Kansas City Investors beware of KC Water

[Laura Williams]

Wanted to post on here in case this helps save another Kansas City investor from a similar nightmare with KC Water. Less than a year ago my partner bought a house that had an inherited long term section 8 disabled tenant in there who was on section 8 for years and years. Everything was fine and then a few weeks ago the property manager calls and says the tenant's water had been cut off because the tenant owed 12K to the water company. Tenant then moves out of the house.

In trying to get the water turned back on to make repairs I talked to 4 different people at KC Water that tell me we can't get it turned back on until we pay the tenant's outstanding 12K water bill and flat out tell me "owners are responsible for tenant's water bill". Which as you KC seasoned investors know we are not legally responsible. I record this conversation and threaten to go to fox news and finally after being denied to speak to a supervisor I get a call back from one.

Supervisor explains to me that the section 8 tenant was actually stealing water so they didn't just turn the water off they actually dug up at the street and disconnected the main line. She says we don't have to pay the ex-tenant's water bill but we have to pay $1250 and have our plumber do a couple things to the line and then we can have the water connected again.

We unhappily pay the $1250 & our plumber files a permit and meets KC Water out at the house. They tell him they will not reconnect the old water line. We have to dig an all new water line (as if the house never had water at all going to it). The house is older (as is alot of houses in KC) and that the old water line was considered grandfathered in as far as codes and was fine but when KC Water messed with the line to cut off water from the tenant then now it is not considered grandfathered in anymore. The whole line has to be redone and plumbers bid is 13K to do this!!!! They have to dig up the yard and street and it's this big deal.  $1200 of the 13K is yet another fee that is going to KC Water.

So basically because KC Water was angry with the ex-tenant for stealing water they did 13K worth of damage to the property. KC Water NEVER at any point notified the owner there was any kind of problem BEFORE they did this. We found out the hard way what they had done AFTER.

*Section 8 tenants sign contracts with section 8 obligating them to be personally responsible for being in good standing with utilities otherwise they loose their voucher but apparently section 8 never checks that FYI. When I looked into the ex-tenant's water bill he hadn't paid since 2015.

For my fellow investors just want you to be aware of what happened here in case you ever encounter a similar situation & what kind of company KC Water is to deal with. I still can't believe this kind of thing is legal & especially to cause such an expensive repair/damage to a property without even being required to send out a certified letter or notify the owner in any form or fashion BEFORE doing something like this??!! The water company could have easily switched service to the owner name like what happens when a tenant moves out but they didn't. This is not to mention the first few people I spoke with at KC Water who incorrectly told us we had to pay the ex-tenant's 12K water bill which we could have gotten taken for if I hadn't known better.

 ***I'd be interested in speaking to any lawyers who are familiar and have won cases against KC water if anyone wants to get in touch with me*** The advice I'm getting is that we have no power to fight them and KC water can do whatever they feel like.

[Laura Williams]

@Caleb Brown

@Jeffrey Donis

@Jeffrey Donis

Just wanted to update you guys on what happened. So basically got no where with KC water and was jerked around from person to person to person to person I spoke with. Told it was our fault and they were within their rights to kill the water line without notifying the owner & make us dig a brand new water line at our expense. 

I spoke with alot of investors including one who sued KC Water in a similar situation and lost and said he wasted alot of money and time on it. My plumber told me KC Water are jerks to deal with & nothing we could do & they had all the power.

So what got my situation resolved was calling the mayor's office...Surprisingly??!! I was escalated to a senior person at KC Water and now my water is back on without having to dig a new line and paying the 13K. I was even apologized to by KC Water for not being notified of the tenant was stealing water before they killed the water line.

So just wanted to thank everyone who posted on here especially @Debbie C. Even though the Missouri utility regulation she recommended I call doesn't regulate the water companies (only gas and electric) they were able to tell me the mayor and city council did and that's what made me contact the mayor office. I would have never known they had anyone actually overseeing them without Debby's post.

So just wanted to share in case this helps anyone else having issues. It's been a nightmare and luckily the mayor office (Mayor Lucus) helped me fight off the KC water rapist. I was really shocked they were so helpful.