How do you charge tenants for repairs?

Question

I am trying to crack down on charging tenants for damages they cause (or allow). I have two primary questions:

1) Do most of you charge actual expenses, or do you have a chart that lists common damages with an expense attached? If you charge actual expenses, how do you determine the expense if multiple repairs were made (as in a vacancy) and some were not tenant related?

2) How do you prove they caused the problem when it's not straightforward? Ex: We have a duplex where the kitchen drains are tied together. We've had a backup due to grease more than once. Both tenants deny it, but we "know" where it's coming from. Also, I handle a small, 18 unit apartment complex where some drains are tied together. We can assume the smokers are putting the cigarette butts in the drains and the wipes are coming from the parents, but people always want to argue that you can't prove any of that.

Catherine Emert · Answer

@Lana LeMay I think this all depends on the state you are located in and what is in your lease agreement. In Oregon for example you can withhold money from a deposit for damages but they do need to be itemized and listed out with actual costs.

Wesley W. · Answer

(1) Have the contractor separate out the cost for that particular repair form the main job (perhaps only a line item is needed). You may have trouble in the courts if the tenant challenges the repair cost and the invoice is not itemized for the tenant damage portion.

(2) Pay a plumber to camera the drain from the "suspect's" unit down into the main. If he sees grease/cigarette butts prior to the main, have him screen capture (or at least write up a narrative with the bill) and charge the tenant accordingly. It goes without saying you should have provisions in your lease regarding what is permissible to be flushed/dumped down the drain, and the admonition that the tenant will bear the expense for not following that rule.

Lana LeMay · Answer

I wish we could separate the lines, and in some places we can. However, one property I have is an 18 unit apartment complex on a slab. After several man hours, they retrieved lots of wipes from the drains. I charged that tenant. I just have some difficulty deciding what/ how to charge sometimes. An example would be: Some things are often not cleaned when a tenant moves out. However, since the unit is made more dirty by repairs, sanding, etc, we would have to clean it anyway. I've seen lists that have $$ attached to certain tasks like cleaning ovens, refrigerators, etc. They may also have specific amounts for changing out drip pans, light bulbs, and blinds.

I actually have a camera, but it's only on a 6 foot line. We have tried to use that before, but at least one time the repairman didn't get what we were doing and poured strong acid into the drain before we could get the camera down it.

Marc Winter · Answer

@Wesley W. makes a good point. Just remember, a camera scope job can cost $250 itself, besides cleaning/snaking out the drain. Who pays for the photo proof? Is it worth it? That's the owner's decision.

Best solution is to separate those siamese lines.

How do you charge tenants for repairs?

How do you charge tenants for repairs?

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