What obligation does a landlord have to provide outside motion lighting for safety of residents?

[Grasswire2]

We live in one of two little apartments in the lower level of a great big 100 year old home.

It is very dark at night outside, with a park on one side of the property and a river on one side. The home is set into the hillside of a modest hill. To get from the street to the apartment, one must walk down a woodsy path to the back side of the house.

It can be risky in the dark. There are motion lights attached to the side of the building, but they are not maintained because the landlady can't sleep if they come on.

I have asked more than once for the lights to be maintained, to provide safe space for myself and a member of the familly who is disabled and who fell tonight coming down the steps from the street in the dark. She fell tonight, bruises and swelling on knee, hand, elbow.

Is there a lawful obligation for landlord to provide outside motion lights?

I'm grateful for any information about this.

[AllBlue]

1. A few thoughts

The obligation to keep the outside lighting maintained in
a multi-unit dwelling would be based on what is stated
in the lease, as well as the laws of the state where the
dwelling is leased. The laws of the state would be most
relevant. There are some states that have no specific
requirements about this issue.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. I don't know about the landlady's obligations, but safety is paramount so...

I would first get some flashlights and worry about the landlady some other time.

[Kali]

9. this

[secondwind]

4. Use flashlights. This story reminds me of something I

learned almost 50 years ago. When looking to rent, you need to know what is going on after dark. Drive by the rental place at midnight on a Friday night or Saturday night.

[Grasswire2]

7. good thought, hah! nt

[voteearlyvoteoften]

5. Solar pathway lights are cheap and effective

They only last 4-5 hours after sunset but that covers the main moving time.

[Grasswire2]

8. the property is heavily treed, solar might not be reliable

and it would be up to the landlady (over ninety years old) to make that decision.

But a good idea. We have one right in front of our own door. Very, very dark at night.

[intrepidity]

10. I practically have a LED headlamp permanently affixed to my forehead

it seems.

My situation is similar to yours, and while I tried the solarlights, just not enough sunlight through the trees to keep them powered.

So, I never, ever go anywhere without my trusty LED headband anymore.

[csziggy]

11. LED headlamps are great!

The family that takes care of my farm and horses uses them in the winter when the days are short. My horses are out in the pasture unless the weather is bad and they have to take feed and hay to them early in the morning and after dark in the evening.

They used to carry flashlights but they found the LED headlamps and use those. It leaves their hands free and they light up where they have to walk. It's a game changer for them.

[intrepidity]

12. Funny, I acquired the habit while helping out on

a ranch, just as you described.

My favorite one is getting very old, and I cannot find the exact one anymore, very frustrating. I've ordered so many different ones from Amazon, yet each one has at least one deficit. I have very specific requirements, in that I've come to rely on the features my current one has, and I simply cannot find another like it. There's no way to even search Amazon for the specifics, because in many cases, it's not even mentioned anywhere on the ad that the feature exists. So it's been pure trial and error, all errors so far.

Maybe I need to post an OP and see if DU's collective experience can help me locate what I seek....

[Lucid Dreamer]

13. intrepidity - Tell us what you like, please.

intrepidity> Maybe I need to post an OP and see if DU's collective experience can help me locate what I seek....

Please post your must-have features for your lights.

I am not a collector of lights, but I keep buying flashlights, out of fascination I guess. I've got a 30 or more with many duplicates.

I have NO head mounted ones, so I can't help you out. But I have a nightly duty that may well be served by a good one on my head. I am now using a magnetic-based LED stick light that is doing the trick, but no-hands mobility will be my next step.

[intrepidity]

14. Sure. It just represents the one I've used for years

and come to rely on.

1) push button, not switch
2) no more than 3 functions: no red, no strobe (!), just: high, low, off.
3) tilt at least 90deg (amazing how few have this)
4) 3 AAA batteries
5) super, super bright (but I don't know the actual lumens)
6) simple elastic headband (not head harness)

That's it. Not complicated, I just cannot find one with all of these features, and none are negotiable.

Amazon must have a bazillion headlamps, but there seems to be no viable way to search for these exact specs, partly due to vendors not including such details in a searchable way.

The one I have isn't even branded anywhere obvious--maybe the circuit card has some info on it, but haven't looked recently. I used to have several of the same unit, but as components failed over the years, I've frankensteined the parts into one final survivor--and I sense it's approaching demise....