Charging tenant for repairs

[Koob Moua]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to see what everyone’s thoughts are? I have this tenant who called us for her bath tube being clogged up and found out that it was because of the tenant who clogged it up with her hair when showering. We also noticed that the tenant clogged up bath room sink and kitchen sink. We had our handy man come out and fix the issue and charged us for it. And we told her that we will be charging her for it. So anyways she says she can’t afford the $250 up front but is willing to pay $25 above rent, which we are okay with. We got pictures of all the repairs and concerns and handyman took for us. But now she says she slipped and fell and fell in the tube on Thursday, probably has a fraction on her vertebre, as per what she says. I don’t know if she is trying to get something out from us? What what you guys do? Any advice would be appreciated. Just trying to cross all our T’s and dot our i’s!

[Theresa Harris]

I wouldn't read into it. It seems odd that all of the drains were clogged with her hair-including the kitchen sink.  Depending how long she'd been there, I might have charged her for some, all or none of it.  If she's moved in recently, I'd have paid it assuming it was the previous occupant.