Property management companies and their staff fulfill a vital function in upholding the properties entrusted to them. Central to their duty is the consistent obligation to perform maintenance inspections and the timely resolution of any required repairs, especially when it relates to the tenant’s safety. Failure to fulfill these responsibilities can result in tragic loss and substantial legal ramifications as outlined in the story of this catastrophic apartment fire in San Marcos, Texas.
The Iconic Village and Vintage Pads apartments, a student housing complex near Texas State University became the site of the deadliest fire in the town’s history on July 20, 2018. Five people lost their lives, others suffered significant injuries, and over 200 residents were displaced. Three years later, the corporate owners, San Marcos Green Investors, LLC, and several property managers reached an undisclosed settlement with some of the residents’ families who had sued for wrongful death and gross negligence.
The civil action, filed in Travis County a month after the fire, claimed that unsafe conditions, such as a lack of fire sprinkler systems and faulty smoke and fire alarms. Read more here.
Former residents and those living at the complex told the Austin American Statesman that they didn’t hear their smoke alarms when the blaze started and were instead awoken by screams. One local news report claimed smoke alarms had been recently inspected by management, but the last property inspection was completed in 2014, four years prior to the apartment fire.
Yearly inspections ensure the safety of the property you manage so that long-term wear and tear and neglect doesn’t result in hazardous living conditions or add up to larger, costly issues in the future. HomeSmiles will perform a Free 15 Point Comprehensive Checkup including a digital report with full or bundled maintenance calls. Performing these inspections is the only way to make certain your tenants are safe.
