crazy water bill

[ric1287]

So we got our waterbill today, and it increased from $40 to $172.

we were gone for xmas break (college) and apparently our toilet ran for pretty much the entire time. It was "fixed" last week, and the repairman clearly stated on the work order form that the damage was not our fault. So should we be paying this bill? I personally refuse to pay more than $60 of it, and intend on fighting this until its resolved.


any ideas?

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Has your landlord refused to pay it?

 

[Sphexi]

If the bill is the result of faulty repairs, the repair guy should pay it, then the landlord.

 

[j00fek]

land lord needs to pay it

 

[Vette73]

Put yourself in their shoes.

How was it broken, was it broken before you left in any way, did it break 100% AFTER you left, etc...


If any of the damge or signs happened before you left then it is on you. If 100% happened after you left then if I was the landlord I would eat half.

 

[eakers]

how would the landlord know it was broken if you guys didn't tell them?

 

[child of wonder]

Landlords blow. I'm sure they'll refuse to pay any of it.

Once we had the fan on the AC unit outside constantly run. We didn't notice it since we didn't go out our back door very often. When we got a $102 elec bill (this was in the year 2000) we found what was happening. Landlord fixed the AC but refused to pay for any of the utility bill. Bastage.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: eakers
how would the landlord know it was broken if you guys didn't tell them?

ESP?

 

[spidey07]

I don't see why the landlord should pay.

Technically you used 172 bucks worth of water. It wasn't the landlord's fault unless you notified them about the problem before hand.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Some people seem to have the order of events mixed up.

1. OP leaves for Christmas break
2. Toilet racks up huge water bill
3. Repairman fixes toilet

The question is, where do "OP notices broken toilet" and "OP notifies landlord of broken toilet" occur?

- M4H

 

[Old Hippie]

any ideas?

Get your wallet out?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Some people seem to have the order of events mixed up.

1. OP leaves for Christmas break
2. Toilet racks up huge water bill
3. Repairman fixes toilet

The question is, where do "OP notices broken toilet" and "OP notifies landlord of broken toilet" occur?

- M4H

Have you been taking gibberish lessons?

 

[ric1287]

i have the work orders stating that it was "normal wear and tear"

i contacted them about the problem after xmas break, which is when i noticed it. So it ran for an entire month, with nobody here to notice the problem.


they haven't responded yet.

 

[Crucial]

Suck it up and be glad you didn't have to pay for the repairs. Just wait till you own your own home.

 

[eakers]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Some people seem to have the order of events mixed up.

1. OP leaves for Christmas break
2. Toilet racks up huge water bill
3. Repairman fixes toilet

The question is, where do "OP notices broken toilet" and "OP notifies landlord of broken toilet" occur?

- M4H

They don't occur which is why the landlord can't be accountable. The very last person who used the toilet and didn't notice it didn't stop running should technically be resposnible and that's assuming that it broke the very last time it was used before the break.

I think the landlord should pay half out of good nature but shouldn't be responsible for the bill.

 

[Kanalua]

Your city/state makes you pay the water bill? That sucks! In the places I've rented (utah and Hawaii) local and state law directed the landlord to pay the water utility.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Crucial
Suck it up and be glad you didn't have to pay for the repairs. Just wait till you own your own home.

but if i was in my own home, i wouldnt have been gone for a month and left it un-fixed.

they also have been out here 2x, and it still runs, just not as much.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: eakers

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Some people seem to have the order of events mixed up.

1. OP leaves for Christmas break
2. Toilet racks up huge water bill
3. Repairman fixes toilet

The question is, where do "OP notices broken toilet" and "OP notifies landlord of broken toilet" occur?

- M4H

They don't occur which is why the landlord can't be accountable. The very last person who used the toilet and didn't notice it didn't stop running should technically be resposnible and that's assuming that it broke the very last time it was used before the break.

I think the landlord should pay half out of good nature but shouldn't be responsible for the bill.

im not saying they should pay 170$, i would pay 60$. Even that is too much. Our bill went from :

2 months living here -> 40$
1 month here, 1 month home -> 170$

 

[MrWizzard]

Tough call, just because a plumber says it's not your fault doesn't mean it's not.

How was it your landlord?s fault specifically? Yea it's his toilet but you guys were the last ones using it. If he had not been renting to you guys it might not have worn downs as quickly

Maybe you will win and he will have to pay the entire bill. But then again maybe rental contracts will start to state that tenants will be responsible no matter what.

It's a no win situation, for both parties. Maybe you should offer just splitting the bill half way.

Good Luck

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Some people seem to have the order of events mixed up.

1. OP leaves for Christmas break
2. Toilet racks up huge water bill
3. Repairman fixes toilet

The question is, where do "OP notices broken toilet" and "OP notifies landlord of broken toilet" occur?

- M4H

Have you been taking gibberish lessons?

Choose

[ ] Yes
[ ] O RLY?
[ ] Perhaps
[ ] Im in ur thread, makin a poll



- M4H

 

[OSX]

[x] Im in ur thread, makin a poll

 

[zixxer]

Tough situation - look at it from both sides... It really is your responsibility to notify the landlord of a problem, and it's not his fault you aren't there. You also 'technically' could have shut off the water to the toilet (when I had an apt I shut off the main water where the water heater is if I left for longer than a few days..)

On the otherhand, not your toilet or responsibility to maintain it. IMO I would complain, but if they resist just pay the bill. If they won't pay it initially they won't pay it after awhile, so it's not worth the hassle.

 

[ric1287]

couldnt have shut off the water, we are required to keep the heat on so the pipes don't freeze.

and the repairs done were from the lanlord's people (its a big company with lots of buildings)

and yes it was probably running while we were here (before vacation) but if we are at work/class/out theres no way we could tell if it was anything out of the ordinary. I know that sometimes toilets run for extended periods, i just didn't think it would be running 24/7 for an entire month.

 

[SoulAssassin]

You have a reasonable responsibility to notify the landlord of any issues, he doesn't have ESP are previously noted and he can't be responsible for something he doesn't know about. If knew and told him and it took him a month to get it fixed then it's his fault and he should pay anything above the cost of an average bill but that's not the case here. If you were gone for a month and left the heat on and some random jackass came by and broke a window and you were heating the whole neighborhood for a month it wouldn't be your landlords fault. Suck it up and pay the bill. Life sucks, get a helmet.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: ric1287
couldnt have shut off the water, we are required to keep the heat on so the pipes don't freeze.

and the repairs done were from the lanlord's people (its a big company with lots of buildings)

and yes it was probably running while we were here (before vacation) but if we are at work/class/out theres no way we could tell if it was anything out of the ordinary. I know that sometimes toilets run for extended periods, i just didn't think it would be running 24/7 for an entire month.

Sorry but if it was ongoing BEFORE you left that means it is your bill. And yes you can turn the water off at the toilet. Small handle behind toilet, close it and no water to it. Rest of place will still have water.