Landlord Liability and Violations of the Fire Code
A landlord in Ontario, Canada recently pleaded guilty to fire code violations in connection with a fire that occurred in an apartment building. http://www.mykawartha.com/news/news/article/905196 What caught my attention in the article that discussed the case was a statement that landlords can be held liable if any occupant is injured in a fire because the building is not compliant with the fire code. This is true in the United States, as well. Owners run a risk when they do not fix code violations because if someone is injured or killed, there is very good chance the owner will get sued for negligence. Sometimes when a law colleague is pursuing a personal injury suit, I’ll get a call from him or her asking for help in understanding how building and fire codes work. Usually, I can find something in the code that covers a violation that led to the injury. Good landlords don’t take risks and try to avoid problems so they don’t end up on the other end of a lawsuit.
