Landlord taking my SD to pay water bill

[jen05091913]

I just moved out of an apartment/duplex that i lived in for 4 years the only utility that i was responsible was the electric, when i moved out he charged me for carpet cleaning and then charged me for a water bill for 3 months when my toilet was 'leaking" mind you never heard my toilet leaking. Can he charge me for that?

 

[Just Blue]

I just moved out of an apartment/duplex that i lived in for 4 years the only utility that i was responsible was the electric, when i moved out he charged me for carpet cleaning and then charged me for a water bill for 3 months when my toilet was 'leaking" mind you never heard my toilet leaking. Can he charge me for that?

I just moved out of an apartment/duplex that i lived in for 4 years the only utility that i was responsible was the electric, when i moved out he charged me for carpet cleaning and then charged me for a water bill for 3 months when my toilet was 'leaking" mind you never heard my toilet leaking. Can he charge me for that?

What state?

 

[adjusterjack]

Can he charge me for that?

Obviously he CAN because he DID.

What did your lease say about applying the security deposit to unusual costs?

If you believe he applied it wrongly your option is to sue in small claims court.

 

[jen05091913]

Wisconsin, i looked it up he cant charge me for carpet cleaning because of state law but the water bill confused on that.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Wisconsin, i looked it up he cant charge me for carpet cleaning because of state law but the water bill confused on that.

He can't charge you for routine carpet cleaning. He can charge you for cleaning that is required for something beyond normal wear and tear.

 

[adjusterjack]

Wisconsin, i looked it up he cant charge me for carpet cleaning because of state law but the water bill confused on that.

How much did he soak you for?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

A leaking (i.e., running) toilet can result in a significant water bill. Do you have a hearing impairment? It is hard to miss the sound of a leaking toilet.

Gail

 

[LdiJ]

I just moved out of an apartment/duplex that i lived in for 4 years the only utility that i was responsible was the electric, when i moved out he charged me for carpet cleaning and then charged me for a water bill for 3 months when my toilet was 'leaking" mind you never heard my toilet leaking. Can he charge me for that?

Its certainly questionable. A leaking toilet would not be your responsibility, it would be his, but his argument might be that you should have caught on that it was leaking and informed him. How much money are we talking about?

 

[adjusterjack]

A leaking (i.e., running) toilet can result in a significant water bill. Do you have a hearing impairment? It is hard to miss the sound of a leaking toilet.

Gail

Even if you can't hear it you can see the water rippling in the bowl when you pick up the seat. That's a sure sign that the flapper isn't sealing properly and the tank valve is continuously refilling the tank as the water seeps into the bowl. This could mean hundreds of dollars over a three month period.

his argument might be that you should have caught on that it was leaking and informed him.

That's right. I can't tell you how many times I found out about visible plumbing leaks that tenants didn't report. Tenants are rather blasé about property they don't own.

 

[reenzz]

A tenant has a duty to timely inform the landlord of some defect with the rental property. Since you, not the landlord, live in the rental, presumably you would be the one to know about a water. I find it incredibly hard to believe that you didn't hear the toilet running.

 

[xylene]

The landlord should have been inspecting the property.

Absent a noxious and or notorious leak the tenant is not responsible unless the lease says otherwise.

 

[reenzz]

The landlord should have been inspecting the property.

Absent a noxious and or notorious leak the tenant is not responsible unless the lease says otherwise.

Even if the landlord did quarterly inspections, he would have not of heard or seen the leak. Are you saying that the landlord should do monthly inspections?

 

[xylene]

Even if the landlord did quarterly inspections, he would have not of heard or seen the leak. Are you saying that the landlord should do monthly inspections?

A toilet boom bom or flap does NOT go bad in a month, or even a quarter.

A landlord could also do a dye test.

Are you honestly suggesting a tenant should be dye testing their toilet?

This is clearly the landlord's problem and he is sticking it to the tenant.

 

[reenzz]

A toilet boom bom or flap does NOT go bad in a month, or even a quarter.

A landlord could also do a dye test.

Are you honestly suggesting a tenant should be dye testing their toilet?

This is clearly the landlord's problem and he is sticking it to the tenant.

Lol...I've been a landlord for 40 years and have never even heard of a "dye test" nor would should I be expected to do such a test without knowing that there may be a problem. I do expect my tenants to inform me of any potential problems or repairs.

 

[Zigner]

I don't think the OP is saying there was a leak, just that the LL is claiming there was.