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Water Damage in a Rental Property: What Tenants and Landlords Should Do

Water damage in a rental property adds a question that does not exist in a home you own: whose job is it to deal with it? The tenant lives with the water, the landlord owns the building, and the property manager often sits in between. When water is on the floor, that question needs a clear answer fast, because the water does not wait for anyone to sort out responsibility. The first steps are the same as in any home, safety first, then stopping the water, then telling the right person, and this guide covers them for both sides.

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This guide covers what tenants and landlords should do: telling the landlord or property manager first, staying safe, documenting the damage in general terms, and who calls the restoration company. It gives general guidance only, and it notes where the lease matters, because the exact responsibilities depend on the lease and are for the parties to confirm. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here promises any particular outcome for any specific tenancy.

Tell the landlord or property manager first

If you are a tenant and you find water damage, tell the landlord or the property manager at once, before you do anything else beyond the safety steps. Call, and follow up in writing with a message or an email so that there is a record of when you reported it. Describe what happened in plain terms: where the water is coming from, which rooms are affected, and how much water there is. A report made promptly protects the tenant, because it shows the problem was reported as soon as it was found, and it protects the property, because it lets the landlord act before the damage spreads.

If you are a landlord or a property manager and a tenant reports water damage, respond promptly and arrange for a professional to look at it. Ask the tenant what they can see, whether the water is still coming in, and whether anyone is at risk, and tell them what to do in the meantime: stay out of standing water, do not touch electrics in or near water, and shut off the water if it is safe to do so from a dry place. The water damage restoration page explains what a professional visit covers in general terms.

Safety first, for tenants and landlords alike

Safety comes before any question of responsibility. If there is standing water, do not enter it, do not touch electrical items in or near it, and keep children and pets away from it. Floodwater is not safe water, and sewage is a health hazard that needs professional-only handling. A tenant should not be asked to clean up sewage or floodwater, and a landlord should not ask them to. The safety rules in this guide apply to everyone in the property, regardless of who owns it.

If the water is coming from a burst pipe or a failed appliance, shut off the water if it is safe to do so from a dry place, and only if you know where the shut-off is. A tenant who does not know where the shut-off is should not go looking for it in a flooded room, and a landlord should make sure tenants know where it is before an emergency happens. That is a small step that prevents a large amount of damage, and it is worth doing on the day a tenant moves in rather than the day a pipe bursts.

Water Damage in a Rental Property: What Tenants and Landlords Should Do — Florida water damage guide

Document the damage in general terms

Both the tenant and the landlord should document the damage. The tenant should take photographs of the water and the affected rooms from safe, dry positions, and note when the water was first seen and what was done, such as shutting off the water or calling the landlord. The landlord should keep a record of the report, the visit, and the work that follows. That record is useful for insurance purposes in general terms, for both sides, and neither this guide nor the professional can promise any particular insurance outcome.

Do not throw anything away until it has been photographed and the insurer has been spoken to, and do not start pulling up floors or cutting into walls. Belongings that were in the water should be noted in the record, with photographs, and anything that has been in sewage or floodwater should be left for the professional to assess. A clear record made on the day of the loss is worth more than a detailed memory made weeks later.

Who calls the restoration company

In general terms, the landlord or the property manager is the one who arranges for a restoration company, because the building is theirs and the repair is their responsibility in most cases. The tenant's job is to report the problem promptly and to give access to the property. That is general guidance, and the lease is what settles it for any specific tenancy, so both sides should check what the lease says about water damage, repairs and access. If the lease is unclear, the parties should agree in writing on who is calling the company and who is paying for the visit, before the work starts.

If the landlord cannot be reached and water is still coming in, the tenant should call a restoration professional and tell them that the landlord has been contacted but has not yet responded. The professional can stop the water and start the removal, and the question of who pays can be settled afterwards. Waiting for a landlord who cannot be reached, while water keeps running, helps no one. In Sarasota and the surrounding area, the water damage restoration in Sarasota page is the local starting point for the same statewide help described here.

Moving out vs staying put during repairs

When water damage affects a rental property, the question of whether the tenant should stay or move out during the repairs comes up often, and the answer depends on how much of the property is affected and whether it is safe to live in. If the damage is limited to one room and the rest of the property is dry and safe, staying put is often possible, with the affected room kept closed off while the work goes on. If the damage is wider, or if the water was sewage or floodwater, staying may not be safe, and the tenant may need to move out until the work is finished. That decision should be made together, by the tenant and the landlord, with advice from the professional who inspected the property.

The decision should be put in writing, with an agreement about who pays for alternative accommodation if it is needed, and for how long. That is a matter for the lease and for the parties to agree, and this guide does not say who should pay, because the answer depends on the lease and the circumstances. What matters is that the agreement is made before the work starts, rather than argued about afterwards, and that both sides keep a copy of what was agreed. The tenant should also be told what to expect during the work, including noise, equipment running, and rooms that cannot be used.

If the tenant does move out, the property should be left in a condition that lets the work go ahead without delay. That means clearing access to the affected area, removing belongings from the rooms that will be worked on, and giving the professional a way to get in. The tenant should keep a record of what was moved and where it went, and the landlord should keep a record of the work that was done. Both records are useful for insurance purposes in general terms, and they help the tenancy return to normal once the repairs are finished.

Key Takeaways

If you are a tenant and you find water damage, tell the landlord or the property manager at once, before you do anything else beyond the safety steps.
Safety comes before any question of responsibility.
Both the tenant and the landlord should document the damage.
In general terms, the landlord or the property manager is the one who arranges for a restoration company, because the building is theirs and the repair is their responsibility in most cases.
When water damage affects a rental property, the question of whether the tenant should stay or move out during the repairs comes up often, and the answer depends on how much of the property is affected and whether it is safe to live in.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Water Damage Restoration page explains what that service covers, and the water damage restoration page explains how the full job is put together when more than one room is affected.

Do not step into standing water where electrics may be involved, and if water is still coming in, turn off the main water supply for the home where you can reach it safely.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after a storm or heavy rain.

Water damage help is available across Florida. See water damage restoration in East Lake-Orient Park, FL for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.