Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Question
1 Approved Answer
In August 1 9 8 8 , Shirley Parker rented a house in Baltimore City. Fresh paint was applied to the interior of the house
In August Shirley Parker rented a house in Baltimore City. Fresh paint was applied to the interior of the house at the beginning of the tenancy. Sharon Parker, Shirleys daughter, moved into the house shortly after her mother rented it On December Sharon gave birth to Sean, who then also lived there. Early in when Sean was slightly more than a year old, Lewin Realty purchased the house at an auction. Before the purchase, one of the owners of Lewin Realty walked through the house accompanied by Sharon as he inspected it At the time of the walkthrough, there was peeling, chipping, and flaking paint present in numerous areas of the interior of the house, including in Seans bedroom. After Lewin Realty purchased the house, it entered into a new lease with Shirley but did not paint its interior at that time.
In February Sean was diagnosed with an elevated blood lead level. In May the house was inspected and found to contain areas of peeling, chipping, and flaking lead paint, and the Baltimore City Health Department BCHD issued a lead paint violation notice to Lewin Realty.
Section a of the Baltimore City Housing Code requires that a dwelling be kept in good repair and safe condition and prohibits a landlord from leasing a dwelling that violates the Housing Code. The Housing Code further provides that maintaining a dwelling in good repair and safe condition includes keeping all interior walls, ceilings, woodwork, doors, and windows clean and free of any flaking, loose, or peeling paint. It also mandates the removal of loose and peeling paint from interior surfaces and requires that any new paint be free of lead. The Housing Code also grants the landlord the right of access to rental dwellings at reasonable times for purpose of making inspections and such repairs as are necessary to comply with the Code.
Sharon Parker brought a lawsuit on behalf of her son, alleging, among other things, negligence. The negligence claim was founded on several grounds, including Lewin Realtys violation of the Baltimore City Code; Seans exposure to an unreasonable risk of harm from the leadbased paint while Lewin Realty knew that its dangerous properties were not known to Sean and not discoverable in the exercise of reasonable care; Lewin Realtys failure to exercise reasonable care in properly maintaining the walls, doors, and ceilings after Lewin Realty had actual and constructive knowledge of the flaking paint condition; and Lewin Realtys failure to exercise reasonable care to inspect the dwellings paint when a reasonable inspection would have revealed the flaking paint condition.
One of the questions in the litigation was whether the tenants were required to show that the landlord had notice of the violation in order to establish a prima facie case of negligence. Lewin Realty argued that because the tenant had control over the property and neither the common law nor any statute expressly required inspections during the tenancy, the court should not impose such a duty. Lewin Realty further argued it should not be held liable unless it had actual knowledge of the violation and that landlords who do not perform periodic inspections should not be charged with knowledge of what such inspections would reveal. Develop an IRAC for this case.
Step by Step Solution
There are 3 Steps involved in it
Step: 1
Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions
See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success
Step: 2
Step: 3
Ace Your Homework with AI
Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance
Get Started