Who is Responsible for Roof Repairs: Tenants or Landlords?

By dev | May 24, 2025 |

Imagine there’s a leak in your home’s roof that’s keeping you awake at night. But as a residential tenant, you don’t know if it’s your responsibility to repair it or not.

Also, if you’re a business owner and your rented property’s roof gets damaged, is it your responsibility to repair it or the property owner’s? Your lease might say something like “triple net,” but what does that mean for repair costs?

Before taking any further steps, it is always best to know your rights and responsibilities. This way, perhaps you can save money and also avoid disputes and delays or worse, legal troubles! We’ll be your guide in this journey. So, let’s clearly understand the rules for residential and commercial roof repairs!

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Are You Responsible for Roof Repairs as a Residential Tenant?

The straightforward answer to this question is a big no! But you do have some responsibilities regarding maintaining your property’s roof.

Preventive Care: You can take some preventive measures to keep your roof from getting damaged. Try not to place any heavy items on it and access the roof only when it’s necessary. Also, don’t drill into the roof without your landlord’s permission.
Report Damage: If the roof is damaged, then you need to be prompt about reporting it to your landlord. Whether it’s a minor issue or a big leak, it’s always best to inform your landlord as soon as the problem occurs to prevent it from getting worse.

However, if you’re the one who caused accidental damage to the roof, you might have to pay for its repair. Either way, the moment any damage occurs, inform your landlord right away!

Note: If you’re still in doubt, you can always look for the terms in your residential lease to clarify whether you are required to pay for the roof repair or your landlord.

Is a Landlord Responsible for Residential Roof Repair?

In most cases, the answer is yes! If you are a landlord, it is part of your responsibility to ensure that the residential property is habitable for your tenant. And if this requires repairing the roof, it’s your legal responsibility to ensure it’s repaired properly.

After all, a good roof is not only about protection from the weather, but it is also about taking care of temperature regulation and energy efficiency in your property. But repairing a complete roof might often be too costly, so there are ways to ensure it doesn’t get to that situation in the first place!

Always try to schedule regular maintenance and inspections to know about the wear and tear or any other weaknesses in the roof.
If there’s any storm or other kinds of harsh weather, remind your tenant to inspect the roof for damage right away so that you can repair it as soon as possible.
If your tenant complains about a small leak or minor issues with the roof, take action to repair it immediately to prevent major problems.

In all these cases, keep your tenant informed about the repairs to ensure there’s no miscommunication and to maintain trust in your rental relationship with the tenant. Also, make sure that you’re trusting a reputable residential roof repair company. This way, you can save money and ensure quality services without frequent repairs.

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Who Will Pay For Commercial Roof Repair? Landlord or Tenant?

For commercial roof repair, the lease might tell you who’s responsible for the repair. Unlike residential law, commercial agreements can vary slightly. For this, you need to be aware of some standard lease terms.

What Type of Lease Do You Have?
See if the lease is Gross Lease, Modified Gross Lease, or Triple Net Leases (NNN). For gross leases, the landlord will cover all the expenses related to repairing the roof of the property. Similarly, with a modified gross lease, the landlord will cover the roof repairs.
However, with Triple Net Leases, the tenant is responsible for roof repairs. But there’s some good news! You can always negotiate the terms of the lease with your landlord.
Insurance Factor
Most landlords will have insurance for the overall structure and property improvements. And this might include roof repairs as well. As a tenant, you can also have renter’s insurance to cover potential liabilities for business-related improvements. If you’re a tenant, you need to clarify how this insurance coverage might apply to roof repairs early on to avoid any potential future disputes.

What If Your Landlord Refuses To Pay For the Repair?

If your landlord refuses to pay for necessary repairs on your commercial property even after you send them a repair notice, you can take several steps to resolve the issue! You can repair yourself and deduct the money from the next rent amount you’re paying (applicable only twice a year), or you can do the following:

Complain to the local housing authorities.
Document the damage with videos and photos as proof.
You can opt for legal action if the tenant fails to repair it.

If your landlord does not repair it, you can get tenant compensation for the repair.

What Type of Roof Repair You Might Need

If you’re a tenant or a landlord of a residential or commercial property, you might encounter the following roof issues.

Roof Leaks: This can happen due to cracked vent pipes or damaged sealant.
Flashing Repair: It’s a strip of metal that you might find in chimneys, vents, and so on to prevent leaks. But over time, this can get damaged or become displaced, which can lead to leaks.
Shingle or Tile Repairs: Over time, shingles and tiles can get damaged due to wear and tear or harsh weather.

If you face these issues, you can call for roof repair. They can repair the damage and prevent the issue from becoming worse by using the spray foam roofing technique.

With spray foam roofing techniques, you can seal the gaps, holes, and air leaks on your roof once and for all. They’re excellent for providing insulation to the roof and protecting it from further damage by acting as a barrier from the weather elements.

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Takeaway

If you’re a tenant, you’ll not need to pay for roof repairs in your residential properties unless it’s mentioned in your lease. It’s your landlord who’ll bear the costs. In the case of commercial properties, the lease terms will determine whether the tenant pays for the rent or the landlord.

So, before you sign the agreement, make sure you and the landlord have clearly communicated on this matter. Also, if you’re a tenant and the landlord does not pay for the repair, you can take legal action for your compensation.

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