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Knowing how to act in a fire can save your life and the lives of your family members or pets.
· If you can control the fire’s spread, do so thoroughly.
· If you cannot, run for safety and call 911 to activate emergency responders.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, over 2,600 deaths are caused by house fires each year. But, this does not have to be the case. There are fire protection steps that you can take to ensure that you and your family are safe should a home fire occur. Of course, prevention is the best strategy toward fire safety; however, if a fire occurs in your home, it would be best if you knew what to do. Let’s get right into the best steps toward fire safety.
General Fire Safety Tips
Fire at your property can damage your possessions and result in long-term health effects. Luckily, many fires can be prevented in the following ways:
Open Burning: It is illegal to burn debris or trash in North Carolina. The only types of fires that are allowed are fires used for cooking or heating. These fires cannot be more than three feet high or two feet wide. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources forbids burning yard debris or leaves where the curbside collection is available and offers curbside collection of yard waste.
While the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources prohibits open burning, if you have a small warming fire, ensure that you adhere to the following steps:
· Ensure that you constantly attend to the fire;
· Have a fire extinguisher or water hose around in case of a fire; and
· Ensure that the fire or fire pit is twenty-five feet away from any structure;
Recreational Fires: In North Carolina, you cannot use recreational fires within twenty-five feet of combustible materials or structures.
Fire Department Access: In case of a fire, you need to ensure that all access roads are unobstructed. This is important because it will help the fire department reach you faster.
Fire damage to your property needs to be dealt with immediately. PuroClean Disaster Response Services will determine the extent of the damage to your property. Then, we will provide all the necessary fire damage restoration services from board ups to structural support. Our trained, experienced, and professional team will pack your possessions with respect and compassion and work diligently to clean and restore your property to its original state. Contact us today. We effectively remediate property damage at a price you will love.
Laws about Landlord Responsibilities What Steps Must Property Owners Take to Keep the Property Fit For Habitation?
North Carolina law 42-42 states that property owners must provide suitable premises, including:
·Keeping common areas of the property safe;
· Providing at least one carbon monoxide detector;
· Ensuring that the property adheres to applicable building codes;
· Providing operable smoke detectors, either electrical or battery-operated. The smoke detectors must be installed in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions; and
· Maintaining and ensuring that the heating, plumbing, electrical, and other facilities and appliances supplied by the landlord are in good working order.
Are There Rental Application Laws That Protect Tenants Against Discrimination?
In North Carolina, the Fair Housing Act (41A) protects tenants against discrimination by the property manager or landlord based on religion, familial status, race, handicapping condition, sex, or national origin.
Can a Tenant Withhold Rent in North Carolina?
A tenant can withhold rent or exercise the right to repair-and-deduct if the landlord fails to attend to important repairs, such as replacing a faulty switch.
Property Maintenance and Repair Laws What Types of Maintenance Should the Landlord Handle?
The landlord should provide a premise fit for human habitation. In 42-42(4), the law states that a landlord must maintain the building and promptly repair the following systems after being notified by the tenant (except in emergency situations):
· Heating;
· Sanitary;
·Plumbing;
· Electrical;
· Ventilating; and
· Air conditioning.
What Types of Maintenance Should the Tenant Handle?
North Carolina law 42-43 states that tenants are responsible for:
· Keeping plumbing fixtures clean;
· Keeping the premise safe and clean;
·Disposing garbage, ashes, and other waste;
· Not intentionally damaging or destroying parts of the rental property.
Laws about Leases and Lease Termination What Types of Lease Terms are allowed in North Carolina?
North Carolina does not have a state law that dictates which lease terms are allowed; however, the common length is twelve months. North Carolina law 42-14 states that the length of notice a tenant has to give when terminating a lease include week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year leases.
How Much Notice Is Needed for a Month-to-Month Lease Termination?
North Carolina law 42-12 states that tenants who want to end their month-to-month lease agreement must provide a notice of seven days. If the rental is a manufactured home, the tenant must notify to terminate sixty days ahead of time, despite the type of lease.
When Can A Tenant Terminate a Lease Without Penalty?
Certain exculpatory circumstances allow a tenant to submit a written notice to terminate a rental agreement without penalty. Covered individuals include:
· Tenants residing in a foreclosed property;
· Sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking victims; and
· Service members, surviving family members, or lawful representatives.
When Can A Landlord Evict A Tenant?
In North Carolina, a landlord can evict a tenant if the tenant has rent arrears, violated the lease terms, or the tenant chooses to remain in the rental property long after the lease term has expired.
How Much Notice Do Landlords Have to Give before Changing Up the Property, Resulting in the Termination of Tenancy?
In North Carolina, landlords have to give a ten-day notice that demands payment of rent. If the tenant does not pay the rent, the property owner can evict them.
Security Deposit Laws Is There A Limit on the Security Deposit Amount that A Landlord Can Charge?
North Carolina law NC 42-51(b) states that the maximum amount of a security deposit collected from a tenant should not exceed:
· Two weeks’ rent if the rental term is week to week;
· One and a half month’s rent if the rental agreement is month-to-month; and
· Two months’ rent if the rental terms are greater than month-to-month.
What Is The Penalty If A Landlord Does Not Return A Security Deposit?
If a landlord does not return a security deposit within thirty days after lease termination, the tenant can file a civil lawsuit requiring “the accounting of and recovery of the balance of the deposit 42-55.” If a landlord willingly fails to return a security deposit, the landlord loses the right to withhold the tenant’s security deposit.
Can Landlords Withhold a Security Deposit?
According to state law 42-52, landlords can withhold part of tenants’ deposits in a trust account to pay for damages to the property; however, landlords cannot withhold these funds for conditions resulting from normal wear and tear. Tenants can sue landlords in small claims court if the landlord is unlawfully withholding their security deposit.
If the relationship between you and your landlord is not so rosy, you should try and remain as calm and level-headed as possible. Do not raise your voice, start complaining to government agencies without reasonable cause, or become unreasonable because doing so may make your landlord less accommodating of you.
Contact PuroClean Disaster Response Services for Your Cary, NC Fire Damage Restoration Needs
PuroClean Disaster Response Services provides quick and effective fire restoration services. We understand that a fire is an unexpected event that can significantly impact your life and that of your family, which is why we work diligently and handle your belongings with respect and compassion. We use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that we do not compromise the structural integrity of your home and get rid of the suit and smoky odors.
Contact us today via phone at (919) 481-4600 or visit our physical location at 920 W. Chatham Street Suite #4 Cary, NC 27511.
Disclaimer
The material on this page does not constitute legal advice and does not serve as a resource for landlord-tenant issues. For more information on tenant and renting rights in North Carolina, get in touch with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
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