I am renting a home in Indiana and my fridge just went out. I bought $300+ worth of groceries just on Saturday and have no way to save any of it. My landlord is calling someone in the morning, but does my landlord have to pay for the food that has gone bad? He won't allow us to buy a fridge to replace it...what are my rights as a tenant in this situation?
garry
no , the fridge is broken and he arranged for it to be repaired , you bad luck , or take the food back to the supermarket to try to get a refund . if you owned the fridge and it broke down , what happens to your food then .
Slumlord
He is making an effort to fix it as best he can. The spoiled groceries are just bad luck, and something you'll have to pay for.
Coffee Drinker
No, the landlord does not owe you for your food.
You could file a claim on your renter's insurance IF you have a policy that covers loss of perishable foods. Some of the policies from reputable companies actually do cover this. For example I heard of several people who filed claims with USAA homeowner or renter policies during the Texas winter storm where people were without power for several days. No questions asked, just submit an online form and USAA will mail you a $500 check to cover groceries.
You could place the items in a cooler and put store-bought ice to keep it cold for a day or two until a new fridge can be obtained. You can also purchase your own fridge, put it somewhere else in the house, and take it with you when you leave.
But the landlord has every right to say no to your request that you purchase a replacement at his expense. He gets to make the decision about whether or not to repair the current fridge or what type of fridge to buy as a replacement.
sunshine_mel
Your contents insurance would pay for the ruined food.
If you don't have insurance, then it's your cost.
Anonymous
You have the right to go buy some cheap foam coolers and a few bags of ice.
Or borrow some coolers.
Or take the food to a neighbor or friend's house.
I find it hard to believe that $300 worth of groceries ALL needs to be refrigerated. Methinks you're exaggerating.
You have the right to file a claim with your renter's insurance company.
No your landlord doesn't have to pay for your groceries. One could make the argument that your landlord should make an effort to lend you some coolers. Did you ask if that was a possibility? Be nice when you ask.
Remember, there are no guarantees that nothing is ever going to break. Dwellings and their contents are in a constant state of decay. The landlord must attempt repairs in a reasonable time frame. But the landlord isn't responsible for replacing your belongings in a run-of-the-mill appliance failure where no negligence occurred.