Landlord liability - gas leak, appliances, balcony, windows..

[Mary Joe]

A lot of focus on this board is about eviction nightmare but it is nothing compared to being involved in a gas explosion lawsuit that causes your tenant severe injuries or even death.  There is no umbrella insurance policy large enough to protect a landlord from these lawsuits. 

How many landlords actually do these things to mitigate their liabilities in the event of an accident caused by the following?

1. Gas stove - do you hire a licensed plumber every year to inspect your gas stove to make sure there are no leaks or defects ? Will this help mitigate Landlord liability in the event of a gas explosion due to gas leak?  I don't think landlords care until an accident happens.   Of course, if the tenant reports gas leak, the landlord would fix the problem right away.  I am talking about landlord being proactive and initiate an annual inspection as a precaution and also as a measure to mitigate his/her liability, how many landlords do that? 

2. Balcony or Floor to Ceiling windows in high rise apartment buildings - do you hire a certified engineer or architect every 3-5 years to inspect the structural soundness of balconies and floor to ceiling windows to make sure they are built to code and do not need repairs due to wear and tear over the years?    Imagine the liability a landlord faces if someone leans against a floor to ceiling window and the window collapses in a high rise apartment.   How many landlords care of these things, especially for older apartment buildings in cities like new york. 

Any of these accidents will result in huge liability and even jail time if the landlords is found guilty of negligent, far worse than having to evict a tenant, yet i don't see much discussions in this forum about these aspects of landlording. 

Would appreciate feedbacks from fellow landlords.

Best,

MaryJoe