Re: Broken water pipe-high water bill - Landlord Forum thread 205355

Re: Broken water pipe-high water bill by OK-LL on July 28, 2010 @12:59

I'll probably get flak for this answer, but here's how I'd handle it. I'd ask myself whether the leak would have occurred even if the unit were vacant. Answer is yes. Then I'd ask if the tenant's reported the leak at the earliest possible opportunity. You say the water was not evident on the surface of the property, so the answer is yes, they reported it as soon as they perceived a problem by viewing the high water bill. So if the tenants didn't cause it and they didn't allow it to exacerbate, they probably aren't responsible for it. Therefore, I would pay the water bill (less the normal water useage of the tenant, which they will pay), petition for a reduction (especially as it affects the sewer bill and none of this water was going down the sewer) and move on.

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Re: Broken water pipe-high water bill by Monipenny on July 28, 2010 @13:56	[ Reply ]

Which is probably why in the end most water municipalities make the owner/landlord responsible for the bill. In some cases, they just can't hold renants responsible for the water bill, leaving it between the landlord and the tenant to "work" it out. I agree, if the damage was not caused by the tenant and no obviouse evident of water puddling to report a problem, then how is it the tenants responsibility? As you have said, who does it fall on if the place was vacant? If the pipe busted between the meter and the street, the water co. would not hold owner responsible (no way to meter the loss). The pipe from the meter and throughout the dwelling belongs to the owner, is the owners responsibility to fix and someone has to pay the bill, less the sewer charges if they so kindly will remove that charge from the bill.

Re: Broken water pipe-high water bill by Sarah Joseph (Texas) on March 1, 2011 @00:02	[ Reply ]

I am a tenant. The water pipes broke in the freeze we had earlier this month and now the water bill is $500. Is this something I should be liable for (the pipes are outside, uncovered; I ran water every day all day long trying to keep them from freezing) or should the landlord be responsible for this?