Who Pays for Water Damage in Rental?

[Austin Jones]

Hi Fellow Investors! I have a rental property (condo) and the tenant is the absolute best. She recently told me that the one kitchen cabinet was "wet", so I had a plumber go out to fix the problem. Come to find out that the dishwasher I installed a few years ago has been slowly leaking. It's now at the point where the base cabinets are swollen with water & mold is growing under the kick plate areas & up the bottom parts of the walls. How no one noticed before I have no idea, but it looks like I will have to replace all base cabinets, all wall cabinets (so everything matches), countertops, and do mold remediation. 

Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you handle? Who paid: landlord, tenant, insurance, other creative ideas?

Thanks!

[Rodney Sums]

Quote from @Austin Jones:

Hi Fellow Investors! I have a rental property (condo) and the tenant is the absolute best. She recently told me that the one kitchen cabinet was "wet", so I had a plumber go out to fix the problem. Come to find out that the dishwasher I installed a few years ago has been slowly leaking. It's now at the point where the base cabinets are swollen with water & mold is growing under the kick plate areas & up the bottom parts of the walls. How no one noticed before I have no idea, but it looks like I will have to replace all base cabinets, all wall cabinets (so everything matches), countertops, and do mold remediation. 

Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you handle? Who paid: landlord, tenant, insurance, other creative ideas?

Thanks!

 Unless you can demonstrate the tenant did something willfully to cause a leak that'll be your cost.  If you weren't implying the following then excuse me.  I understand you may feel she should have noticed and told you sooner.  The same can be said for you doing your routine inspections of the property if you were doing them.  You can file a claim with your home owner's insurance.  You'll have to fork over the deductible.