So, this whole thing about landlords and shoveling snow… I actually went through it last winter. Woke up one morning, looked outside, and BAM. Everything was covered in like, a foot of snow. Seriously, the walkway from my apartment door down the steps to the main path was just gone under a white blanket.
My first thought was, okay, gotta get to work, hope the landlord deals with this soon. I kinda just assumed it was their job, you know? It’s the path everyone uses. So, I made some coffee, waited a bit, peeked out again. Nothing. Still snowdrifts mocking me.
That’s when I started getting a little antsy. It wasn’t just about being late; those steps get slick! I pictured myself doing an unplanned slide right down them. Not fun. So, I figured I better find out for sure whose job this really was.
Figuring It Out
I jumped online, typed in the usual stuff like “landlord snow removal responsibilities” and my town name. Got a bunch of different answers, honestly. Some sites said yes, absolutely the landlord’s job for common areas. Others said “check your lease” or “depends on local city rules.” Not super helpful right off the bat.
I remembered signing that lease agreement, felt like ages ago. I had this vague memory of something about maintenance, but who reads every single line, right? Well, turns out, sometimes you gotta. I went digging through my files – you know, that pile of “important papers” we all have? Found it.
Sat down and actually read the section on maintenance and property upkeep. Took a few minutes, lots of kinda formal words, but then I saw it. There was a sentence, clear as day, saying something like the landlord was responsible for maintaining common areas, and it specifically listed snow and ice removal. Bingo!
Armed with this knowledge, I felt a bit better. I decided to give my landlord a call. Didn’t want to be annoying, but safety first, right? I called the property management number, explained the situation – heavy snow, paths totally covered, bit worried about slipping.
Getting it Done
The person on the phone was polite enough. They said something like, “Oh yeah, the snow hit hard. We’re working on getting crews out.” Sounded a bit like they were swamped, which I guess was fair. I gently mentioned the lease clause, just to make sure we were on the same page. They said they’d get someone to my building “as soon as possible.”
So, I waited again. “As soon as possible” wasn’t exactly immediate. It took a few more hours, longer than I’d hoped. I almost called back, but then I heard the scraping sound outside. Looked out, and sure enough, a guy with a shovel was clearing the main walkway and the steps. Wasn’t the neatest job ever, but he cleared a safe path. That was all I needed.
Long story short, in my case, the landlord did have to shovel the snow because it was spelled out in the lease for common areas. But the whole experience taught me a lesson: don’t just assume. It really boils down to:
- What your specific lease agreement says.
- What your local city or town ordinances require.
It was a bit of a hassle, but I’m glad I checked the lease and made the call. Better than trying to navigate an icy mess or getting into a pointless argument without knowing the facts. Always good to know exactly what you signed up for!
