Apartment Flooded

[Jammin04]

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999995What is the name of your state? Tennessee

June 12th my complex cut the water off to do repairs. I had company with 4 children in my home. We were leaving that morning to go to Clarksville and would be returning on June 13th. One of the children turn the water on in my upstairs bathroom. When the water was turn back on at 12pm, it ran for 4 hours before the neighbors discovered that water was in their apartment. My apartment had 2 inches of water in my living room and den area. My kitchen ceiling collapse and most of my appliances were ruined. I have renters insurance that will replaced what I lost, however I can't understand how a bathroom sink could cause so much damage when there is an overflow in the sink. I had a plumber come by yesterday and he agreed that a running sink would not cause that must damage. My managers at the complex say that the plumber didn't know what he was talking about.

My manager reach me in Clarksville at 4:20 on June 12th, I called my sister who has a key to my home and complete authority to oversee any work that needed to be done to save my furniture, however the management cut my power and water off due to me not being there. They left my furniture and all my appliances, including my computer and TV sitting in water, When I returned on June 13th I had to walk in water covering my feet to try and save what I could. I lost almost all my electronics due to water damage.

I had movers at my home on June 14th to remove what i could save. Management never came by to check if I needed any assistance. June 15th I had completely remove all my property. I had my own blinds in my living room and had removed them to clean before I moved then to storage, after cleaning I placed then in my back yard to dry. I left the complex for 30 minutes and when I returned maintenance had throw then in the trash, they were $60 blinds.

My insurance company has place me, my daughter and my animals in Hampton Inn while Saxony makes repairs to my apartment. They pulled the wet carpet out June 15 but left the wet carpet upstairs, which of course the smell will not go away until all wet carpet is removed. I called on June 18th and told then until all the carpet is removed the smell would not go away. I went back on the 19th and all the carpet was gone. They had dehumidifiers and fans in to dry the apartment and the airconditioner running which I would believe would cause more mositure. Then on June 22nd i found the dehumidifer was leaking and my living room had water all in it again. I called management again and they didn't have the hose connected secure. I also ask if they could start repairng my cabinets while my home was drying and was told that they had other jobs to do and I would have to wait my turn.

I have lived in this apartment since August 1994. Do you believe I should contact an attorney? I paying rent to stay in a Hotel and i know my insurance company will not let me stay here forever.

Please any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Alaska landlord]

Well, you told the story pretty well, but I'm not sure if you feel responsible or not. If the flow of water was greater than what the sink could drain, then of course it would over flood. If it was not draining properly to begin with, then it would have been your responsibility to report it and ask for repair service. You do know that the flood does fall on your head.

You have got to be the poster child for having renters insurance. Something like this could have easily cost thousands of dollars in damage and labor. The blinds being thrown out was unfortunate but, you did place them outside and not notifying management or placing a note on them would have saved them. It is not uncommon for tenants to get rid of their furniture be just placing them outside and letting it become managements problem. It does look like management is handling the problem, but like you I can/t figure out why the AC is being used. I would have turned on the heat.

[Mae816]

Most air conditioning (those that are not closed ventilation systems) will take humidity out. Heat might aid in the growth of mold and mildew.

[OHlandlord]

Mae816 is correct. Air conditioning will act as a dehimidifier and remove lots of moist air from a unit. (Ever notice that water dripping from the drain hose outside? It is moisture being drawn out of the inside air.) So management was correct in turning it on. The dehumidifier hose not being secured is unfortunate, but it couldn't have done any more damage to the unit after all that water.

I assume you were notified by the management that the water would be turned off temporarily to do repairs. It is also a shame that your unit flooded and ruined your belongings. However, it was a child in your unit that left the water turned on. And you did leave the unit so that no one was there when the complex turned the water on again. Had the child left the faucet alone or had you been there to turn the faucet off when you heard it running, none of this would have occurred. Once the management was alerted to the flooding, they did the only safe thing - turn off the power and water. It is not their responsibility to go into your unit to save your belongings.

It sounds like management is doing its part to clean up the unit and repair the damages. However, do not expect them to put off repairs in other's units to repair the mess in yours. You are responsible for it. Management will likely turn all of the damages into their insurance company, who will then contact your company to pay for these damages. You should receive a bill for any of the damages not covered by your insurance. Sorry, but one of your kids did cause this.

[Cvillecpm]

AC is A DEHUMIDIFIER so it is REMOVING the moisture from your apt.

That said, you should ask to be released from your lease and find housing elsewhere.

[Alaska landlord]

Out here we just call a carpet cleaning company who suction up the water, open a window and place industrial heaters on the carpet. Two days later the carpet is dry.
But then again who has AC in Alaska? Actually I had a tenant place a window unit last year. That didn’t last long.

[Jammin04]

Let's start with notification of water being turned off, yes they did, but only at our mail boxes on Monday afternoon. I check my mail in the morning and since I was going out of town I did not see the notice until I arrived back home Wednesday. They may have also posted it our local apartment channel but you tell me how many tenants actually set and watch a apartment channel.

Next let's discuss the child, as I have said we were leaving and no water so we sent each child upstairs to brush their teeth with bottle water. The ages of the children 6, 11 and 16.
Now out of pure habit EVERYONE child or adult will turn on the water, as adults we realize that no water is coming out of faucet so we turn it back off. Children see no water and that's exactly as they leave it. IT WAS A ACCIDENT. Stop making me feel any worse than I am already feeling. By the way the only child that belong to me is the 16 year old!!!!

Now, let's talk about insurance I have renters only, it covers just my personal property. The apartment complex has their own insurance, this is not the first time I have been flooded but the other instances were not as bad and not my fault. I still believe that a pipe busted when the water was turned back on. I have pictures of the pipe that is behind the commode that goes in the wall it is pulled out as least 2 inches. It was not that way when I left on Tuesday. I am not saying that the water was not left on, however, I believe that something else happen that created enough water to flood two apartments in 4 hours.

My apartment build was built in 1977 and the up keep on them have not been the best. However it has been my home for 13 years. There has always been problems and we don't have the Management that can handle the issues.

I just recently lost my job of 13 years thanks to NAFTA so I am also unemployed. I don't need you to make my world any worse.

[OHlandlord]

A building from 1977 is fairly new. None of my buildings is less than 50 years old. I have houses that are over 100 years old. One had been abandoned for 2 years before I bought it. Are you putting repair requests in writing to the management and following up by calling about them a week later?

A pipe may have broken when the water came back on. However, I checked my small faucet in my downstairs bath. With only the cold water on, it runs approx. 1.875 gals per minute, the sink filled up in less than 2 minutes, although it didn't overflow as my drains are clear. If I left it running it would pump out 450 gals in exactly 4 hours. At a depth of 2 inches, this water would cover an area of almost 361 sq. ft. in that time. Both faucets on would cover 451 sq. ft. in 4 hours. If the water pressure was higher, it would have pumped out more water. So perhaps it wasn't a broken pipe. Those faucets can put out more water than you think.

Sorry about the rough patch in your life. We have all been there. A relative of mine has lost 2 jobs after 13 years with each company because of overseas trade. Both factories closed. Still, you were notified at least once, possibly twice, about the water shut off. You should watch their channel (for a few minutes at least) if you want to stay informed. It would have been nice to have more notice. Was this work because of an emergency, or had it been scheduled earlier?

Kids will be kids, but you obviously knew the water was off before you left (hence brushing teeth with bottled water). I assume you were watching the other children. While it was an accident, you may still be held responsible. The apt. complex may have their own insurance, but many owners will not have their insurance pay when a tenant causes damages. It only runs up their rates. I don't mean to make you feel bad. Just be aware that they may ask you to pay.