What is a landlord's duty to prevent slips and falls?

What is a slip and fall accident?

A slip and fall accident refers to an incident where an individual sustains injuries as a result of slipping, tripping, or stumbling on a surface. These accidents usually occur due to various reasons, such as wet floors, uneven surfaces, poorly maintained property conditions, etc. When these incidents occur, legal implications often come into play, especially if negligence by the landlord in maintaining an adequately safe environment contributed to the accident.

What is a landlord’s duty to prevent slip and falls?

Landlords have a duty, known as premises liability, which holds property owners and managers responsible for preventing foreseeable harm and ensuring the safety of their tenants. In the case that tenants suffer injuries from slip and fall accidents due to a landlord’s failure to properly maintain the property, the landlord can be held accountable through legal action. Some of the key responsi­bilities landlords take to ensure that they have ensured the safety of their residents includes frequent property inspections, access to prompt repair and maintenance, compliance with building regulations, and communication with residents on important information and/​or advisory warnings.

Property Inspections: Landlords are expected to conduct regular inspections of their properties to identify potential hazards that could lead to slip and fall accidents. These inspections are systematic reviews or checks conducted on a property to ensure it is in good condition, safe, and compliant with relevant regulations and standards.

Repairs and Maintenance: When a potential hazard is identified by the landlord or the residents, landlords must take prompt action to repair or rectify the condition. This may include taking actions such as fixing broken flooring, leaks that could lead to wet floors, and clearing ice/​snow from walkways.