More Headaches For Condo Associations; Injured Short-Term Rental Guests Can Sue For Personal Injuries
In Letvin v. The Village at Grand Traverse Commons Condominium Association, the Michigan Court of Appeals recently ruled that short-term rental guests of a condominium unit owner must be considered as business invitees of the condominium association, thus clearing the way for the short-term rental guests to sustain a cause of action against a condo association for personal injuries sustained while on the property.
The Court of Appeals compared the fees paid by a condo owner to a condo association to rent paid by a tenant to a landlord. Part of the fees paid to the condo association is consideration for maintaining the common areas in a safe condition for the unit owners and their guests. Therefore, a condo association “has the obligation to maintain those premises in safe condition for the unit owners and their guests, including Airbnb guests like plaintiff [in this case].”
This is just one more thing for insurers to consider if they are writing policies insuring condominium associations. Past cases have held that condo owners can sue their condo associations for personal injuries. That cause of action has now been extended to the guests of condo owners.
Read entire case at:
Letvin v. The Village at Grand Traverse Commons Condominium Association
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Attorney Peter A. Angelas represents litigants in complex, high severity civil liability litigation across Michigan. His practice areas include automobile and trucking negligence claims, insurance litigation, premises liability, motor carrier liability, commercial litigation, construction defect litigation, insurance coverage disputes, emergency casualty response services, alternative dispute resolution, subrogationclaims, workers’ compensation, employment law, and marine liability.
Mr. Angelas practices in all state and federal courts in Michigan, including WayneCounty (Detroit), Macomb County (Mount Clemens), Oakland County (Pontiac),Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor), and Genesee County (Flint).
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