Rental Property Flooded What do you do with Tenants

[Matthew Gullo]

I have several clients that own rentals and one of them had a few properties flood in the recent Harvey hurricane that just hit Houston. I wanted to help them by asking for advice on what to do with the tenants until the home is cleaned up. Do you let them out of the lease? What do you feel is your landlord responsibility? Any other tips or advice on the situation?

[Mylene Mejia]

I have one rental in Louisiana and when we got flooded... the rental lease is not in effect anymore as the house is not live able.... it's a pain if u don't have insurance.... if ur renters are good for it.... at least ask them to take out their stuff in the curb... a lot of renters just here just left.... and landlords has to do all the hauling away of their thrash too...

On the gentle note.... pls be cautious when talking with renters... pls be kind and understandable that they too lost a lot of their possessions aside from the fact that they might not have a house to rent as housing demand will be very high....

[Robert Leonard]

The correct answer is a matter of the law.  Seek legal counsel or the right answer.

There is no quick fix for dealing with a flooded house.  Open it up and run fans and dehumidifiers for about 8-12 weeks and you will start to get to the moisture content levels that allow you to start replacing insulation and closing walls.  Some forms of sheathing create additional extensive repair costs/time because that sheathing may have to be replaced too.  Can you believe there is such a thing as gypsum sheathing!  The same stuff that we know as sheetrock used as sheathing on the outside of the framing!  It exists!

The tenants will get FEMA assistance and relief. As a non-owner occupant, if you don't have a flood insurance policy, you will only be offered SBA loans (based on eligibility/qualifying) unless some other special type of relief is created that is not part of the usual programmed relief.

[Marian Smith]

Robert Leonard its exterior rated gypsum sheathing...they still make it but it is better now, fiberglass skin