crazy water bill

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: 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.

how is someone breaking into my house and a running toilet a valid comparison? (which at that point would be covered by insurance)

i notified the landlord when i realized the problem. What more else could i have done? sat in the bathroom all day checking for a sporadic running toilet?

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

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.

ok so it is possible, but I shouldn't have to worry about that type of stuff. if the toilet wasnt broken, then there would be no need to turn the water off.

 

[Vic]

Tenant should pay. The water bill was so high ONLY because you failed to notify the landlord of the problem in a timely manner.

/thread.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Vic
Tenant should pay. The water bill was so high ONLY because you failed to notify the landlord of the problem in a timely manner.

/thread.

right, i should have made the 3 hour drive back to school a couple times over break to make sure my toilet wasn't running.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: ric1287

how is someone breaking into my house and a running toilet a valid comparison? (which at that point would be covered by insurance)

You missed the analogy that you would have a high heating bill from the window being open through no fault of your own or your landlords.

You couldn't have done anything else. It's a crappy situation, but these things happen. Pay the bill.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287

how is someone breaking into my house and a running toilet a valid comparison? (which at that point would be covered by insurance)

You missed the analogy that you would have a high heating bill from the window being open through no fault of your own or your landlords.

You couldn't have done anything else. It's a crappy situation, but these things happen. Pay the bill.

see but the toilet IS the landlords problem. I do not own the toilet, the landlord does.

and considering i go further into debt each month beacuase of bills, slapping another 80$ onto that mass isn't just a simple decision.

 

[Nutdotnet]

So it had been running prior to you leaving and you didn't notice?

Even with you leaving, the place is still your responsibility right?

Does the lease require that you notify property management if the place is vacant for more than X amount of days?

I think you're responsible for the bill. While the landlord has the responsibility for the repair, it's not his job to check YOUR toilet while you're out, unless the lease says so.

 

[Dualist]

I'll say the landlord needs to pay that.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Vic
Tenant should pay. The water bill was so high ONLY because you failed to notify the landlord of the problem in a timely manner.

/thread.

right, i should have made the 3 hour drive back to school a couple times over break to make sure my toilet wasn't running.

Well, it's not the landlord's responsibility to know where you are @ all times either is it?

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Vic
Tenant should pay. The water bill was so high ONLY because you failed to notify the landlord of the problem in a timely manner.

/thread.

right, i should have made the 3 hour drive back to school a couple times over break to make sure my toilet wasn't running.

That's not the issue. Should the landlord have had to inspect the property daily to make sure everything is working properly? Or should he not be able to have the reasonable expectation that the tenant will inform him of issues as they come up? And as the latter is the case (I guarantee you it's probably even in your rental/lease agreement), then how is it the landlord's fault that you were out of town and unable to inform in a timely manner?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287

how is someone breaking into my house and a running toilet a valid comparison? (which at that point would be covered by insurance)

You missed the analogy that you would have a high heating bill from the window being open through no fault of your own or your landlords.

You couldn't have done anything else. It's a crappy situation, but these things happen. Pay the bill.

see but the toilet IS the landlords problem. I do not own the toilet, the landlord does.

and considering i go further into debt each month beacuase of bills, slapping another 80$ onto that mass isn't just a simple decision.

Yes, he owns it but the burden of responsibility to notify the landlord of any issues is on you. It's unfortunate that you were out of town for an extended period of time but that's what happened. As you previously stated it was because of normal wear and tear, it's not that the landlord had someone come out and fix another issue and poor workmanship caused the issue. You can try to make a case with your landlord if you want but he's going to tell you to go pound sand and he's right.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
So it had been running prior to you leaving and you didn't notice?

Even with you leaving, the place is still your responsibility right?

Does the lease require that you notify property management if the place is vacant for more than X amount of days?

I think you're responsible for the bill. While the landlord has the responsibility for the repair, it's not his job to check YOUR toilet while you're out, unless the lease says so.

its a campustown, so 90% of the tenants are gone for xmas break. It's my responsibility to notify them when I notice the problem. I contacted them withing days of realizing it was running. What more else could i have done?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
So it had been running prior to you leaving and you didn't notice?

Even with you leaving, the place is still your responsibility right?

Does the lease require that you notify property management if the place is vacant for more than X amount of days?

I think you're responsible for the bill. While the landlord has the responsibility for the repair, it's not his job to check YOUR toilet while you're out, unless the lease says so.

its a campustown, so 90% of the tenants are gone for xmas break. It's my responsibility to notify them when I notice the problem. I contacted them withing days of realizing it was running. What more else could i have done?

As I said, there's nothing else you could have done but it's no one else's fault either so stop trying to project responsibility on others. It's just an unfortunate situation.

 

[ric1287]

yeah the landlord shouldnt have to inspect the apt, but should i either? I cant assume that a toilet will work in a building that i am renting from?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

If the bill is not paid, who's water will be shutoff?

Landlord or OP?

/thread

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
So it had been running prior to you leaving and you didn't notice?

Even with you leaving, the place is still your responsibility right?

Does the lease require that you notify property management if the place is vacant for more than X amount of days?

I think you're responsible for the bill. While the landlord has the responsibility for the repair, it's not his job to check YOUR toilet while you're out, unless the lease says so.

its a campustown, so 90% of the tenants are gone for xmas break. It's my responsibility to notify them when I notice the problem. I contacted them withing days of realizing it was running. What more else could i have done?

As I said, there's nothing else you could have done but it's no one else's fault either so stop trying to project responsibility on others. It's just an unfortunate situation.

if i cant "project responsibility" why then am i forced to take all of it?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: ric1287
yeah the landlord shouldnt have to inspect the apt, but should i either? I cant assume that a toilet will work in a building that i am renting from?

You know what happens when you assume right?

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
If the bill is not paid, who's water will be shutoff?

Landlord or OP?

/thread

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287
yeah the landlord shouldnt have to inspect the apt, but should i either? I cant assume that a toilet will work in a building that i am renting from?

You know what happens when you assume right?

i get told a saying that my grandfather uses?

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: ric1287

and considering i go further into debt each month beacuase of bills, slapping another 80$ onto that mass isn't just a simple decision.

Sure it is. Debt + $80 FTW. (or FTL in your case).

Eat the $80, take it as a lesson learned.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: 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.

and there's your answer folks.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287
yeah the landlord shouldnt have to inspect the apt, but should i either? I cant assume that a toilet will work in a building that i am renting from?

You know what happens when you assume right?

i get told a saying that my grandfather uses?

Yeah, now get off my damn lawn and go pay your water bill.

You don't have to pay for the sewer, do you? I get billed quarterly for sewer fees...you might have to bend over a 2nd time for this.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: ric1287
yeah the landlord shouldnt have to inspect the apt, but should i either? I cant assume that a toilet will work in a building that i am renting from?

You know what happens when you assume right?

i get told a saying that my grandfather uses?

Yeah, now get off my damn lawn and go pay your water bill.

You don't have to pay for the sewer, do you? I get billed quarterly for sewer fees...you might have to bend over a 2nd time for this.

no they pay those. and considering we are in Illinois and water is dirt cheap, this toilet must have been running non-stop.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: ebaycj

Originally posted by: ric1287

and considering i go further into debt each month beacuase of bills, slapping another 80$ onto that mass isn't just a simple decision.

Sure it is. Debt + $80 FTW. (or FTL in your case).

Eat the $80, take it as a lesson learned.

but there is no lesson. thers just a crappy toilet and a ridiculous water bill

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: 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

Thanks for the idea.

OP:
Was the water running when you left?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No


:laugh: