of the time and date that the window was broken. You’ll want to take a
photo of the aftermath as well as any evidence that it might have been a burglary
or vandalism. This documentation can come in handy when discussing the event
with the authorities or the insurance company.

Clean Up the Shards
of Glass

You will want to
begin your cleanup by picking up larger shards of glass and disposing of them
first. Next, use a broom and dustpan to pick up smaller pieces. You may then
want to use a vacuum cleaner to pick up the even smaller, less visible pieces.
There may also be leftover pieces that you cannot see with the naked eye. Even
the tiniest pieces of glass can injure someone or get stuck in their foot. For
these, you will want to take a damp paper towel and wipe the floor around the
area of the broken window. Pro-tip: wearing protective gloves during this process can help
prevent you from getting nicked by lingering glass.

Contact Your Landlord

Let them know that
the window has broken. Because your landlord is in charge of your building’s
upkeep, they will want to be informed of any damage that the building has
sustained. They may also advise you on how to best go about taking care of the
issue.

Cover Up the Hole
in the Window

Until you can have
it properly repaired, you’ll want to make sure that the
hole is covered. You can use masking tape to cover the cracks and hold the
remaining window glass together. Then, take a tarp and tape it around the
outside of the window to keep people, animals, and precipitation from entering your
home.

Identify What Caused
the Window to Break

Depending on the
cause of the break, you may be able to take preventative measures to help make
sure it does not happen again. Once you find the source of the break, you can
then work with your landlord to decide what the best course of action is. If
you believe someone from outside your household purposely damaged your window,
you may opt to contact local law enforcement.

Call a Contractor

Unless this is
something that your landlord has decided to take care of, it’s time to look for
a local contractor to make repairs. It’s important that you have a discussion
with your landlord to see who will cover the costs. Pro-tip: It’s always a good idea to have written agreements or
written proof of what has been decided in situations such as these. Be sure to
confirm the details of your arrangement with your landlord in writing or over
email.

Does My Renters Insurance
Cover Broken Windows?

Renters insurance
policies generally do not cover broken windows on the policyholder’s property.
Since damage to a rental property is typically seen as a landlord’s
responsibility, broken windows are often covered by the landlord’s policy.
However, if you accidentally break a window on someone else’s property, the
liability portion of your renters insurance policy will likely cover the
expenses. For example, if you throw a baseball in the wrong direction and it
goes through your neighbor’s window, you are liable, and your policy may cover
the repair costs.