Responsibility for Workers

If an owner of a dira in Israel decides to add on to his dwelling, and simultaneously there is someone living there and paying rent, who is responsible for watching the dira, the workers, and the sochers contents: the baal hadira or the socher? And who is responsible for letting them into the apartment so the workers can do their job?

Answer:

If the person living in the dira was aware, at the time of signing or renewing the contract, of the plans to build, he (the socher) would be responsible for looking after his belongings. He would not, however, be responsible for letting in the workers, and this responsibility falls on the person building (the owner).

If the tenant was not aware, at the time of signing, of the plans to build, he is not obligtated to allow the workers in to build, and he can stipulate that he only lets them in on condition that the owner accepts responsibility for watching over them.