Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: I own my trailor but rent the property and we have had Rats on property for over 20 years I have lived there for 10 plus years can I go after the owner of the property if I got bit by a rat why I was sleeping

Answer: The question as to whether or not one person is likely to win a civil lawsuit against another always depends on the specific circumstances. From a landlord/tenant law perspective, it may be worth noting that the Arizona Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act requires mobile home park landlords to (among other things) “comply with the requirements of all applicable city, county and state codes materially affecting health and safety”; “make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition”; and “keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition” (A.R.S. 33-1434(A)). The statute that lists the conditions that materially affect the health and safety of tenants includes “infestation of insects, vermin or rodents” as such a condition (A.R.S. 9-1303). A tenant whose landlord is failing to meet the landlord’s obligations to maintain the property under A.R.S. 33-1434(A)) may wish to send the landlord a signed and dated letter describing the problem in detail and requesting that the problem be fixed as soon as reasonably possible. Any tenant who would like legal advice should seek legal assistance. There are links to free and low-cost legal services on this website (at http://www.azlawhelp.org/accessToJustice).