Who Knows Who

9/7/2021 (Permalink)

Who's in charge here?

When living in a multi-unit building it is hard at times to determine who is responsible for what when a water or fire incident occurs.  Typically the rule in our industry is “walls-in owner, walls-out building.”  But what does that mean?  In laments terms any damage within the walls of a unit is the homeowner’s responsibility and anything outside of the walls is the building’s responsibility, but it is not always that simple.  Finding out if the owner or the building’s homeowner association is responsible can be tricky.  Factoring in the HOA’s bylaws, the owner’s insurance policy and the source of the incident all come into play.  At the time of the emergency determining the responsible party is critical.  However, all the pieces usually come together after the restoration services have begun.  A restoration company such as SERVPRO of Ravenswood will help the owners determine who is responsible.  We will communicate with the assigned insurance adjuster, as well as the facility manager to help resolve questions.  Here is a good article of reference:

https://chicago.cooperatornews.com/article/whos-responsible-for-repairs/full