Question: Judge Mathis, I had a fire in my building and it’s taken over a year for the contractor to finish repairs. My insurance company paid me rental loss up to a certain point but those payments have stopped. Can the contractor be held responsible for my future rental loss since its taking them so long to complete the job?

The Judge’s Answer: You must check your contract. The contract may detail what liabilities the contractor has if he does not complete the work as listed in the contract. However, if you think the delay is unreasonable, you may have a breach of contract claim and can sue the contractor for reimbursement for all damages you incurred as a result of his not keeping to his part of the agreement.