All Forum Posts by: Elizabeth Turner

The pipes in a rental home got clogged due to tree roots, which caused one of the two toilets to overflow. Since this involved sewage, I had to call a mitigation company. The water ended up affecting the closet in one bedroom, the master bedroom, and the master bathroom. The mitigation company set up a dehumidifier and air movers in these areas yesterday. The tenant is now saying that they have been displaced, have nowhere to go, and find the place unhealthy due to the noise from the machines. The mitigation company insists that despite the noise, the machines are safe. Given that the tenant still has access to another full bathroom and kitchen, I'm skeptical that insurance will cover the costs of temporary housing. In situations where a tenant can't fully use the home, should I offer any compensation for the inconvenience? We've taken steps to rectify any future problems by taking care of the plumbing and tree removal. 

I had a renter put 4 command strips in one of the tubs in a rental property. When the renter tried to remove the strip, it created a hole. Patching the tub wasn't an option. We ended up replacing the 30 year tub. It cost $2000 to replace the tub. How much of the renter's security deposit are we entitled to? BTW, the other, without the command strips, is fine. 

I charged a $300 non-refundable pet fee for a property. When the renter moved out, I found that the carpets were ruined due to urine stains. Despite their attempts to clean the carpet, there was still a distinct urine smell. Once the carpet was removed, the urine stains were present throughout the entire living and dining room areas - including the carpet padding. Do I use the $300 pet fee towards the purchase cost or can I charge them the depreciated value of the carpet?