 Hello and welcome to Recovering from the Storm. I'm Cali Nelson with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Today's topic is renters' rights. Out of a natural disaster, both landlords and renters can feel overwhelmed as people rebuild their lives and homes. For renters, housing options are often more limited than they are for homeowners. Many renters feel that they are at the mercy of landlords. Here are some tips if you're a renter dealing with the aftermath of a similar tornado. First, start by reading your lease if it's available. Most lease will outline who is responsible for damages, how to exit a lease, and the required steps in the event of damage. Check the lease to see if it says anything about repairs, getting out of the contract, finding another place to live, or other things that may happen if the dwelling is badly damaged or destroyed. If the lease was destroyed or lost, contact your landlord to get a copy. If the disaster damaged your unit and it is still suitable and safe to live in, the landlord must reduce your rent in proportion to the damage of the unit. If the unit is no longer suitable or safe for you to live in, inform your landlord that you are counseling your contract. In Alabama, if a property is unlivable or unsafe after disaster, tenants can let landlords know within 14 days of a disaster in writing that the tenant is ending the lease and wants the security deposit refunded. By law, the landlord will have to refund the full security deposit, and renters won't have to pay any additional rent on the property. Renters will still be responsible for any fees or past due balances that occurred before the disaster. Even if you didn't terminate your contract within 14 days of the disaster, you may still be able to do so if the owner fails to make the necessary repairs. Landlords are required by law to maintain safe and secure housing for their renters. This means they must promptly repair things that make a unit unlivable or unsafe. If your landlord doesn't fix these things, you might be able to legally end the lease. Give the landlord 14 days to fix anything that isn't an emergency. If the landlord doesn't fix the problems, you can return the keys when moving out. Take pictures to show that your landlord did not do the repairs that he or she was supposed to do. Hold on to the pictures for future references. If you need legal help, you can contact the Alabama Legal Help or Low-Income Housing Coalition of Alabama at 866-456-4995. Also, if you had renters' insurance to cover your possessions, it would replace items that was lost and or damaged in the disaster. Again, this is Callie Nelson, and I want to thank you for tuning in today to Recovering from the Storm. The Dallas County Extension Office has more information on this topic. Please contact our office at 334-875-3200. Or visit us on the web at www.aces.edu. And don't forget, we care about you and we are here to help you recover from the storm.