Owners Liability for a hired person’s workmanship

[toad]

1 If I tell a worker to do something on my property am I liable for his actions?

I hired a management company to take care of my apartment building. The management company has hired maintenance men to fix things. They are doing a marginal job. I would like to give the maintenance men specific directions on what to do and how to do it. I hesitate to do so because I fear that there work could hurt someone and the maintenance person would then say that the owner told me to do it like this.

[aaron]

Why not instruct the management company that the work needs to be done in a better manner, or that they need to send out more competent workers? If they don't, why not fire the management company?

[toad]

Yes, I agree, that is a good way to approach the main problem.


Would I be liable if I told a maintenance person:

1. I like silver faucets.

2. Use silver faucets.

3. Use faucet model # 123 when needed.

4. Install faucet model # 123 in unit A tomorrow at 2:15pm.


And to help me understand let’s assume the faucet leaked because it was incompatible with the building. And the tenant in unit A slipped and hit her head on the faucet. And an investigation found that faucet model # 123 was not designed for residential use.

I want to know if there are limits to how much direction I can give without becoming liable for there actions.

Thanks