Closet shelving collapse

[Wesley W.]

Okay, here's a different thread for you to sink your teeth into.

I had a tenant that overloaded two sets of closet shelves with clothes on hangers and they collapsed last month.  I examined the damage and sent her a letter stating that this was technically not my responsibility because the she had misused the shelves by placing too much weight on them, but I would do it on my dime this time as a one-time customer service gesture.  I went over and repaired/replaced parts on the shelves and reinstalled them.  These are "California closet style" wire shelves with trusses that attach to the wall with anchored clips.  Some of the clips pulled the anchors out of the wall, and some of the clips (that were in studs) broke off at the wall.  I have these shelves in several units in my portfolio and have never had a problem.  This woman is what most would call a "clothes horse."

Well, last night I got a text and, you guessed it, one of the shelves collapsed again.  She claims there were only a few clothes hanging on the shelves when it collapsed (which we all know is BS as I load tested the shelves upon reinstall) and that the shelves must "not be any good anymore."

I'm looking for advice on how to proceed.  I do not have a problem charging her for time and materials this time, but they say the definition of insanity is expecting different results by doing the same thing.  I anticipate this happening again, since she obviously does not grasp the concept of physics that is in play here.

The other shelving unit that failed last month was a 5/4" wooden shelf with a 1 1/2" wooden rod for hanging clothes with nice hefty L-brackets (this shelf pulled the screws out of the anchors), so she has demonstrated the capability to stress and fail even the sturdiest of structures.  I don't think saying "no shelves for you" will fly with her, and her unit will need a complete remodel upon move-out. (Inherited tenant that has been there about 8 years.)

What would you do?

[Jim K.]

I'd go over there with my table saw and a stud finder and my bucket of 3-inch deck screws and a length of 1 in. steel pipe and fix the problem. Wire shelves and L-brackets anchored in drywall aren't going to cut it with this person obviously. Break out the 3/4 ply, find some studs, and build out a basic shelf. Below that hang a closet rod off pieces of 3/4 in ply fixed into studs.

You obviously need a shelf a silverback gorilla could jump on and a closet rod he could use for chin-ups. You can either build them or change the tenant out, and I guarantee building them will be cheaper.

It's going to take some basic carpentry skills and if you don't have them, it'll be better to sub it out to a handyman service and either eat the bill or pass it on.