You're entitled to a safe and livable home, regardless of where you live or how much rent you pay. In fact, your landlord must keep all basic structural elements of the building — including floors, stairs, walls and roofs — safe and intact.
In legal terms, this falls under the landlord’s “implied warranty of habitability,” meaning they've promised you a livable place simply by renting to you.
If your landlord refuses to comply with the legal standards, you may be able to withhold rent, sue the landlord, pay for repairs yourself and deduct the cost from your rent, or move out without notice and without liability for future rent.
However, specific landlord-tenant laws vary not only state-to-state, but within various cities and counties. Therefore, it's important to contact a premises liability attorney as soon as possible who can help you determine what action to take, based on your specific situation and locale.
You should also take pictures of the broken staircase and document all communication with your landlord regarding the problem, which will help build your case against the landlord if necessary. It's helpful to have the contact information of other tenants who are willing to testify regarding the problem. If others have made similar complaints, this could help your case.
If your landlord refuses to fix a dangerous staircase, or any dangerous problem in your apartment or home, our premises liability lawyers may be able to help. Call us today at 816-842-7100 to speak with an attorney that will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Or you can click here to email us and schedule your free consultation.