Help with a Tenant dilemma

Help with a Tenant dilemma

Rental Property Investor · DFW · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes

I have a dilemma. My tenant called on Sunday and informed that the hot water heater was leaking. I sent someone with an hour an had them to cut off the water to the heater and they also drained the water from the heater.  Here's where I need help. I have a warranty with AHS. I called the same day for a repair. A company called on Monday but told me they couldn't get out until Friday. By the time they called it was late in the evening. After AHS was closed. I called yesterday to ask if they could switch me to a vendor that could get there sooner. I had an EXTREMELY long wait time. The rep. couldn't get a vendor to answer but told me since it was after hours she'd call me today with a new vendor. This didn't happen! So I called again after work and had to wait an hour before a rep came on. The new rep. was extremely helpful. It was noted that I should'v been called but wasn't. She (with her limited powers) tried/is trying to get a supervisor to over ride their usual policy of waiting on a vendor for 48 hours.  I'm supposed to be called by a supervisor sometime this evening. I explained how cold it is here in the DFW area. My hope is that I'll be allowed to hire my own plumber and get reimbursed by AHS. What would you do once this is rectified? Would you give the tenant a break on next months rent because of the inconvenience? 

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Property Manager · Ketchum, ID · Member since 2016 · 277 posts · 132 votes
8y

Rather than paying every month for a home warranty, I suggest that you put aside that same amount of money into a savings account. Then you will have money to pay for repairs when needed.  In most states there is a law that you cannot make a tenant live without hot water or heat for more that 24 hours.  The tenant will have the right to move into a motel and you will be required to pay that bill. There are other remedies that a tenant has including withholding rent or being able to break a lease without penalty.  I am on the tenant's side here. There really is no excuse for not getting hot water or a furnace repaired within a day of being notified of the problem.

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  • Investor · West Chester , PA · Member since 2011 · 620 posts · 138 votes
    8y

    Just to understand the issue first. Tenant does not have hot water since last 3 days and heater is not going to be fix until Friday ?

  • Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    8y

    First , I wouldnt do a home warranty , they make their money by not doing anything fast .  Second if you call your plumber they will get there fast , charge you a normal price and you will NOT get reimbursed by the warranty company . 

    Would I give the renters a discount on next month , only if they ask , and not much .  I have taken cold showers before . I lived 

  • Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 930 votes
    8y

    I would get a plumber and ask for a refund for the home warranty for failure to meet their contractual obligations.

  • Rental Property Investor · Arlington, TX · Member since 2012 · 788 posts · 640 votes
    8y

    Wow!!  This is why I dislike home warranties.  Threaten to cancel or not renew the policy this should get them moving.

  • Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 1 post · 1 vote
    8y

    Always treat others as you would want to be treated.  Of course give them a discount.  No hot water is a MAJOR inconvenience.  Can't wash self, can't wash clothes, if there are children it's even worse.  the feedback on AHS is invaluable.  I have thought off and on about getting them but I have only had ONE person have a good experience with them.  No home warranty company in my neck of the woods gets any good reviews.  If I had saved the money I would have paid them IF I had signed up four years ago, I'd have a minimum of $,2000 saved toward repairs.

  • Property Manager · Ketchum, ID · Member since 2016 · 277 posts · 132 votes
    8y

    Rather than paying every month for a home warranty, I suggest that you put aside that same amount of money into a savings account. Then you will have money to pay for repairs when needed.  In most states there is a law that you cannot make a tenant live without hot water or heat for more that 24 hours.  The tenant will have the right to move into a motel and you will be required to pay that bill. There are other remedies that a tenant has including withholding rent or being able to break a lease without penalty.  I am on the tenant's side here. There really is no excuse for not getting hot water or a furnace repaired within a day of being notified of the problem.

  • Realtor and Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    I see a few things....

    First AHS has an online portal, which makes it really easy to submit a claim at ANY hour of the day, or over the weekends.  Next, once you submit the claim online, the contractor that is assigned is posted on your online account.  DON'T WAIT for them to call you!  You have to start calling them right away to get scheduled.

    SO, instead of calling the home warranty to get a contractor to respond, why aren't you psycho dialing (that's what my husband calls it when I rapid-fire call a contractor until I get a live person) the contractor assigned to your claim to schedule a technician to come out ASAP?!

    Lastly, the posts about warranties being useless or not willing to pay is not true.  Most warranties will give you a cash settlement for items that you had to dispatch outside of the warranty.  It may not be dollar for dollar, but it is part of your warranty coverage.  We had a payout for a pool filter when the warranty recommended a repair, and the cost to replace was just a couple hundred dollars different.  We opted to take the cost of the repair in a settlement with the warranty and paid for the replacement ourselves.  It was a great way to get a new pool filter that would've cost us $1,200+, that we paid $225 on top of our warranty settlement.

  • Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    I will throw in one more suggestion. Read the actual warranty that you received. See what it says about response time, fixing things with your own contractor, etc. Then make your decision how to proceed with them and other contractors.
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