All Forum Posts by: Sylvia H.

Does the toilet itself have a depreciable useful life?  I mean, it's porcelain.  The service call to replace a toilet would be the same regardless of whether the toilet was old or new.

And for the record, I would charge the tenant, especially since she is not accepting responsibility, which seems to be a trigger point for a lot of us today (and not just in landlording).

I would bill her for it. That's not normal wear and tear.

@Sylvia H.,

I had a similar situation early in the pandemic, when there was a TP shortage, tenant flushed some paper towels down the toilet-- completely backed it up.   I split the cost with her 50-50.

If she is a good tenant, and the toilet was older/having issues and  planned to be replaced, I would probably just eat the cost and have a firm discussion.

If she is an average tenant, and relatively new toilet, my favorite discussion point is to bring up the facts, and ask her "What do you think it is fair?   Most people are reasonable and will take accountability.    I'd say splitting it 50-50 is fair.

If she is a irresponsible tenant,  I would charge her the full amount.   If she doesn't pay, let her know the charges will be removed from her deposit. 

@Sylvia H., if it was an excellent tenant who admitted fault, I might not even charge them.

For a very good tenant who maybe is struggling to get by, I might also not charge them.

For an average tenant or worse, I would charge them, and I would 100% charge anyone who tried to claim it isn't their responsibility. Enabling that kind of mindset will only lead to more issues later on.

From a technical standpoint, I would simply bill them back and add the cost to the next months rent. I use apartments.com for secure ACH payments. So, they will see the bill and be able to pay it there.

If they don't pay it, my lease states any money paid goes to pay fees and bills FIRST and rent LAST. So, the toilet would be paid for with the next rent payment and they would be short on rent and then evicted for nonpayment of rent. 

Does the toilet itself have a depreciable useful life?  I mean, it's porcelain.  The service call to replace a toilet would be the same regardless of whether the toilet was old or new.

And for the record, I would charge the tenant, especially since she is not accepting responsibility, which seems to be a trigger point for a lot of us today (and not just in landlording).

And no matter what you do with this charge, on the next service call for kids toy in the new one, and you should make it clear--that cost is on her.

They make Lid Locks to keep kids from doing this.

Maybe the mother should look into buying such a device for her child.

Good Luck!

@Scott Mac's post reminded me.  Yes, make it very clear where the responsibilities lie, since in today's society that "common sense" notion as flown the coop.

Here is my lease language regarding plumbing:

24. PLUMBING: You shall report all drips and leaks immediately to us. You shall never pour cooking grease or other damaging/obstructing objects down toilets, sinks or drains. No products aside from bathroom tissue may be flushed down the toilet. This includes feminine hygiene products and “flushable” wipes. You are liable for all expenses or repairs resulting from the stopping of waste pipes or overflow and spillage from sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, washbasins or containers. You are responsible for reporting water leaks or a running toilet within a reasonable period of time, and we reserve to the right to charge you for any additional expense from gross water overuse due to a failure by you to report such condition to us.

I also have tenants sign off on receiving this document:

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Wipes & Personal Hygiene Products Clog Sewer Lines!

Many household products are labeled and marketed as DISPOSABLE and/or FLUSHABLE; many baby and adult personal hygiene products, along with household wipes and cleaning towelettes are labeled both disposable and flushable. While these products may be marketed as a convenience item in this way, the truth is that these types of items have the ability to clog and stop up not only the sewer line on this property, but also can cause blockage and service problems in the public sewer system and pump stations.

Unlike toilet paper, these products DO NOT break down once they are flushed. They can cause blockages in your building’s sewer, especially older pipelines that may have greases, roots, or other obstructions already existing. An unclogging of the sewer line can result in a very costly sewer repair. Your lease terms prohibit the flushing of these items. If you are using these products and there is a clog at this property, it will become your financial responsibility!

What Can You Do To Help?

The following items should NEVER be flushed into the sewer system:

PLEASE - Do not flush the listed items; place them in the trash, not the toilet.

Lastly, I have them sign an addendum that outlines the cost estimates for materials and labor for typical repairs.