Forcing innocent tenants to share repair costs - Landlord Forum thread 359070

Forcing innocent tenants to share repair costs by Jonny on February 17, 2019 @05:34

I live in a building of 7 units. One of the tenants is clogging the plumbing with baby wipes and tampons. Our landlord is unable to determine who it is. They all deny it. I don't use baby wipes or tampons (I'm a man with no kids). However, since the landlord is unable to know who is the responsible, she is making all the tenants in the building share the cost of the repair. I feel this is very unfair for those of us who are not causing the damage. What is the right thing to do in this situation? Am I supposed to go around to all the tenants and play detective? I am spending my hard-earned money on something I am not responsible for. Is this even legal? The other issue for me, is that I live in an area that is not rent-controlled. So if I refuse to pay for the repair, the landlord can just raise my rent, or take the money out of my security deposit. What do people do in a situation?

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Re: Forcing innocent tenants to share repair costs by lpadave on February 17, 2019 @06:42	[ Reply ]

Unlike with electricity,........water and gravity are best of friends. Water will let gravity take it where ever likes. (GOSH,.....I REALLY LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THAT STORY). If you can, try tracing the waste plumbing path in your building. If your unit never has stoppages,...you are downstream of the problem and your LL shouldn't be charging you. If everyone in the building is experiencing the stoppage, it's probably at the main exit line. Check what your and other tenants leases say about plumbing stoppages. In older buildings,....it could be just bad old plumbing with corrosion or roots restricting proper flow. Even with brand new, proper drain works,...ya put enough stupid stuff down the drain,.....its gonna get stuck.. This is one of the tough problems for landlords to fairly deal with, especially in older properties where the plumbing is problematic simply from age or too many improper / incompetent fixes over too many years.. If the LLs charge seems fair and reasonable,....And you want to keep the peace,.....id say just pay it and let it go. It'll make you a good guy in your LLs eyes.. After the. Second or third charge,....id say you have a valid conversation about it getting inappropriate.

Re: Forcing innocent tenants to share repair costs by LAMAC66 on February 20, 2019 @13:34	[ Reply ]

In almost all states the landlord can not raise rent mid lease unless its a month to month and even then they must give sufficient notice according to state law. Seek legal aid.

Re: Forcing innocent tenants to share repair costs by Daniel (CA) on February 23, 2019 @13:56	[ Reply ]

This is a landlord site, if you don't like it then you can move. Obviously the LL is working on the issue. Maybe use the King Solomon approach, if all the tenants complain but the culprit doesn't then the LL can use that fact to only charge that tenant next time. And that's thinking outside the box