Any thoughts would be appreciated or similar experiences?
I'm wondering if someone knows my rights regarding a particular plumbing issue. I've lived in this house for the past 2 of its 7 years of being a new building. Earlier in December we have a main line plumbing blockage due to *grease* said the repair person. Ok, even with my best effort to separate grease during washing dishes, nothing is 100% perfect. I've sent the bill of the repair to the landlord, who's being silent for the moment. Before I contact him again, I am fully responsible for this type of main sewage line blockage to the whole house? Nothing was draining in the house, so it was without a doubt outside in the garden which needed unblocking. I sent the invoice to my insurance company who told me they covered contents only and this fell under the landlords insurance instead.
Tip on the grease: after separation, what remains, you can clean with detergents so that what flows away is liquid instead of a greasy mess which can clog in the pipes outside (particularly if the temperature is colder).
Grease should not normally cause blockages if you handle it properly, but since you were one of many tenants, it may not be possible to put the blame entirely onto you.
Thanks for the tip.. Certinly I will use detergent to clean the remaining grease away of course.
So should I be paying the bill prorated or something? Take the bill and divide it up into 7 years and pay 2?
We had a similar issue in the kitchen. Contacted the agency, they sent someone to fix it and also told it was grease - but never got a bill.
When something is broken in the rental property, all the tenant has to usually do is inform the landlord to get it fixed.
So, what exactly happened that you ended up calling the plumber?
The landlord called the plumber/company to get it fixed not me. But the bill came to me...
Not your problem. At best the landlord might split it between all the tenants, but he/she can’t prove you’re the one responsible for the blockage. Should be covered by their insurance really methinks.
Ahhhhh, so maybe the whole issue is just a confused plumber.
So, landlord called the plumber, the contract was done between landlord and plumber, payment goes from landlord to plumber.
Today's the first day after the break, so let the landlord answer this week.
So this is a standalone property that you rent the entirety of, right? Usually there is a Kleinmangel element where you're responsible for low cost minor repairs but in this case I'd say it's at the landlord's cost.
As mentioned above, if the cost is quite small, then maybe you have to pay it but I think it's something like 150 or 200chf then it goes to the landlord.
We needed a repair for the washing machine a couple of weeks ago - informed landlord. Landlord said go ahead and book the service company - did that and bill comes to us, husband emails a scan of the bill to the landlord and he pays it... and the washing repair guy was even kind enough to write on the repair report that it was an inlet pipe clogged due to concrete and rust which came up in the pipes (caused by renovations being done elsewhere in the building).... so it's very clearly the landlord's problem...
Correct.. This is a free standing house not shared with any other tenants.. I also think it falls under his merit.. I'll ping him tomorrow if nothing happens..
In my experience, the plumber doesn't deal with the drainage pipes, that's the drain specialist. They work from outside and can usually better ascertain what is causing the blockage.
As a tenant I wouldn't expect to pay for a drain specialist unless I was at fault and then your liability insurance should pay.
Your home owner should have a copy of the drainage plan and this should be given to the drain people so they know what is where. In some places, including where we live, rainwater and sewage water do not go in the same drain so we have an awful lot of drain covers but one needs the drain plan to see what is going where. It is important to clear the eaves so the roof drains do not get blocked if the rain water and sewage water are going in the same drain.
Also, the drain expert told us never to flush wipes down the toilet. He said these clog the drains badly.
Well, the landlord is clear they won't pay as it was *kitchen grease* to blame. Apart from their main drain lines breaking, their insurance won't cover any such event I'm told. No matter what happens with the train, except breaking, its always going to be my fault they will say. Since its a free standing home, then it makes it rather simple for them to blame me. They also made special mention of section 5 of my lease:
5. PARTICIPATION FINANCIÈRE DU LOCATAIRE
Le locataire s'engage notamment à participer aux frais découlant de toute intervention dans l'équipement technique, conformément à
l'art. 15 des Conditions générales, règles et usages locatifs du canton du Valais jointes au présent contrat et en faisant partie intégrante,
étant entendu que la totalité du coût de remise en état sera mis à sa charge s'il y a eu négligence ou imprudence de sap
Deepl translation:
5. FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION OF THE HIRER
The Tenant undertakes in particular to contribute to the costs arising from any intervention in the technical equipment, in accordance with
art. 15 of the General Conditions, rules and rental practices of the canton of Valais attached to this contract and forming an integral part thereof,
it being understood that the entire cost of restoration shall be borne by the tenant if there has been negligence or imprudence on the part of sap
I don't see any other option other then to pay the cost...
You are only responsible until the main sewage of the house, it is very clear in the "Règles et usages locatifs". No questions about it, "kitchen grease" is perfectly normal and expected. Look with Asloca or Tribunal des Baux, your landlord doesn't stand a chance.
Have you tried your personal liability insurance? Whether the proof is enough to prove you caused it largely depends on courts cases in your canton.
My insurance company said this would not fall under their jurisdiction. Contents is mainly their cover and not building issues.
Kitchen grease builds up and can block the drain. You may have seen on TV the "Fatbergs" that block the sewage system in the UK. By what you say that is likely what happened. In this case it's down to you.
You could perhaps argue that as you've only lived there 2 years out of 7 the previous tenant (now the landlord's responsibility) could have been partially responsible. Maybe suggest a one third / two thirds split in your favour?
I was also thinking go going on a split of 2 / 7 as well.. Since it can't entirely be my fault.. I wonder what they will reply to my link to the article someone posted above and some comments to it..
Still, for me a main line blockage of the entire building should land with the landlord rather than me....
So they agreed to a 1/2 split in the end.. I've honestly not got the time to fight more with this.. But its something at least..
You mentioned that it's a free standing house, not an apartment.
In that case, it is normally your problem, not the landlord's.
If it was an apartment building, then it would be the landlord's problem.
Tom