Hot water system broken in rental property. Will take a week to repair.

[Anonymous]

None of this is the tenants’ fault. And it’s not just no hot water for showers, but no hot water for doing dishes. My dishwasher broke one holiday and it was horrible trying to handwash china or scrub pans in cold water.

[Anonymous]

OP, I get that this is a huge hassle and expensive, and messing up your holiday, too. The solution is a professional property management company who will deal with the tenant and make all of the arrangements, but then you have to pay them on top of all of the expenses.

Do the right thing, and the thing you would hope someone would do for you. It is perfectly reasonable to ask her if she was planning to be gone for any part of the holiday. It is also reasonable to pay the hotel directly rather than giving her money which might make her more likely to tell you the truth about being gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I get that this is a huge hassle and expensive, and messing up your holiday, too. The solution is a professional property management company who will deal with the tenant and make all of the arrangements, but then you have to pay them on top of all of the expenses.

Do the right thing, and the thing you would hope someone would do for you. It is perfectly reasonable to ask her if she was planning to be gone for any part of the holiday. It is also reasonable to pay the hotel directly rather than giving her money which might make her more likely to tell you the truth about being gone.

In fact, if you tell her you'll discount the rent for any days she's gone, but pay for a decent hotel for the days she's here, she will probably be happy to work with you, and you won't have to worry that she's profiting off your misfortune.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And what is tenant doing? I have a tenant, I live out of state. If my water heater broke and I said look the only person who will fix it is not for 7 days. If youk now anyone or can get a new one Lowes or HD tell me and I will schedule it. A rental is not a hotel. The tenant may be late on a rent check, have a loud party, may need to go month to month, may ask for a lower rent increase at renewal etc. You got to give a little to get a little.

If guy was like I am not paying rent till you get it fixed so why should I help, I would be thanks Dude and I know you are showering at gym any how so I will remember it when you ask for something I dont have to give

You are an A$$! this is why you have a local property manager to manage things like this!
I can't believe there are landlords like this out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you can't get it fixed in 2 days, it might be reasonable to offer to pay for a cheapo hotel for the remaining nights. The tenant is only going to shower there, so don't let them choose an expensive hotel.

Or you can offer to prorate those days and they can shower at the gym or work (this is what I did when I was renting and the water heater broke). But one or the other - not prorate AND a hotel.

It's an inconvenience to not have hot water, but it's not the end of the world...

You are kidding, right? what if tenants have a baby or a toddler??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Len the Plumber has same day service

OP here. LTP told us they could repair, charged over a thousand and it didn’t work. I’m hoping they will credit at least a part of the failed repair to the replacement but now they aren’t calling back. Grrr. They also need a week to get the chimney though.

We will pay for the (cheap) hotel but then she has to give us full rent. Or she can choose to go to family/friend and we will rebate rent for the part of the month the place was uninhabitable. Her choice.

That cheap hotel better be in your neighborhood. You're acting like you're doing her a favor, and you're not. It's a major inconvenience to move into a hotel for an indeterminate amount of time.

This is 100 percent, entirely, totally your responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know about hot water, but the landlord has to provide heat. He can buy a bunch of portable electric heaters if he wants, but he has to provide heat if the temperature goes down to some amount.

As a landlord, you ARE the hotel. Your tenants are paying you by the month for a service. This means they don't have to pay you AND a hotel if you can't provide the legally mandated minimum amount. Your homeowner's insurance will likely cover this, but then your rates will go up.

Yes, this is very expensive. In the end, you will be out the cost of the repair and some additional cost to get the tenant the service they contracted for with you. But, when all is said and done, you still have your investment property, and the tenant just has a place to live. Presumably the reason you are a landlord is because you believe it makes sense to invest in real estate.

It is very, very difficult to make any money, or even break even, with a single rental property unless you can do A LOT of work yourself.

This, million times. A lot of a$$hole landlords posted above, can't believe they are able to do this. Tenants should ask for previous tenants' contact info for referrals before signing rental agreements. If landlord doesn't want to provide former tenants' contact info - that says a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And what is tenant doing? I have a tenant, I live out of state. If my water heater broke and I said look the only person who will fix it is not for 7 days. If youk now anyone or can get a new one Lowes or HD tell me and I will schedule it. A rental is not a hotel. The tenant may be late on a rent check, have a loud party, may need to go month to month, may ask for a lower rent increase at renewal etc. You got to give a little to get a little.

If guy was like I am not paying rent till you get it fixed so why should I help, I would be thanks Dude and I know you are showering at gym any how so I will remember it when you ask for something I dont have to give

You are an A$$! this is why you have a local property manager to manage things like this!
I can't believe there are landlords like this out there.

I live in DC but my place is in NY. The whole concept of property managers does not exist and is unheard of. And property managers are useless in NY. My tenant calls me up and Fridge is broken they text me. I will most likely go to Lowes or HD buy a new one, ship to the place and tennant opens door for delivery. What am I marriot. Am I supposed to show up and give a Handy J too.

[Anonymous]

Which is it: property managers don't exist and are unheard of, or they are useless? Can't be both.

[Anonymous]

OP, you need to check the laws wherever you are - it may not be "her choice." In many places it is illegal for you to charge rent if there's no heat. Doesn't matter if you're paying for a hotel. It's not an either/or option. Check your local laws

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55/chapter13.2/section55-248.23/

It's an emergency repair

Since the landlord knows there is constructive notice, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Len the Plumber has same day service

OP here. LTP told us they could repair, charged over a thousand and it didn’t work. I’m hoping they will credit at least a part of the failed repair to the replacement but now they aren’t calling back. Grrr. They also need a week to get the chimney though.

We will pay for the (cheap) hotel but then she has to give us full rent. Or she can choose to go to family/friend and we will rebate rent for the part of the month the place was uninhabitable. Her choice.

I really hope you want to lose this tenant as soon as her lease is up.

Huh? You're making this the tenant's fault??

[Anonymous]

OP, you need to:
*) you front them the cash for a hotel. Maybe use a published per diem amount .. govt per diem perhaps for hotel, is just one example.
*) they choose the hotel, book it. This is not your decision.
*) realize they may or may not use it (the hotel) much but that is not your business. It's not even your business if it gets use.
But they need to have the option of someplace to shower/and go if they want.
*) you are not paid rent for the days they are without hot water.

[Anonymous]

I rented from age of zero to 12 then again from 21 to 29.

My landlord froze my ass off one place another we had a broken thermostat set at 80 degrees for entire winter.

First time landlord did not speak English second LLC through realtor no clue who is who owner was.