Landlord Giving Hard Time for Repairs.

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Landlord Giving Hard Time for Repairs.

Mohammed Nasser
New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes

Hi BP Family! I have a question for you but from the tenant side.

I am currently renting a house in California and yesterday the garage door spring decided to give way and the garage rolled down as I was passing under it, luckily missing be by just a few inches (I was on foot, not in my car). I informed my landlord that the door needs to be fixed and she requested I call the home warranty company which I did and they sent a technician out. The technician said the repairs aren't covered by the warranty since its an issue with the spring system and not the motor and quoted $650. I conveyed this info to my landlord and forwarded the report and quote to them and they said that they think it is too expensive and recommended I do "diligence". Mind you, things at this house break all the time and whenever any technician comes to fix whatever broke, the technicians all same the same thing: whoever built the house installed the cheapest material on the market. I'm pretty sick of always having to call the warranty company myself and waste time scheduling appointments. Am I wrong in assuming this is something my landlord has to do? If they dont like the quoted price shouldn't they be the ones looking up other quotes? I feel like I already have been doing a lot of the work that my landlord should be doing. Please let me know if I am wrong or any suggestions you may have on how I should go about this?

Just a side note, I have been at this house for 3 years and haven't missed a single rent payment. I have also been the one paying the fee for whenever a technician comes to the house to repair something.

Thank you and I appreciate you all!

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Sergey A. Petrov
Real Estate Consultant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 784 votes
4y

@Mohammed Nasser look me up if you decide to move to Seattle. I love tenants that pay rent and then also arrange and pay for all the repairs as well. That was the sarcastic answer. The real answer is your landlord is responsible for the repairs (unless of course you cause the damages).

5Reply
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  • Carlos Ptriawan
    Member since 2019 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    4y

    Spring repair of $600 is common in San Jose. Your landlord shall pay for that.

    1Reply
  • Lynn McGeein
    Real Estate Agent · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    It depends on what your lease states, like did you agree to pay the warranty co-pay in your lease and agree to schedule it, yourself?  If not, you can probably contact local government for some guidance on how to handle a landlord who is expecting you to cover repairs outside of the warranty coverage or wants you to provide the time and effort for estimates.  There's usually a tenant hotline available as well. If it's a safety issue as it appears to be, there's circumstances where you can pay rent in escrow to the government while the issues between you and the landlord get resolved.  

    1Reply
  • Bill B.
    Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    4y

    $600 spring repair is “common”? Dang. I thought I got screwed at $195 for 2 of them. 

    1) is this a very old house to only have 1 spring? (It wouldn’t have fallen with a second spring.)

    2) wouldn’t you prefer to be in charge of it? Would you prefer the landlord saying you have to be home this day at this time for the repair?

    3) just another strike against the home warranty scams. 

    4) If you are on month to month after 3 years I’d shop around and see what market prices are. Either you’re getting a pretty healthy discount or you’re moving. 

    Good luck. 

    2Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y

    Unless there is specific wording in the lease that says you should be doing all this, then it is clearly on the homeowner. I would tell them that you are not calling any more repair people and that they can do it or you'll just call the city to see what you should do.....

    0Reply
  • Greg M.
    Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    4y

    It is unusual for a tenant to cover the cost of the warranty company coming out. If it is included in the lease, it practically always only your responsibility if you caused the issue, such as a clogged sink. Read the lease and see what are your responsibilities. It could very well include language that you are required to arrange repairs and be available for the repairman. Maybe even pay for some.

    Before approaching your landlord, you may want to evaluate what type of landlord they are. If you're paying top dollar and get hit with regular rent increases, confront the landlord. If the landlord is the type that doesn't raise rent annually because they don't have to do a lot of work and are happy the rent arrives on time, you may not want to push back against a $75 service call. You may find yourself with an ugly rent increase next renewal.

    4Reply
  • Bill B.
    Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    4y

    Greg’s point was kind of my point about checking market rents. You might find out you’re paying $200/mo less than market. Saving $2,400/year in rent is a bad time to rock the boat. But fi you’re paying market then you have options to move. 

    2Reply
  • Sergey A. Petrov
    Real Estate Consultant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 784 votes
    4y

    @Mohammed Nasser look me up if you decide to move to Seattle. I love tenants that pay rent and then also arrange and pay for all the repairs as well. That was the sarcastic answer. The real answer is your landlord is responsible for the repairs (unless of course you cause the damages).

    5Reply
  • Henry T.
    Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y
    I had a garage door spring break. Let me just say that there's no danger if the spring was installed properly. There's a safety line running thru them, and the other intact spring is sufficient to hold the door up if there's a failure.....Yeah, the landlord should fix it. I, a landlord at the time had no problem doing the repair. I looked on ebay, the springs were suprisingly cheap, If I recall $29 delivered. In my case the very end broke off, so I basically still had a good spring that just had to be re-attached. Open door all the way. Reattach the u-bolt or clip to the spring end, make sure your safety wire is atrtached and running thru. It takes a little strength to pull the spring and reaattach to the base. Done. 5 minutes of work, maybe 10 if you're a slowpoke like me.  Your landlords an ***. But its not a big deal to fix if you just wanna get on with it.
    1Reply
  • Carlos Ptriawan
    Member since 2019 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Bill B.:

    $600 spring repair is “common”? Dang. I thought I got screwed at $195 for 2 of them. 

    1) is this a very old house to only have 1 spring? (It wouldn’t have fallen with a second spring.)

    2) wouldn’t you prefer to be in charge of it? Would you prefer the landlord saying you have to be home this day at this time for the repair?

    3) just another strike against the home warranty scams. 

    4) If you are on month to month after 3 years I’d shop around and see what market prices are. Either you’re getting a pretty healthy discount or you’re moving. 

    Good luck. 


     $150 if you lost the remote and need to reprogram lol :)

    3Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y

    Tell them that you don't have time to contact the warranty company and that they should do it themselves.  You can tell them they can meet the people at the house and talk to them.

    1Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Henry T.:
    I had a garage door spring break. Let me just say that there's no danger if the spring was installed properly. There's a safety line running thru them, and the other intact spring is sufficient to hold the door up if there's a failure.....Yeah, the landlord should fix it. I, a landlord at the time had no problem doing the repair. I looked on ebay, the springs were suprisingly cheap, If I recall $29 delivered. In my case the very end broke off, so I basically still had a good spring that just had to be re-attached. Open door all the way. Reattach the u-bolt or clip to the spring end, make sure your safety wire is atrtached and running thru. It takes a little strength to pull the spring and reaattach to the base. Done. 5 minutes of work, maybe 10 if you're a slowpoke like me.  Your landlords an ***. But its not a big deal to fix if you just wanna get on with it.

     I had mine break and it wasn't a problem either other than the door was a pain to open manually.  I think it cost me $150 to get it fixed at the most and that was hiring someone to do it.

    1Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y

    Your Landlord should be responsible for maintenance unless that was spelled out as a Tenant responsibility in the lease. On the other hand, you've put up with this for three years so the Landlord knows they can get away with it.

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Carlos Ptriawan:

    Spring repair of $600 is common in San Jose. Your landlord shall pay for that.

     Thanks for your reply @Carlos Ptriawan! I was surprised by how much the cost is to fix it. I talked to my landlord and they agreed to pay for it. 

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Lynn McGeein:

    It depends on what your lease states, like did you agree to pay the warranty co-pay in your lease and agree to schedule it, yourself?  If not, you can probably contact local government for some guidance on how to handle a landlord who is expecting you to cover repairs outside of the warranty coverage or wants you to provide the time and effort for estimates.  There's usually a tenant hotline available as well. If it's a safety issue as it appears to be, there's circumstances where you can pay rent in escrow to the government while the issues between you and the landlord get resolved.  

    Hi @Lynn McGeein, thank you for your reply! I pay the $75 co-pay listed in our lease anytime a technician comes to fix things, which is very often. Luckily, seeing that this repair isn't covered by the warranty my landlord agreed to pay for the whole thing. Thanks again for your reply!

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Bill B.:

    $600 spring repair is “common”? Dang. I thought I got screwed at $195 for 2 of them. 

    1) is this a very old house to only have 1 spring? (It wouldn’t have fallen with a second spring.)

    2) wouldn’t you prefer to be in charge of it? Would you prefer the landlord saying you have to be home this day at this time for the repair?

    3) just another strike against the home warranty scams. 

    4) If you are on month to month after 3 years I’d shop around and see what market prices are. Either you’re getting a pretty healthy discount or you’re moving. 

    Good luck. 

     Thanks for your reply @Bill B.! 

    1) The house is not old. It was built in 2013. I am not sure why the door would have fallen but it did. In the technicians report, it says "install new torsion spring system, new bearing, center bearing, bracket, spring for current door, cables (7ft), torsion tube (9 feet). Not sure which part of these failed but I hope it helps explain why it collapsed!

    2) That is a good point. I was trying to call the technician and schedule everything while I was at work today and so  believe it made me slightly angry to have to take some time away from my full time job to call multiple technicians and get the cheapest quote.

    3) Very true.

    4) We are not on a month-to-month lease. We just renewed our lease in June (5% increase in rent).

    Thanks again for your reply!

    1Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    Unless there is specific wording in the lease that says you should be doing all this, then it is clearly on the homeowner. I would tell them that you are not calling any more repair people and that they can do it or you'll just call the city to see what you should do.....

     Thanks for your reply @Bruce Woodruff! I eventually called around and found a cheaper quote for my landlord (this person will do it for $275). Thankfully, since this one isnt covered by warranty, my landlord agreed to pay all of it! Thanks again!

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Greg M.:

    It is unusual for a tenant to cover the cost of the warranty company coming out. If it is included in the lease, it practically always only your responsibility if you caused the issue, such as a clogged sink. Read the lease and see what are your responsibilities. It could very well include language that you are required to arrange repairs and be available for the repairman. Maybe even pay for some.

    Before approaching your landlord, you may want to evaluate what type of landlord they are. If you're paying top dollar and get hit with regular rent increases, confront the landlord. If the landlord is the type that doesn't raise rent annually because they don't have to do a lot of work and are happy the rent arrives on time, you may not want to push back against a $75 service call. You may find yourself with an ugly rent increase next renewal.

     Hi @Greg M.! Thanks for your reply. I usually pay the $75 co-pay required on my lease any time the technician comes. I just renewed my lease in June and got a 5% rent increase. I wouldnt say I am getting a discounted rate as when I was shopping around in June, similar properties were listed for similar rent to what I am paying now. I did some more "diligence" and found someone that will fix the door for $275 rather than $650. Luckily since it is not covered by warranty, my landlord agreed to pay for it all. Thanks again!

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Henry T.:
    I had a garage door spring break. Let me just say that there's no danger if the spring was installed properly. There's a safety line running thru them, and the other intact spring is sufficient to hold the door up if there's a failure.....Yeah, the landlord should fix it. I, a landlord at the time had no problem doing the repair. I looked on ebay, the springs were suprisingly cheap, If I recall $29 delivered. In my case the very end broke off, so I basically still had a good spring that just had to be re-attached. Open door all the way. Reattach the u-bolt or clip to the spring end, make sure your safety wire is atrtached and running thru. It takes a little strength to pull the spring and reaattach to the base. Done. 5 minutes of work, maybe 10 if you're a slowpoke like me.  Your landlords an ***. But its not a big deal to fix if you just wanna get on with it.

     Hi @Henry T.. Thanks so much for your reply! I did some more looking around and found someone on yelp with good reviews that will do it for $275 instead of $650. Since it is not covered by warranty, my landlord agreed to pay for the whole thing. Kudos to you on doing the repairs yourself! Thanks again!

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Nasser
    OP
    New to Real Estate · San Jose, CA · Member since 2022 · 67 posts · 23 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Nathan Gesner:

    Your Landlord should be responsible for maintenance unless that was spelled out as a Tenant responsibility in the lease. On the other hand, you've put up with this for three years so the Landlord knows they can get away with it.

     Hi @Nathan Gesner! Thanks so much for your reply! I know you're a celebrity on here and I heard David Greene and Rob give you a shoutout on the podcast the other day so I feel honored that you commented on my post haha! I did look around some more and found someone on Yelp that had good reviews and they quoted $275 instead of $650. Since it is not covered by warranty, my landlord agreed to pay for the whole thing. On the lease it only states that I have to pay a $75 co-pay which I do any time a technician comes over to do repairs. Thanks again for your reply and I look forward to reading more of your replies on the forum!

    1Reply
  • Bill B.
    Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    4y

    It sounds like the bracket ripped off the garage door header. Was it VERY loud when it came crashing down? This happened to me once at a rental and you could hear the bracket spinning and banging against the door. 

    I’m glad you found someone for 1/2 the price. I’m sure your landlord is as well. It does illustrate a problem of the decision maker not being the payer. If you knew your landlord was paying you would have just gone with the first guy. Maybe they figured the same thing. 

    Good luck and lesson learned for the future if you ever buy your own home. It pays to shop around. Take care. 

    0Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Mohammed Nasser:

    I heard David Greene and Rob give you a shoutout on the podcast the other day

    What episode was that? I must have missed it.
    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y

    I would talk to the tenant help line in your area, there will be a number to call if you reach out to the city. Typically repairs are on the landlord unless you damaged something.

    [email protected]512-888-9122
    The Moorhead Team5140 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Chad HalePro Member
    Property Manager / Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2013 · 779 posts · 301 votes
    4y

    @Mohammed Nasser  Glad you found someone cheaper.  I had two springs replaced on a garage door for $280 about a year ago.

    PM me if you need the name should something go wrong with the current vendor.

    0Reply
  • James Hamling
    Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    4y

    @Mohammed Nasser, curious where I find a few hundred tenants like yourself, happy to not only coordinate all repairs AND dig n search every time I say "nope, too much, try again", but to then PAY a per service co-pay!!!!!    

    I gotta know, where is your rent at vs market comparable? Please tell me full rate....

    0Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @James Hamling:

    @Mohammed Nasser, curious where I find a few hundred tenants like yourself, happy to not only coordinate all repairs AND dig n search every time I say "nope, too much, try again", but to then PAY a per service co-pay!!!!!    

    I gotta know, where is your rent at vs market comparable? Please tell me full rate....


     I know, right? Probably paying over market too...... :-)

    0Reply
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