San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Where there is one cockroach, there are bound to be many more. These hard-to-kill insects, also called water bugs, reproduce easily and quickly. A female can produce hundreds of new cockroaches each year and the insects can live off of almost anything. It is no wonder that once a cockroach gets into your apartment, it quickly turns into an infestation that requires professional treatment. If you are a tenant and you begin noticing cockroaches in your apartment, it is time to go to the landlord. Your landlord has a responsibility to maintain your rental unit so that it is safe and habitable. An untreated cockroach infestation makes your apartment unlivable, giving you a couple of legal options.
The Implied Warranty of Habitability
The implied warranty of habitability is a promise given by California law that your rental unit will be safe and livable. It also includes the promise that the landlord must maintain the premises in a safe, working, livable condition, which means fixing problems as they arise. This warranty is not a part of your lease. It exists no matter what your oral and written lease says. If the landlord breaches this promise and your apartment becomes unlivable, you may have the right to fix a problem yourself and deduct the cost from rent, move out without a financial detriment, or sue the landlord for compensation.