Tenant left toilet running, water bill went up.

[Ian Lord]

My tenant emailed me yesterday to say that they got a $700 water bill. The city came out and confirmed the meter, and everything matches up with the bills. The tenants pay all utilities. After talking to the tenant and suggesting she check the toilet, she confirmed it was running. She jiggled the handle and it stopped.

I'm trying to plan ahead about how to handle this. I told her to contact the water company and politely ask for a waiver, reduction, or some course to mitigate the dramatically increased bill. Typical bills for the house are under $150 and this last month was about $700. 

I sent her a link and talked her through the easy fixes, jiggling the handle, adjusting the chain, etc. I changed the flapper out within the last year since the old one had given up, and it was working fine for the rest of my stay in the home and the first two month's of the tenant's stay there. 

I know from before I changed the flapper that when the toilet runs it is noticeable. I have a feeling the tenant may ask for me to pay the increase bill if they don't like what they hear from Hampton Roads Sanitation. 

My inclination is to think that if they left the toilet running because they couldn't bother to listen for the sound of running water then I shouldn't be responsible for the bill increase. Wouldn't be much different if they left a faucet open for a month. Politely but firmly say no, since the bill wouldn't have gone up if they paid attention? 

[Dawn Anastasi]

For tenants who pay the water bill, I always show them the water meter, how to turn off the water to the whole house (if needed) and also about how to read the meter to "self monitor" how much water is being used.  Also on the water meters here in Milwaukee, there's a small dial that shows that water is being used.  I show the tenant that too, and let them know that if they suspect a leak, check the small dial.  If no water is actively being used in the house, the dial should not be spinning.