Tenant wants me to refund part of unusually high water bill

[Brian R.]

Hello BP community, I am facing a new issue on my second property, which is located in Philly.

Last month the tenant's water bill was slightly over $200. For the six month's they have been there so far it has been between $55-75/mth. They told me their usage was not any different and I chose to believe them and immediately hired a plumber to come take a look in case there was a leak or other issue. It turns out the toilet overflow level had risen and was constantly dripping. We adjusted it, and this month's water bill is back to normal.

Now, my tenants are asking if I will be refunding some of the amount.

I'm torn. They've been nice tenants I'd be happy to have stay. But water is their responsibility and I paid almost $300 to hire the plumber.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm considering offering to split the difference with them, they really are nice tenants and I would like them to stay, but I don't want to be a pushover or bend to every ask.

Thanks for whatever you care to offer or share from your own experiences!

Brian

[Nathan Gesner]

In my town, we can contact the city and explain what happened. The City will refund a portion of the bill because of the accidental use but it's usually a small refund and hardly worth the trouble.

I would probably offer to split it this one time. Remind the tenant that they are responsible for utility usage and must monitor the home and report problems immediately.