What to do when water pipes burst in your rental

ATLANTA - Pipes all over the metro have burst from the sustained freezing temperatures. If you own your home, you fix it. But what happens if you are a renter? 

There are some rules and guidelines here that are helpful, but who is responsible and how you should approach this is not black and white. So let’s get started. 

FOX 5 I-Team's Dana Fowle talked with Atlanta Legal Aid about how to help you navigate this. The over-arching view is that landlords have a responsibility to maintain the property. So, document the damage in pictures and video, then send via email to your landlord. Be respectful throughout the process. 

If you have renter’s insurance, call them immediately. This will cover your damaged personal belongings. But also, many landlords now charge you for the cost of renter’s insurance.  Check your lease and see if you are already paying for it and don’t know that. Atlanta Legal Aid is seeing this more often now. 

Now, if you can afford it, you can talk to your landlord about paying for the repairs up front then deducting it from your rent. Don’t do this without instruction from the landlord. And make sure that agreement is in writing. 

If repairs are not being made in a timely manner, call Code Enforcement. Per Atlanta Legal Aid, if you are up-to-date on your rent, you are protected by law from retaliation. 

One more thing here: You hear about acts of God clauses. Per the legal expert, it may not even been part of your rental contract. Read it. But if it is, you still have a right to live in a safe, clean environment and that means repairing the infrastructure damage. You may be responsible for the damage to your personal property. This is where renters insurance kicks in.