All Forum Posts by: Sam Leon

I am an engineer by trade and sometimes out of curiosity, I look where I shouldn't have, and this had in the past lead me to some big headaches.

So I have this condo vacant and went around and did a bunch of repairs and I left the last item alone because I hated hated doing it. Which is to fix a slow draining bathtub. I knew I would be pulling other's hair balls out of the drain and it's the #1 thing I absolutely hate. I left it as my favorite last thing to do.

While I removed the bath drain and cleaned it, I decided that it's a good time to change it to a lift and turn style instead of the pop up linkage. The hardest part would be if the old drain wouldn't unthread from the shoe below due to corrosion but I was able to get it out without too much elbow grease. A trip to a nearby plumbing supply, a new lift and turn, some putty, done in 15 minutes.

Now, the lever of the old linkage is still on the overflow. I thought about just leaving that alone, but didn't want to have the next tenant tell me the lever "doesn't work", so I decided to change it to a plain overflow cover. BIG MISTAKE? LOL.

I removed the two screws holding the overflow cover plate, and as I did that and removed the cover I saw the overflow pipe behind the tub literally fell off. FELL OFF, as in disappearing into the wall cavity! So what do you do in this case? Laugh or cry?

I need to somehow get access to the tub drain tee behind the tub. But I don't see a clear solution. Here is a picture.

The tub is on the right. As you can see, no way to access from the front, as it's all tiled.

Can't access from the left even if I pull the toilet and cut the drywall, there would be at least a stud or two in the way. No access from the right either, as on the other side of the right wall is the kitchen and cabinets. No access from the wall behind it as that is another owner and property is vacant in foreclosure.

I toyed with the idea of pulling the toilet and cutting a hole in the front apron of that fiberglass tub, but really didn't want to do that.

Finally, I bit the bullet and went into the kitchen, opened the kitchen sink cabinet, and cut a hole on it's side, and pray that would give me access to behind the tub, and I would be able to reach it and be able to do what I need to do with one hand.

After some wearing and cursing by wedging myself like a pretzel inside the kitchen cabinet, I managed to cut a hole, and it appears I can see the back of the tub.

So first thing I noticed is my neighbor has the same layout, only in mirror image.

I retrived the overflow pipe laying inside the wall, and looked.

Turned out whoever the plumber was who plumbed the tub, he was nice enough to cut the overflow pipe so that it inserts only 1/8" of an inch into the top of the tee. See the dark ring at the bottom of the tee in the picture below? That's how far it went into the tee, and if anyone does any finessing of the overflow cover, it would pull off.

So, no big deal, I took some measurements and put in a new overflow, this time, FULLY SEATED into the tee. A bit tricky to do since I can reach my hand in there, but can't see at the same time.

Now that I am done with my end, I turned my attention to my neighbor's. As you can see, he/she has three problems. First, that overflow pipe may be short like mine; Second, the overflow pipe was not property seated on the back of the tub, so it leaked; Third, those leaks have corroded the back of the cast iron tub, and lastly, once I opened the wall cavity, I can smell a bit of sewer gas. I am pretty sure due to that property being in foreclosure and vacant, the traps are probably dry and gas has been entering that unit, and seeping into the wall cavities where it's not sealed. I made a mental note to find whoever is maintaining or representing the property and have a conversation.

So now all I have to do is to test and make sure the pipes are properly connected and no leaks. I turned on the tub spout and filled the tub to the overflow hole and let it drain. No problem. I see no leaks from the PVC connections.

BUT...there is a leak somewhere. Somehow the bottom plate is getting wet and I am getting a drip from above - slowly. Oh oh.

I can't see up from that hole I cut in the kitchen cabinet. I can't fix what I can't see. I don't even know what's leaking. I can only see where it's dripping on the bottom plate.

I am back on the same boat. I need to get access to what's behind that wall and higher up, and I knew I just opened a can of worms. I have to get creative or bring a sludge hammer.

So I went to a bar and had a few beers. More to follow.

I have a harder time someone would do laundry at late hours simply to annoy. When I was in college I always do my laundry at weird hours. Why? I have to stay up late at night to study might as well do laundry then it minimizes the chance of running into someone else doing laundry at the same time and have my load removed from the dryer etc...

A lock could have the potential issue of locking someone's clothes out. They might have done the laundry at 9pm but didn't make it to the dryer to collect until 11:01pm and now they have no access, and if it's a uniform they need to put on the next morning for work at 7am they might call you at 11:30pm to ask you to unlock so they can get at it.

Personally I would have a talk to the late hour laundry tenant and get a better understanding on why the late hours before implementing any policy, and find out from the other tenant who complained what is the objectionable noise was it the washer agitating, was it the quick pressure draining of the water, was it the dryer buzzing when done etc...to make sure there isn't a solution before implementing a policy or a lock.

Sometimes when tenants don't get along there is an underlying reason and what they complained about are the petty stuff that annoyed them but not the real reason.

if you limit access you might find you are just transforming one problem into another and you now have tenants that don't get along because they are trying to do laundry at the same time. One says they removed their clothes from the dryer and dropped a pillow case on the dirty floor and the other said he didn't want to but had to start the dryer so it would be done by 11.

Hang in there.

I am surprised home owners insurance won't cover the tenant's damages? They cover vandalism, and what your tenant did, was it deliberate out of spite? I would say that's vandalism and not negligence.

Once I get a "promising" candidate I continue to show but slow it down a little.

I become less accommodating on showing the property not only because I don't want to waste my time but also their time knowing it's sorta kinda spoken for.

However, they can change their mind just like that...so, I continue to show it but I push the showing schedule out a bit. If today I receive an application that everything on paper looks good, and I know tomorrow I will have to make a few calls and run some credit/eviction/background checks, then I will push another showing out two days. I won't say there is a pending application just say that's the soonest I can schedule another showing.

One thing I found that really helped, and many callers complimented me on is I started to show a detailed floor plan of the property, with dimensions and color shading to correspond to the photos on the same listing. Many said they already know where to put their furniture by looking at the plans and I end up with less calls, but the calls are more enthusiastic.

Sorry this is happening to you.

So you are being blackmailed.

Regarding your comment on the electrical overloading...There should be multiple circuits serving these appliances. Dryer is usually dedicated circuit and 240V, a stove/range is also dedicated circuit. Fridge may be, may be not. I seriously doubt they are all on the same circuit, being in the same "room" does not mean there is only one circuit serving them devices. Check the wiring (gauge) and breakers and what devices are truly connected and work out the what's causing the tripping.

Roy, good point. I will double check.

But my lease is not a monthly lease. It is explicitly stated to be a one year lease, the rental period is one year. The tenant is not paying a "monthly rent", although many think that way. Instead they are paying for the one year lease in bi-weekly, or monthly installments, as such, a lump sum payment would fit into this framework. But I will double check.

well, I think there is a new issue that needs considering if she pays the whole year up front.

It affects the lease.

All the languages about late fee, grace period, blah blah blah no longer applies.

But, what needs to be established instead is early termination.

Currently there is an early termination clause of two month penalty if you break the lease with a 30 day notification.

How would you handle if all paid up front? Same? Two month penalty and refund the rest? If she has a school transfer or move away whatever on month #6, you pay her back how much?

I see two options.

Charge two month penalty like I stated in the current lease, refund the rest.

Or

Charge whatever loss I incur from her early termination. If I can't rent it out for 3 months I charge her 3 months, if I was able to rent out in two weeks I charge her only 1/2 month. But that means I have to hold on to her $ until that resolves.

I am thinking two month's penalty in the standard lease.

Would appreciate any thought on this, as well as other potential impact from a fully paid lease.

Oh, is a fully paid lease shoves all income into the year she paid?

your purchase agreement or contract probably stipulates you to honor the current leases so not much you can do to raise rent until each lease is up.

The only possible leverage you have is to put a contingency in your contract that previous owner modifies their leases and get tenant signatures before closing, but why would a tenant sign a new lease with a higher rent?

Now two years ago I bought a condo and it was below market rent by $500 a month, the previous owner rented to a friend. I asked the owner to credit me at closing the amount which is the market rent minus current rent times the number of months left on the lease, and he agreed.

visitor and occupant are difficult to differentiate because you are not there 24/7, a son visiting an aging mom every day and stay late on some days to care for her and occasionally crash on the couch is not an occupant but he might have her keys.

Its best to have a talk with the tenant and set the expectations up front.

If its up to me - but its not :( - I prefer no one except the ones on the lease and be notified and obtain authorization anytime anyone else is going to spend the night. That way I can be subjective but the lease says no.

Personally I think it needs to be a singular event once happened a person change into an occupant. How about this?

When a guest of Tenant is given a set of keys to the property or when a guest starts taking paper or electronic materials into the bathroom to read while he/she is on the crapper, whichever occurs sooner, he/she becomes an occupant.

never mind.

I brought up the escrow option and she offered to pay the entire year plus security up front.