Who Handles a Plumbing Emergency in Your Rental?

Although many people will tell you that buying a home is the best option to save money, this isn’t necessarily true for everyone. What most homeowners don’t tell you is the number of repairs and their cost that they are responsible for.

These repairs can add up and quickly detract from the amount that you believe you are saving. The other thing people don’t tell you is that landlords are responsible for major repairs of the home. This isn’t often discussed because it can eat into their bottom line.

However, it is definitely something to be aware of! We are going to take a look at what a landlord’s responsibility is and if there is a way to make them cover the cost of any major plumbing emergencies. Keep reading for more information!

What Does a Landlord Have to Pay For?

If the fact that a landlord has to pay for repairs to the home is surprising think about it like this: you pay rent for a livable shelter.

Typically the landlord makes money by charging more than what the mortgage is or by renting out a property that has no mortgage.

So, you pay the rent to avoid dealing with the major repairs that are associated with the home.

This means that whatever home you rent must be livable, including properly working plumbing, a heat source, and proper electricity. This doesn’t mean that the landlord has to maintain the aesthetics of a home or pay the power bill.

Choosing to Rent or Buy a Home

You might be stuck in the middle of renting or buying a home. One of the key differences between the two is the fact that major repairs should be covered by the landlord.

Generally, major repairs are defined in the lease agreement and don’t include smaller plumbing problems like leaky faucets or clogged drain.

Although these aren’t always covered, if an underlying problem is found when that repair is made and the issue ends up being a costly one, the landlord must cover the cost.

Local Laws & Enforcing Them

Every area of the country is different–in fact, every area of your state and county is different! Certain laws may be on the books regarding what a landlord may cover but these may or may not be enforced.

Some places have the ‘right to deduct’ where after ample notice you may cover the repair and have it deducted from the next month’s rent.

However, this isn’t something that should be pursued without proper legal advice. Unfortunately, in many places, renting laws and renter rights aren’t enforced because there isn’t enough manpower to do so.

This means you will have to do research and possibly contact an attorney to help find some middle ground. The last thing you ever want to do is to withhold rent from your landlord. Although it may make sense to handle the problem this way, all this does is give them grounds for eviction!

When in Doubt, Call!

If you believe you are dealing with a plumbing emergency, call your landlord. If you don’t receive a proper and timely response, don’t wait for one.

Call Service Squad for the quick action and worry about the landlord later! Do you have experience with a wild renter’s emergency problem? Share it below in the comments!