cft

The Sidewalk in Front of My Property: Who's Responsible?

If you own property on the street, you may believe that the municipality or local government is responsible for sidewalk maintenance, which is true but not all the time.


user

emma

10 months ago | 2 min read

Owning a home is only sometimes preferable to renting, and renting is more complex than it appears.

If you own property on the street, you may believe that the municipality or local government is responsible for sidewalk maintenance, which is true but not all the time.

Who is responsible?

It depends on where you live, just like so many other things. Sidewalk repair is the responsibility of the city in some jurisdictions.

It would help if you looked into local laws. If you own a property that faces the street, find out what liability you may have for the repair. It is important to note that if you are responsible for repair and maintenance, you may also be accountable for a slip and fall injury caused by poor sidewalk maintenance.

It becomes incredibly complicated when multiple property owners share a block. It is critical to communicate with your neighbors and, ideally, to collaborate to ensure that all sidewalks are adequately maintained. 

The sidewalk is frequently best maintained as a whole to ensure that all sections are smooth, safe, and usable.

Exceptions!

Most jurisdictions do make some exceptions, in which they will arrange and pay for repairs.

The most common of these is damage caused by city-planted trees or damage caused by city workers while on the job. For instance, if road maintenance is being performed or construction has taken over a portion of the sidewalk  in Vancouver, you can reasonably expect the handyman in Vancouver to clean up and repair the damage.

Liability for Injuries

You may be held liable for injuries or property damage caused by a fall caused by a poorly maintained sidewalk. Whether or not you are is determined by whether your municipality imposes a "duty to repair" on you.

You may face liability concerns if you have sidewalks on your property. These include those around parking lots or in front of a setback building. While you are not liable for problems with the sidewalk in front of a neighbor's property, you should contact the city or county and

Report the issue if they refuse to cooperate with repairs.

How to repair?

To repair a sidewalk, you should know what the requirements are. You should hire a contractor who is familiar with the city's regulations and has prior experience working within them. For example, you should hire a handyman in Vancouver to maintain the sidewalks there. 

Because most sidewalks are concrete, you have a variety of repair options.  If they are in terrible shape, the concrete may need to be replaced.

Although it may appear unfair that you are responsible for public sidewalks, the truth is that you are, implying that you are partially liable for any injuries and having to deal with the aesthetic issues caused by damaged sidewalks.

You can contact Rainbow Angels home INC if you want your sidewalks repaired. They are Vancouver's most trusted and experienced renovation and Construction Company. 

Upvote


user
Created by

emma


people
Post

Upvote

Downvote

Comment

Bookmark

Share


Related Articles