Tenant Issue - What Am I Responsible For?

[Mitchell Smith]

Hey guys!

So I've got quite the predicament.... My tenant just moved in about a month and a half ago and has been pretty good so far. However, recently she has been complaining about a sewage smell in the house. Right before my wife and I moved out, we started to smell some pretty foul smells OUTSIDE and it only happened every so often. We did not think that there was anything wrong with the house and had even gone to our community forums and heard of other people having the complaints. We told her this, but she persisted that the smell was unbearable and that it was even waking her up in the middle of the night. I had a plumber go out there and he said that he smelled it too, but couldn't find the source and recommended doing a smoke test... which costs roughly $600... I'd like to avoid that at all costs. Then, I got an email from our HOA saying that the water treatment plant was to blame. There was a fire and all the sewage was released into an emergency reservoir, which is it's sole purpose for being there. The plant hasn't made a full recovery yet, but they are still working on it... I sent this to my tenant hoping that it would get her off my back because there is nothing that I can do about it... Then she mentions to me that her water is starting to smell weird and that the water is looking hazy and complaining that it may be a health hazard to her and her kids. Now, I'm one of those guys that wants to make sure that I'm treating others the way that I'd like to be treated... If I was her, and what she is saying is all true, I'd be upset and blowing my landlord up as well. So, if I can fix it relatively easily, then I'd like to... So any advice for that would be great! I'd also like to just know legally, what am I responsible for doing. Am I doing too much? Any help would be great!

[Jennifer Jacobs]

@Mitchell Smith I would contact the water plant personally and see exactly what has been affected, what their treatment plans are, and what the time line is. If the issue your tenant is having is truly from the water plant, there is nothing you can do about it. Enter the phase of the tenant should boil the water before you use it, or buy bottled water, and wait for the problem to be resolved. If the water plant says the problem is not from their issue, then you have bigger fish to fry.