Am I responsible for plumber repair bill?

Question

Hi,
I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I recently phoned my landlord to come fix the pipe that my washer drains into(goes into the basement floor). It was draining too slow, causing water to overflow during the rinse cyle. They sent me a bill for $55. I live in Illinois and have lived in my apartment for 2 years. I consider this wear and tear. The invoice says the problem was caused by lint. It not like a drained something down there that didn't belong.

Am I responsible for this bill or is my landlord just trying to pull a fast one. Thanks in advance! If anyone could point me to a law or something I can print out to show them I will be so thankful!

Hi,
Thanks for all the responses!

A big problem is that I no longer have a lease. This complex has been sold twice since I moved here. They fixed the toilet leak we just had but they are charging us for this. I want to buy a house so bad its killing me but I need to get my finances in a little bit better order first.

Thanks again!

It is my washer and dryer. They didn't charge us for the leaky toilet, just this. I have been renting for almost 10 years and have never been charged for repairs. The dryer has a lint trap but I wouldn't think there would be enough lint in the washer to totally clog a drain pipe. I have also had astonomically high water bills the last 3 billing quarters because of a mystery leak(that hopefully is solved now). They made me pay for the whole thing. They came out to check for possible leaks and then months later we had the seal on the bottom of the toilet that had to be replaced.

Thanks again!

Answer 1

In my professional opinion, though I can't actually see your washer and dryer, I would say it falls under the category of normal wear and tear. Although if it is your washer and dryer and not your landlord, it may be debatable. You should have a lint trap, therefore, lint should not be going into the drain pipe.

As for the leaky toilet, absolutely not your responsibility. Do not pay it. In writing, request your landlord to explain why he is charging you for both. You should get the explanation in writing. Whenever you deal with landlords, everything should be in writing- leases, maintenance requests, complaints, etc. Any correspondence you send your landlord you should document when you sent it and keep a copy of the correspondence. Cover yourself legally.

http://www.nolo.com

Answer 2

sorry couldn't find any laws that would really cover this.

I'm guessing the are saying the lint is from the washer.

Does the washer part of the rental unit? If so then the washer then it would the landlord's burden

If it's your washer you would have a responsibility to keep the washer in good repair. If you could get a statement that says your washer was working properly and not releasing an excess amount of lint that would benefit you too.

Personally a washer that is in good shape shouldn't release an excess about of lint, surely not enough to be able to clog a drain working properly. I suspect there was a problem with the drain

If the drain connects to another drain or is a shared drain, they need to show evidence there wasn't a clog some where else in the drain.

I'm not sure if this will help but I feel the landlord should cover the cost. It would be a different story if you were using the drain incorrectly and putting foreign objects down the drain. Which I'm sure you weren't


***** The lease isn't a huge problem, normally the terms of your old lease with the previous landlord would fall in place, or atleast in the cases I've seen. Unless you had a verbal agreement to something different or the landlord had presented a lease to you and you failed to sign it

You need to get a lease to protect yourself

Answer 3

I think it depends on the agreement you have with your landlord, expecially if it's a written lease or rental agreement. In some places I've known, it's been common for the tenant to pay for "minor repairs" or repairs & maintenance up to some specified dollar amount per month. If you don't have a written agreement in your favor, you may have a problem. A lot of landlords would think you should pay that - just as you probably pay for minor maintenace like faucet washers or replacing a window screen. I think the landlord should pay for your plumbing repair. Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck. ................ P.S. ........... Do an internet search using the search term, "free legal advice" and see what you get.

Answer 4

Check the phone book under local government. There should be a number for consumer advocacy or local housing authority. They should be able to help. Also most lawyers offer free advice for a couple of questions. Good luck.

Answer 5

The landlord is generally responsible for maintenance, but check your lease. This is a common item that you may have to pay for if your lease allows it.

Answer 6

the landlord is trying to screw you ,the landlord is responsible for repairs, normal wear and tear....... check with the fair housing dept. in your state.

Answer 7

Call your local tenants association