Landlord Question and Answer Forum

PENNSYLVANIA WATER COMPANY CONTRACTOR ADVISED TURNING OFF WATER BECAUSE OF WATER LINE BREAK AND WATER AT FLOOD STAGE IN STREET LEVEL APT. BELOW TENANT WITH ISSUE. IT TOOK ALMOST 48 HRS FROM SHUT OFF UNTIL LINE REPAIRED . SIDEWALK HAD TO BE REMOVED AND 5 FT DIG DONE AT CURB TO LOCATE BREAK IN WATER LINE. I SUPPLIED 20 GALLONS TO A FAMILY OF 2 OF STORE BOUGHT SPRING WATER, BUT TENANT SAID NOT ENOUGH TO SHOWER AND UNABLE TO FLUSH TOILET WITHOUT RUNNING WATER. I REVIEWED METHOD OF FLUSHING USING POUR INTO BOWL OR TANK. BECAUSE STATED SHE NEEDED A SHOWER AND NOT SA "BIRD BATH"...SHE WANTED TO GEYT A HOTEL...I STATED I DO NOT PAY FOR HOTELS...I ALSO STATED I WOULD REIMBURSE HER FOR ANY WATER THAT NEEDED TO BE PURCHASED BY TENANTS. WHAT IS MY RESPONSILBILITY WHEN A UTILITY IS BROKEN DOWN AND I DID NOT CAUSE THE BREAK... PLEASE ADVISE ME..DID I DO THE CORRECT THING? AS A SIDE ISSUE THIS TENANT OWES ME $178 FOR PAST DUE WATER BILLS AS LEASE IS THAT SHE IS SUPPOSED TO REIMBURSE LANDLORD FOR WATER USED OR PAY MONTHLY BILL OF LANDLORD .

As a landlord your responsibility is to have a unit with working utilities. If the water line break was NOT caused by the tenant you would have to provide running water or to help fix your unit quicker and keep the tenant happy put them up in a hotel for that time. It seems unfair but you cannot have them there with out working utilities. Also bill the tenant for the water bill that they owe. If they do not pay that is grounds enough to start an eviction. If it is stated in your lease they are obligated to pay that bill also if they are responsible for the break in line they are responsible, and should have reported a leak early on to avoid this. You may want to speak to a lawyer but you may be able to evict them on all of this evidence built.

Posted by Richard W, PA on Thursday, June 11, 2015