San Diego renters displaced by this week’s floods have some protections under California law concerning damages.
State law says landlords are required to fix damage caused by the rain waters. Most landlords should have property insurance that covers the cost of repairs, but, if they don’t, it still won’t be the responsibility of the renter.
Lucinda Lilley, CEO of the San Diego-based Southern California Rental Housing Association, said it is the landlord’s legal responsibility to make the unit habitable. For example, water damage can be a health issue, and not just a roof collapsing on a renter. Water can cause mold to grow. If the water damage was caused by the renter, which in this case it wasn’t, the tenant would be on the hook for repairs.
However, it is not required that landlords pay for renters to live somewhere else while repairs are ongoing.