Landlord turns water off

[waterboy19]

Re: Florida


I live in a mobile park and the owner hired a plumber to check the park for water leaks. I returned home after work in the dark and saw a note on the door stating, "You have a leak inside. Call us to schedule." I went inside to prepare dinner and had no water. I called the plumber's number. When he returned my call, he informed me that my toilet was running and turned off my shutoff valve to stop the water. This wasn't explained in the note. So I had to go fishing for the shutoff in the dark to get my water back on. Was this a legal way to go about this on the owner's part?

 

[quincy]

Re: Florida


I live in a mobile park and the owner hired a plumber to check the park for water leaks. I returned home after work in the dark and saw a note on the door stating, "You have a leak inside. Call us to schedule." I went inside to prepare dinner and had no water. I called the plumber's number. When he returned my call, he informed me that my toilet was running and turned off my shutoff valve to stop the water. This wasn't explained in the note. So I had to go fishing for the shutoff in the dark to get my water back on. Was this a legal way to go about this on the owner's part?

Sure. You were notified of a leak and the water was shut off until you can schedule to have the leak repaired.

Would it have been better if the note included the source of the leak? Yes.

I DO question why the shutoff valve on the toilet wasn't shut off instead of the main water shutoff.

I also question why you had to locate the shutoff "in the dark?" You had electricity inside and you could have used a flashlight if the shutoff valve was outside.

 

[waterboy19]

Sure. You were notified of a leak and the water was shut off until you can schedule to have the leak repaired.

Would it have been better if the note included the source of the leak? Yes.

Why did you have to locate the shutoff "in the dark?" You had electricity inside and you could have used a flashlight if the shutoff valve was outside.

It doesn't make sense that the note didn't include mentioning that the water had been turned off. They simply shut it off and left a note encouraging me to call, obviously wanting to attract business. A person returning home at night might expect a note encouraging a call. But to return home with the water shut off without any explanation? Never heard of such conduct.

 

[quincy]

It doesn't make sense that the note didn't include mentioning that the water had been turned off. They simply shut it off and left a note encouraging me to call, obviously wanting to attract business. A person returning home at night might expect a note encouraging a call. But to return home with the water shut off without any explanation? Never heard of such conduct.

Shutting off the water makes more sense than letting a leak continue to cause damage/more damage to a residence.

I don't see that you have any legal recourse but you can let your displeasure over the shutoff be known.

 

[pac72]

fyi YOU should know where your shutoff is in case YOU need it in case you have a leak.. a lot of damage can be caused if you must wait for someone to be called out to do it for you...
was your place locked ? and the plumber had no acess to shut off your toilet ?
was there even a shutoff for the water at the toilet ? lots of times the valves aren't installed ,by companys being cheap...

 

[NeilTheCop]

So the plumber turned off you water because of a leak and you promptly turned it back on before it had been repaired!!

 

[LdiJ]

So the plumber turned off you water because of a leak and you promptly turned it back on before it had been repaired!!

Clearly the leak was not something super serious or the OP would have noticed it themselves. Did you expect them to live without water for a couple of days until it could be fixed?

 

[NeilTheCop]

Clearly the leak was not something super serious or the OP would have noticed it themselves. Did you expect them to live without water for a couple of days until it could be fixed?

Yes, unless they want to repair more damage. It's a mobile home, the water could be running out of the bottom of the toilet unnoticed and underneath the home.
What if it was a very slight gas leak, would it be OK to turn it back on for just a few days?

 

[Zigner]

Clearly the leak was not something super serious or the OP would have noticed it themselves.

Because breakages of any sort in plumbing fixtures never occur suddenly while the occupant is at work...

 

[LdiJ]

Because breakages of any sort in plumbing fixtures never occur suddenly while the occupant is at work...

This wasn't an emergency at all. Did you read the initial post? The landlord hired a plumber to inspect the entire park for leaks. An argument could even be made that the plumber found leaks that didn't even really exist. After all, the plumber is creating business for himself for every leak that he finds.

Also, the leak he claimed to have found was the toilet running. Again, that is NOT an emergency.

 

[quincy]

This wasn't an emergency at all. Did you read the initial post? The landlord hired a plumber to inspect the entire park for leaks. An argument could even be made that the plumber found leaks that didn't even really exist. After all, the plumber is creating business for himself for every leak that he finds.

Also, the leak he claimed to have found was the toilet running. Again, that is NOT an emergency.

Apparently the plumber felt the need to shut off the water. We don't know anything more than that. We certainly cannot judge the extent of the leak and say it wasn't an emergency.

 

[Zigner]

After all, the plumber is creating business for himself for every leak that he finds.

You seem to be implying that the plumber is finding "problems" where none exist...

Also, the leak he claimed to have found was the toilet running. Again, that is NOT an emergency.

...and then go on to acknowledge one existed.

As stated by quincy - we have no idea of the actual extent of the problem and only have the opinion of the expert who decided the shutoff was needed.

 

[Just Blue]

And the count-down starts for the anticipated "pound sand"...10...9...8...

 

[NeilTheCop]

Because breakages of any sort in plumbing fixtures never occur suddenly while the occupant is at work...

My dishwasher hose obviously didn't get the memo a few years back.