Issue with tenant

[Anonymous]

Hi -

I have a single rental property and the tenant just emailed me receipts for a faucet and the plumber’s bill. She never told me she needed it replaced or what the issue was. I’m so annoyed because I would have replaced the faucet but I don’t like the one she chose. How to handle?

[Anonymous]

Why don’t you like the one she chose?

Was it too expensive?

Is it not efficient and will increase the water bill?

[Anonymous]

Tell her she should have informed you beforehand and that you're not liable for the ugly faucet she replaced. She can take it with her when she leaves. She's your tenant. Put her in her place.

[Anonymous]

What does your lease say? In my tenants' lease it states to notify me immediately of any issues and that if they do not/ they do repairs themselves, they are responsible for payment and any issues that arise from that repair.

[Anonymous]

I'm 20:51. So in your case, if it were my case, the tenants would be paying to replace the faucet they chose with one I chose, either now or out of their deposit when they leave. It depends on if you think there will be more expenses coming out of that deposit/ enough left.

[Anonymous]

Don't pay. Tell her if she chooses to replace the faucet, her choice but you are not paying in less its broken and you expect the original returned on move out.

[Anonymous]

If it is a good tenant, you should let this go. You can replace the faucet when she leaves if it really bothers you for a few hundred dollars. This is never worth standing on principle. It would be different if you thought the receipts were fake or inflated but that would make her a bad tenant.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all the input. I keep swinging between making a stand and letting it go. She’s a good tenant in that she pays on time but she’s a pain in the neck otherwise and she’ll only be in place for a few more months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for all the input. I keep swinging between making a stand and letting it go. She’s a good tenant in that she pays on time but she’s a pain in the neck otherwise and she’ll only be in place for a few more months.

Let it go, but put in writing that any future repairs made without first receiving written authorization from you will not be reimbursed at all.

[Anonymous]

Pay for the labor but not the faucet itself, since you didn't authorize the purchase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for all the input. I keep swinging between making a stand and letting it go. She’s a good tenant in that she pays on time but she’s a pain in the neck otherwise and she’ll only be in place for a few more months.

Let it go, but put in writing that any future repairs made without first receiving written authorization from you will not be reimbursed at all.

This is great advice

[Anonymous]

I'm a landlord and I absolutely would not pay this bill. Plumber's aren't cheap, I would guess this cost maybe $300 or more?

[Anonymous]

I would find out the issue that prompted replacement. If it was spraying water, that seems like a different matter than if she just didn't like the design.

[Anonymous]

Insane. How do you even know if there was an issue or she just wanted a new faucet? Our tenants are not allowed to authorize any work on our behalf. We engage the contractors and pay them directly. We’ve had the same tenants for 6 years and this has never been an issue.

[Anonymous]

I would absolutely not pay this if it was cosmetic. Renters can't just go changing parts of your home on a whim and sticking you with the bill.

So I guess step 1 is to reply something like "I'm sorry, I'm confused - we never discussed a plumbing repair. What is this?" and go from there...