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Georgia State Route 13, south Norcross

Buford Highway water damageRenters, owners and shopkeepers

Older apartment blocks and busy strip malls line this road. When water moves between units or storefronts, the first questions are who must be told and who repairs what, and this page sets those out for tenants, condo owners and small businesses.

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Tell the contractor if you rent or lease. The contractor confirms service for your address.

Key facts: Buford Highway Corridor

  • Apartment complexes rose along Buford Highway during the 1960s and 1970s.[1]
  • Around Christmas 2022, freezing burst sprinkler lines and pipes in metro Atlanta apartment and condo buildings.[2]
  • Georgia code section 44-7-13 addresses a landlord's duty to repair.[3]
  • Call Gwinnett dispatch, 678.376.7000, about damaged storm drains or serious flooding in rain.[4]

Start here

Who does what

General guide only; leases and association documents vary
You areTellYour job
TenantManager, in writingProtect belongings; call your renters insurer
Condo ownerAssociation and your insurerCheck which walls and pipes are yours
ShopkeeperLandlord and your commercial insurerList damaged stock, save records
LandlordTenants and your insurerStop the source; arrange repairs

Rights

What the law and the code say

Under Georgia law a landlord must keep the premises in repair.[3] Keep dated photographs, messages and any reply. EPA's mold guidance is to fix moisture first, and it suggests more experienced help for areas beyond about 10 square feet.[5] For a dispute, a lawyer or legal aid office can advise; this page cannot.

Building type

Older complexes and cold snaps

Accounts from December 2022 describe water pouring through corridors, apartments and lobbies as lines froze and split, alarms frequently ringing.[2][6] If a sprinkler discharges, leave and let the fire department and management handle it.

Buildings from the corridor's early decades may contain asbestos tile or aged paint,[1][7] so anything opened needs care. The contractor should raise this with the owner before removal.

  • Do not cut into old flooring
  • Water follows stacks and hallways
  • Lower units may flood from above
Two-story brick garden apartments with outdoor stairs under rainy sky

First moves

If water reaches your unit or shop

  1. 1

    Get away from anything electrical

    Unplug only if the floor is dry.

  2. 2

    Report it in writing

    Text, email or portal message. Include the time.

  3. 3

    Photograph belongings or stock

    Do it before moving them.

  4. 4

    Stop using drains if sewage is involved

    Tell management and report building-wide backups to county dispatch.[4] Owners of older houses should note the private lateral.[8]

  5. 5

    Ask who has hired the crew

    Then follow water extraction and structural drying as work proceeds.

Storm drainage

Rain and the road

Atlanta logged 66.99 inches of precipitation in 2020,[9] and wide pavement sheds it quickly. Stay away from fast water around drains. USGS described some Atlanta-area flows in September 2009 as extremely rare.[10] Check your address on FEMA's maps, renter or owner.[11] Federal flood cover is available for contents, and normal renters policies typically leave it out.[12]

More than 1,000 immigrant-owned businesses operate along the road, serving residents from Korea, Mexico, China, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Central America, Somalia and Ethiopia, among others.[1] Interstate 85 marks Norcross's southern boundary.[13] If English is not your first language, ask a trusted person to read insurance letters with you.

Questions

Corridor questions

Is my landlord's insurance enough for my furniture?

Usually not. Belongings generally need your own renters policy, so ask your agent.

Should I keep paying rent in a damaged unit?

Get legal advice before withholding anything; lease terms and facts matter.

My shop's wall is wet from next door. Who do I tell?

Your landlord and your insurer, in writing, with photographs.

Nearby

Other Norcross pages

Visit Historic Norcross, Berkeley Lake or Peachtree Corners. Or read about Norcross generally.

Buford Highway overflow? See sewage backup cleanup. In Buford Highway, water extraction clears pooled water. Buford Highway framing may need structural drying. Buford Highway soot? See smoke damage cleanup. After a Buford Highway fire, read fire damage restoration. Buford Highway newcomers: early steps after a leak.

Sources and citations

  1. [1]Wikipedia: Buford Highway
  2. [2]GPB News: Burst pipes damage apartments and businesses across metro Atlanta
  3. [3]Justia: O.C.G.A. section 44-7-13, landlord duty to repair
  4. [4]Gwinnett County Water Resources: Report a problem
  5. [5]U.S. EPA: Mold cleanup in your home
  6. [6]Rough Draft Atlanta: Burst pipes across the metro
  7. [7]U.S. EPA: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
  8. [8]Gwinnett County: Sewer lateral policy homeowner handout
  9. [9]National Weather Service: 2020 annual climate summary
  10. [10]USGS: Epic September 2009 flooding in Georgia
  11. [11]FEMA: Flood maps
  12. [12]FEMA: National Flood Insurance Program
  13. [13]Wikipedia: Norcross, Georgia

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