Tenant has fallen down the stairs and sustained injuries?

Tenant has fallen down the stairs and sustained injuries?

12:26 PM, 5th July 2022, About 2 years ago 24

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Hi, I’m looking for advice as one of my tenants has today messaged saying they have fallen down the stairs in my rented property. They haven’t advised how/what caused them to fall down, but here is their message

“I need to let you know, I went head 1st down the stairs at half 12 last night, I have bruised my left hip and thigh, my neck hurts at the back and I’m sure I have cracked a couple of ribs on my right side so I am in total agony”

They have told me they haven’t gone to hospital as they have been told by their GP will just need rest

I’m panicking about liability etc

The properties carpet is in good order as am there anyway at present doing a room up downstairs

It does have an inch from Skirting cut off to gloss but this isn’t a cause of the fall

What advice or steps would people recommend?

Andrew


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Comments

Ian Narbeth

9:58 AM, 11th July 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Chris100 at 09/07/2022 - 08:35
Chris100, your comment is no help to the OP. If someone posts saying: "This has happened. What do I do about it?" it is not of much use to say: "How do you know it happened?" unless the incident is manifestly absurd.

A tenant falling down some stairs and hurting themselves is perfectly plausible. We are not being told that the tenant is asking for compensation or complaining about the state of the property. I would assume the tenant is telling the truth unless and until there is evidence to the contrary.

Anthony Olakanpo

10:36 AM, 11th July 2022, About 2 years ago

Hi Andy

I will like to ask if you have insurance that covers such situation.

I had a similar experience but after investigation by my insurance they found out that she is lying. There was a bannister on the stairs and the carpet was well laid on it. Tenant just wanted to claim some money from me fraudulently. Make sure that your inventory shows that the stairs was in good condition and there was no health hazard when tenant moved in. Some tenants get drunk and fall down stairs and want to blame it on landlords.

Wish you good luck.

Anthony

Nigel Bean

15:00 PM, 11th July 2022, About 2 years ago

We had an instance 10+ years ago now where a guest (the boyfriend) claimed that he had fallen down some stairs and injured himself on the tenants wooden cd rack which was positioned (by them) at the bottom of the stairs in the living room.
The first we knew about it was when his no-win, no-fee solicitor contacted us 6 months later claiming that the stairs were the cause of the accident and subsequent injuries.
I immediately went round to have a look at the stairs - and the CD rack was still there at the bottom of the stairs! Aside from perhaps they should move the thing, I asked them to complete and sign an incident report so that I could forward the information to our insurers.
It took years and years to settle between the respective insurers but at no point did our insurer ask the tenant to prove that the incident had happened when he claimed and where he claimed. I was told that it's not relevant !!
The greatest protection that lawyers have is other lawyers.

Traci Goff

15:02 PM, 11th July 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 11/07/2022 - 09:58
I think it most assuredly is helpful because some people who are decent and honest might not even consider that someone would lie or exaggerate a fall. In this day and age it’s very important for you to be cynical and cautious especially concerning finances, injuries and complaints and consider what is the motive for this is it legitimate or fabricated?

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