Toilet running for months. How do I recoup the cost?

General Landlording & Rental Properties
4yFollow

Toilet running for months. How do I recoup the cost?

Mitchell Pudelski
Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes

I have a duplex with long-term tenants who pay on-time every month. Problem: water bill has quadrupled for each of the last four months. Nobody has an answer. Each reports no leaky faucets or toilets. Upstairs tenant states the toilet runs every now and then but not much. I adjusted the tank level as it was close to cresting the overflow tube. Maybe that was the issue. She stated she even replaced the flapper herself. The chain was too long though, so I shortened it. Every time I visit there are no problems, until yesterday. I showed up unannounced yesterday and found the chain wrapped UNDER the flapper so it was a continuous flush. Tenant was sleeping and did not even get up with me loudly announcing my entry. Remember, I had previously shortened the chain position but left the additional chain attached. It required the user to hold the handle down for a full flush.. It was lengthened again when I found it. To put this into perspective, this was a $420/month increase x 4 months! How do I get almost $1700 back from her?

0Reply
180 views

Most Popular Reply

Don Gouge
Specialist · Johnson City, TN · Member since 2021 · 139 posts · 146 votes
4y

You don't because you should have shortened the chain.

9Reply
See this reply in the discussion

37 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Don Gouge
    Specialist · Johnson City, TN · Member since 2021 · 139 posts · 146 votes
    4y

    You don't because you should have shortened the chain.

    9Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y

    Can you prove that she messed with the chain? Might be a chance in Small Claims Court if you want to go that direction.....but you'll end up with a bad tenant then.

    I doubt just talking with her and asking for $$ will work....

    1Reply
  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    4y

    Blood from a stone..

    Try a Fluidmaster with the chain bobber thingy. https://www.fluidmaster.com/pro-series-products/flush-valves/pro57k-flush-valve-kit/

    Also look at their Flush Valve Repair Kit. The ceramic seat the flush valve sits against may be worn from all of the water leaking päst the old seal.

    Good Luck!

    2Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y

    Tell her that you shortened it again and this time bring something to cut the chain, so she can't lengthen it.  Tell her she has to pay part of the bill. If it happens again, she has to pay the entire bill.  Call the water company and see if they can do anything.  When you renew the lease, increase the rent more than you normally would to help recoup costs.

    5Reply
  • Andrew S.
    Investor · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 708 votes
    4y
    Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

    Tell her that you shortened it again and this time bring something to cut the chain, so she can't lengthen it.  Tell her she has to pay part of the bill. If it happens again, she has to pay the entire bill.  Call the water company and see if they can do anything.  When you renew the lease, increase the rent more than you normally would to help recoup costs.

     I agree: cut the chain, BUT: get the length of the chain right.  Too long and it tends to slip under the flapper, causing the problem you observed.  Too short and you will not get a full flush without holding down the lever for an extended time.  This is what happened last time you shortened it and it is why the tenant went back in and made it longer again.  There is an optimal length between these two scenarios and that is what a correct install is.  Do it right!  In other words, you did not install properly and thus, you don't have much of a claim in my view.

    5Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Theresa Harris I replaced the entire toilet with a higher efficiency dual flush. No more flapper or chain to mess with. The frustrating thing about it is her not telling me that it continuously flushes. That is sooo different than "it runs every now and then, but not much".

    1Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y
    Originally posted by @Mitchell Pudelski:

    @Theresa Harris I replaced the entire toilet with a higher efficiency dual flush. No more flapper or chain to mess with. The frustrating thing about it is her not telling me that it continuously flushes. That is sooo different than "it runs every now and then, but not much".

     It is frustrating, but you'll find many tenants don't care about things the same way as most of us do (there are many exceptions).   This is why I have my tenants pay for water and don't include it in the rent.

    3Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Andrew S. I understand and agree. I didnt install, though. She replaced the flapper and chain herself without my knowledge and left the chain too long. That likely was the reason for the first 2 months. Then I shortened it, and had a somewhat lowered bill for month 3. It was getting the again higher bill for month 4 that had me enter and finally find the problem. It was then that I replaced the entire toilet with a low flow dual flush. No more flapper.

    1Reply
  • Paul Meyer
    Contractor · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2021 · 82 posts · 35 votes
    4y

    I would just put in a new $100 toilet at some point. Have you looked under the crawlspace for any other leaks? If the tenant is creating the problems maybe just not renew month to month, install new toilet, and start new and write off the loss on your income. My sister installs these all the time. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't BUT she doesn't pay any of the water bills...

    1Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Theresa Harris. Funny you you mention that. They each paid 40% of the bill (This is a duplex) for years and it was always the same month after month. Then, I decided to simply raise the rent to cover that average cost. It was the very next month that the problem began! This "experiment" went down in flames. They will now be be paying 45% each beginning in January.

    1Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Paul Meyer I did that yesterday. Low flow, dual flush, with no flapper or chain. Plan to switch them all out over time.

    2Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y
    Originally posted by @Mitchell Pudelski:

    @Theresa Harris. Funny you you mention that. They each paid 40% of the bill (This is a duplex) for years and it was always the same month after month. Then, I decided to simply raise the rent to cover that average cost. It was the very next month that the problem began! This "experiment" went down in flames. They will now be be paying 45% each beginning in January.

    Out of curiosity, why did you only charge them 40% each and not 50%?

    1Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Theresa Harris Not charging 50% each was simply to avoid the inevitable "They use more water than me" argument.

    1Reply
  • Max T.
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y

    @Mitchell Pudelski

    You don’t. You should have inspected right away after the first bill came in high.

    2Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y
    Originally posted by @Mitchell Pudelski:

    @Theresa Harris Not charging 50% each was simply to avoid the inevitable "They use more water than me" argument.

     That's one way to do it.  Hopefully you factored that 20% into the rent itself.

    0Reply
  • Gary L Wallman
    Rental Property Investor · Beavercreek OH · Member since 2018 · 422 posts · 970 votes
    4y

    Send a copy of your receipt for the repair items into the water company with a note describing the leak. They will almost always credit your account back to its average monthly usage. I received many refunds doing this. One was over 900 bucks.

    Gary

    3Reply
  • Daniel SmythPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2019 · 471 posts · 342 votes
    4y

    @Mitchell Pudelski

    You cannot recoup your losses. You can learn from them if you choose.

    When tenants pay the water bill, marvelous things happen. All of a sudden the pool water stays inside the pool, the hose is rolled up and turned off, the toilets stop leaking, and even showers are shorter!

    Can't split services? You can if you just do it!

    I love those who tell me these things cannot be done. They want to continue complaining and bickering. I refuse to play that game.

    There are a dozen ways to split a water bill and require tenants to pay it in full each bill period.

    The same for gas, electric, cable, phone, or anything else.

    It helps if the lease states the obvious responsibilities along with repercussions when the lease is NOT followed to the letter.

    This may take an actual attorney to help you write this into your lease, and it may cost to have your attorney effect the discipline required by said lease.

    Just save that talk saying there is nothing you can do but change toilets, faucets, and make sudden inspections.

    It's a business. It's up to you if you want it to be profitable!

    [email protected]
    1Reply
  • Michael Gansberg
    Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2015 · 388 posts · 563 votes
    4y

    @Mitchell Pudelski - you could get a flapperless toilet. It's a new version of a toilet created by Niagara. Specifically the Niagara EcoLogic series. I've read that it only works well on level floors, so if you have some settling in your house, it may be problematic. It uses less water so you'll recoup some of the lost money that way(though make sure a low-flow situation is OK for you- there are cases where low-flow causes more problems that it's worth.)

    Alternately, you could tell her that if this happens again, you'll replace her toilet with a composting toilet that uses no water and that requires manual "emptying" on a semi-regular basis. That might be too severe a solution. I'll leave it to you.

    1Reply
  • Pat Mulligan
    Investor · Ventnor City, NJ · Member since 2016 · 41 posts · 34 votes
    4y

    I had the same problem with an unreported running toilet.  Worst of it, we only get water bills every quarter, and mine was $900 above normal. I immediately called the tenant and asked if they had any drippy faucets or running toilets. He told me no.  I said I better come and make sure there are none in the wall.  I get there, the toilet is running like a river. I could hear it as soon as I entered the apartment. 

    I just told the tenet I was billing them for the overages, $200 per month tacked on to the rent.   They never balked and paid it off. 

    Have you tried just billing her?

    Pat

    0Reply
  • Stephen Ray
    Bel Air, MD · Member since 2018 · 30 posts · 19 votes
    4y

    I agree with @Gary L Wallman depending on your water provider. If a bill is abnormally high and you should receipt from a licensed plumber that work was performed to fix the issue a lot of times the municipality will forgive the high bill. 

    0Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Max T. That's one of the frustrating things about this. I DID inspect multiple times and found no leaks, no running water, no explanations. I was left to think friends and relatives were coming over and doing laundry around the clock. Both denied anything like that was happening. Each time I was there, nothing was out of the ordinary.

    0Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Daniel Smyth I absolutely agree. I have been doing this for many years and fortunately have never had something like this happen before. That said, I have already learned from the experience.. We have great business relationships with our tenants and keep it what it is... a business. Thanks for the input.

    0Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Michael Gansberg Thanks. I immediately switched out to that type of toilet when I finally learned of the problem. I have not yet discussed the issue with my tenant. I took a few pictures and then removed the toilet.

    0Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Pat Mulligan I have not yet discussed the situation with her. I finally found the problem yesterday and immediately changed to the flapperless toilet. Deciding on the best course of action after getting some input. Thanks.

    0Reply
  • Mitchell Pudelski
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Wadsworth, OH · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 18 votes
    4y

    @Stephen Ray I will definitely contact the billing dept again. I have a few times over the last few months so they'll have record of me trying to find the issue. Hopefully they'll give me an early Christmas gift! Thanks.

    0Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free