All Forum Posts by: Andrew Wu

Hello all,

Thank you for your advice on my earlier questions. I have another follow-up question:

My tenants (and roommates) have month-to-month lease agreements. They are scheduled to move out at the end of February. In the past, I've usually given up on collecting the amounts due for utilities for the last month (as by the time I get the bill the following month, the tenants have moved out already).

Is there a means by which I can still ask for the utilities for February after I get the bills in March (or later even)? Or is it considered part of the cost of doing business after they have moved out?

Thank you!

Apologies for the late reply - this replacement was on the expensive side - the plumber called it an "emergency repair" as it was leaking from the top of the unit (enough to have spilled out onto the floor below). The water heater in my condo is located outside in its own partition, which is why it took me a while to notice the leak ...

He charged me $1100 in total (I'm in the SF Bay Area in the south bay) and installed a 40-gallon natural gas Bradford-White unit. (I'd read elsewhere that Bradford-Whites were available to plumbing contractors only (that is the general public couldn't purchase one directly?) ...).

Previous unit was an A.O. Smith 40-gallon tank that lasted 18 years.

Yes going forward I'd prefer to be able to purchase a new heater on my own first and then pay the plumber to install it ... are there recommended guidelines for preventative replacement (vs emergency replacement)?

Thank you!

Hello all again,

Thank you for the tips on how to address / depreciate the water heater issue.

My next question is whether I can deduct installation of GFCI outlets in my kitchen (previous owner prior to my moving in / renting out rooms) had installed grounded outlets that weren't GFCI-protected). Earlier this year I paid an electrician to update the outlets to GFCI ones.

Does this qualify as a repair or an upgrade, and can I deduct the work?

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Awesome - thank you for the insights! I will have to check into the HOA and what they cover in terms of "large" replacements like this - thanks for the tip!

Hi all,

This is my first post to this forum (I've been mostly a lurker)!

Apologies if this is the wrong sub-forum - please move if needed?

I own a small townhome in the SF Bay Area, in which I rent out 2 rooms. Today my water heater sprung a big leak. I called my plumber and after examining it, he went out and bought the replacement water heater and replaced the old unit. I wrote him a check and that was that. I did not get a chance to see his receipt for the parts purchased. =(

Based on reading other threads on water heater replacement, I understand that a new water heater is to be depreciated along with the rest of the unit (although how I'm not entirely sure). However, I don't know what the cost of the replacement water heater is or the division between the parts costs and the labor costs.

How am I to / should I be treating this when I file taxes next year?

Thank you!