Plumber replaced the wrong water heater?

[Michael D.]

I had a 3rd floor tenant of mine call in about his hot water not working. This is what happened. (names changed).

Day 1:
- Plumber sent out Frank, who arrived onsite and met the tenant.
- The tenant showed Frank where the hot water heater was downstairs in the basement, which Frank saw to be leaking. This water heater was labeled "3rd
floor"
- Frank replaced this water heater and left.
- This turned out later to have been the water heater for the 2nd floor - the WRONG one.

Day 2:
- Tenant realizes that he still doesn't have hot water, and calls up angry.
- Plumber is called back to the building.
- This time Steve (boss man) goes out himself.
- The new water heater is electric, so Steve starts by checking the breakers which are fine.
- He then checks the water heater itself, and finds it to be hot and working fine.
- Steve starts to realize at this point that the wrong water heater was replaced on day 1.
- Steve goes up to the apartment and leaves the hot water running in the kitchen so that he can trace it down, but does not further explore the apartment due to a pit bull (I though we don't allow those!)
- Steve goes back down to the basement and hears the water running in an old, leaking, rusty, can't-believe-it's-working water heater off to the side. This water heater was labeled "2nd floor"
- Steve asks Frank to come back later to replace the old water heater now known to be for the 3rd floor.
- Frank comes back later and replaces the correct water heater.
- Since Steve knew that other 3rd floor apartments have the water heater in the unit, he asks Frank to investigate this while he's there.
- Frank looks around and confirms that there is no water heater inside 3rd floor unit, then leaves.

I guess I'm just going to have to suck it up and pay for both water heaters. I initially wanted to blame the plumber, but after hearing from him that the tenant showed him the wrong one, which was also mislabeled, I don't see how I can. I could try to blame the tenant, but I can't charge him for it the extra one - it's 1.5 months rent ($650)

Thoughts?