Landlord Question and Answer Forum

I just starting leasing my house two months ago (the tenants are great). The tenants just bought a heavy duty washing machine. The output of water is too much for my drains to handle so the water is over flowing in the house. I ran a snake through the drain and made sure it was not clogged. My house was built in the 50's so regulation was 1 1/2" pipe. Regulations have increased and is now 2" - 4". The washer requires a 2" drain. Am I responsible for updating my pipes? I have been told by a plumber that a drain restrictor would reduce the flow of water and allow the water to drain properly. What am I responsible for? Also the pipe only goes down a couple feet into the crawl space then the sump pump kicks out the water.

You are not obligated to accommodate the tenants' specific washing machine (this would be different if you had supplied it, and it was included in the lease agreement). That said, if you can find an easy and affordable solution, such as possibly that drain restrictor, you might want to pay for it as a friendly gesture to your tenants.

Posted by Renee R, MD on Monday, November 15, 2010