Bathroom repair - options for tenants to temporarily relocate?

Question

We have a 2nd floor 3bd /1ba unit in a duplex with subfloor damage due to a leaking toilet. The repair will likely take 7-10 days to allow time for dry out, during which time the bathroom will not be usable. Since its a family of 6 and the only other available bathroom is in a common utility area in the basement (without a shower), the best option seems to be to relocate them to a hotel or Airbnb for a 1-2 week period. Or, since my family and I were planning on an extended trip, we could also leave our lower unit and allow them access to our bathroom for that time period. Are there other options that are worth considering that would be less disruptive to our tenants, and/or lower cost?

Insurance will cover the damage, but it was unclear if our homeowners insurance or our tenant's renters insurance would cover the temporary relocation costs. English is not their first language, is it appropriate for me to contact the tenant's renters insurance agency directly?

Jody Roussel · Answer

@Chester Knapp

Just keep open the what ifs, if you can't get the sub floors width to align you might end up tearing the entire floor.  If it's been leaky for a long time open the possibility for support beam/ floor Joist being affected and or mold. Your not legally required to remove mold as well.

As a landlord legally in the state of Washington you are not mandated to pay for hotel stay.  You can ask them to vacate temporarily with given notice and prorate thier rent.  The terms can be negotiated, I'd also submit this request to them in writing. Keep documentation of everything for your security

Colleen F. · Answer

Do they have a planned vacation?  I have done work when people were on vacation but not usually urgent work.

First, if you are ripping it out there is very little left to dry so you might be able to shorten that time.  Another saver would be making sure you have minimized construction time- tub surround vs tile etc.  Lining up trades ahead of time, and having  material on site pre-demo. Seems long construction time to me.

For accommodations I would likely use a rental with a kitchen rather then a hotel because you have meals. Maybe extended stay. Maybe you could get a deal now, giving the low amount of travel. The extended stay hotel may allow you to shorten their stay if things get done sooner
when an airbnb may not.

Allowing them access to your unit although a good idea means they are continually trooping through your house for toilet and shower, you might not find a week of this a good thing. If there are kids they may stray from the designated path. I am not sure if you can control that. Maybe lock the other rooms. Just some thoughts. When our well ran out of water we used to go to the YMCA but that doesn't help for the toilet.  Another option is to say I can put you up but I will give you this much if you stay with family.  A lot depends on if your state law has guidance.

Do you have someone who can translate in a discussion?

Chester Knapp · Answer

Thanks @Jody Roussel.  I'm in Seattle, Washington.

@Andrew Schrader - unfortunately the toilet seal has likely been leaking for years, hidden underneath tile.  It has rotted out a good 6' x 4' section of subfloor, and the toilet has sunk down an inch or more.  We will have to pull the toilet, all the tile and vanity, and cut out rotted sections of subfloor.  We then need to dry out the area for a few days before reinstalling subfloor, tile, toilet, and vanity.

Ryan Evans · Answer

The easiest route is probably give them access to your place even though not ideal. Can you lock off the bedrooms/other parts of your unit? A Six person rental is going to set you back quite a lot.

Maybe see if they have someone they can stay with and give them a discount on rent for the month. Or toss them some money for the inconvenience?

A set of security cameras on Amazon is pretty cheap reassurance that they don’t go snooping around too much.

Dick Rosen · Answer

@Colleen F. I have been through this a few times here in AZ and I've always involved my attorney. It is the tenants option to stay or move until repairs are done, we don't have to compensate them we just choose to. Example was the last one with mold damage in the bathroom ceiling from a roof leak, they were not allowed in the bathroom during the mold remediation. They chose to spend a few nights with a friend but we never displaced them. Her renters insurance compensated her something but I'm not sure what and we gave her 10 or 12 days prorated rent credit but we weren't required to.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Dick Rosen  you basically have to offer the rent credit if the place is not habitable and no bathroom there is no question about habitability.   Now if you put them up or let them use your bathroom in your absence I can see that they forgo the rent credit but if you do nothing then they are entitled to the rent credit. I would expect this is true in almost all jurisdictions.

Dick Rosen · Answer

First, I don't think this job should take that long. Second, you don't have to displace the tenants, it is their choice to stay or go and their Renters Insurance should cover that. I do not offer hotels or anything else up front because they will take advantage of you. After it's all done and everyone is home and happy, I then offer a prorated rent credit for their hassle.

Usually the tenants will go stay with friends or family for a few days as needed and their is no cost to anyone. Then when you give them a prorated rent credit you are a hero.

Check with your local Landlord/Tenant Laws or a Landlord Attorney to make sure but that's how I do it in

Fernan Nava · Answer

Hi Chester. I would first check if ur insurance covers it. Ask if they have renters insurance. You can also ask them if they have family or friends where they can shower for a few days and rent them a portal potty. Also m not clear why it would take this long. Don’t wait for wood to dry just rip it all out. If ur description of the problem is 80% accurate, I can do that job in 2 days

Patty K. · Answer

I would want to be around when all this repair was happening to be on top of the contractors and make any decisions on further damage they might find.  I would not let the family use your unit while you are on vacation.  But perhaps you stay in town and say they can come to use the bathroom - that way you are in your place so you have an eye on the place.  With that offer you  hope they will just go live with family if that is an option.  I did have an elderly tenant that had no family and we were going to need to do a lot of work on his house and noisy - and he had medical issues and was addicted to his TV and took naps in the afternoon.  I couldn't see how we were going to revamp his house when the TV had to be disconnected and it would be a racket.  So I did pay for a hotel - fortunately the owner gave me the construction rate.  But it ended up 10 days so that was costly and it would be more for your larger tenant family.

Bathroom repair - options for tenants to temporarily relocate?

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