Self Storage Owner Denies Liability for Damage Caused by Admittedly Faulty Roof

The owner of a self-storage facility in Washington D.C. is denying any liability for water damage to its tenant’s belongings, caused by a leaky roof which the owner admits has been in poor shape for over a decade. As a recent article at DCist.com explains, the facility’s owner lays the blame on the contractors he hired to fix his faulty roof, and on the tenants themselves.  “Things can happen to your stuff in storage,” and “customers need to have renters' insurance,” according to the owner.

It is of course true that tenants should be aware of the risks to their belongings during storage, and that a good insurance policy can protect the value of belongings damaged by various perils. However, most tenant insurance policies would not likely cover such a claim as this one, where the facility owner admits to having a faulty roof for so long.

Who do you think is liable here—the owner, the tenant, or the contractor? Check out the full article at DCist.com and let us know what you think by commenting below.