Tenant Paying For Stoppage Repairs
Hello all,
I'm relatively new at being a landlord. Yesterday one of my tenants called and told me that the toilet was leaking water everywhere. I immediately called a plumber to come out to take a look. The problem turned out to be stoppage and the toilet had actually backed up. He ran the snake and whatever was blocking it flushed and went away.
I don't know what it was that actually caused the stoppage but I know the plumbing has been fine up to now.
So the question is how do I break this to the tenants that they need to pay me for the plumbers costs?
(It's in the lease that if it's not landlord negligence it's their problem)
I suggest sending them the bill, BUT you must compose a well worded letter to accompany the bill stating why they are responsible.
You should always follow the "firm but fair" practice. Follow your lease agreement to the letter, especially at first. If you don't, they will start thinking they can walk all over you.
Cheers,
C
Actually, I would pay the first time but let the tenant know that it will be their responsibility in the future. This could be a classic case of winning the battle but losing the war. I have found that it is always to my benefit to keep my "customers" happy. Also, stopped up toilets are really a thing of the past if you purchase one of the newer quality ones. This website will give you all you will ever want to know about jons! http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib/usalandlord/ToiletTesting.pdf
Stopped up toilets may occur without any tenant abuse whatsoever. Unless you were able to retrieve an object that was the culprit, you have no reasonable basis for holding the tenant responsible for a "wear and tear" expense.
What's in your lease? Many LL have clauses like "tenant pays first $ 50", "all repair requests have to be in writing" and some wording making it the tenants' obligation to deal with stuff like that. ** Sometimes, they put a brik in the water container (sorry, I'm a foreigner). Or they use excessive paper and then the wrong stuff. Most cases can and should be dealt with: a plunger often helps! // We had the situation that 4 times in a month a plumber had to be called. The kid kept flushing plastic toys and stuff. Never before or afterwards any problems. These are the situations when one gets fed up and improves one's lease.
Actually it wasn't just the toilet that got stopped up. It was the main pipe going into that specific bathroom because the shower was stopped up too.
Pay the plumber's bill and move on. Consider this just another cost of doing business as a landlord. Increase the rent on the next renewal.
Fortunately, the plumber was able to clear it with a snake. If the stoppage was in the main drain, it could have been tree roots or anything. And if you have to dig up a yard to find it, it's no fun. I think DaveT is right, just pay it and move on.
I agree with the others, pay the bill and move on. There's no way you can prove what stopped the drain and it will only cause tension between you and your tenant. It's just one of those things that you have to be prepared for. If it happened a few times in a row, that would be cause for suspicion.
I will also add that one of the best investments we've ever made is a power snake. We bought a foreclosure a couple years ago, and right after our tenant moved in developed a serious clog. We had to call a plumber and $190 and 45 min. later with the power snake, it was fixed. My husband said the machine is awesome. He found one in Harbor Freight for about the same price ($190), and he's only had to use it once, but it's now paid for itself.
Also, the tenant admitted the reason it could have gotten stopped us was the fact she put tons of potato peels down the garbage disposal (it was right before Christmas and she was having a dinner party for 30 people). Plumber said that was one of the worst things you can put down the drain, as they are like glue and stick to the pipes, even when ground up.
We paid the bill, but also told her if it happened again it would be her responsibility. So far, so good.
Buy yourself a snake and learn how to use it.
The machine is less than you paid for the plumbers call and you'll only need one forever.
I am amazed at how many landlords have purchased and used a snake. Even LUFOS who had something like 1800 units at one time had one. Myself, I still crawl under houses that are 18 inches off the ground with spiders, snakes, and who knows what, but I have never tried to snake out a tenants toilet and retrieve a "$%#@@#$%%^$#@$$%%^$#%#@@$$" to save a few dollars and I doubt I ever will! "Well" (as Reagan would have said), I guess we all have to have our priorities. Best of luck.
A couple a mounths ago I failed a Hud inspection slow flushing toilet was one of the problems rented a toilet auger pulled out a femine hygine product out no more slow toilet.
Guess Dad never told them not to flush them things.
Ed