Toilet's blocked. Who pays? Landlord or tenant?

G_M

sheff6107 wrote: »

Landlord. Unblocking loos is in the job description.

Do you think I should add it to my post * New landlords: advice, information & links?

Shelldean

My landlord had the bright idea of replacing our pipes with concertina pipes. Since having these the pipes have become blocked several times. In my circumstances the landlord fixes it.

Keep_pedalling

You could always try this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pPK0OV_RAWg

Miss_Samantha

I remain to be convinced that unblocking toilets is the landlord's job at all.

A landlord must keep the drain "in repair and proper working order" but to me that isn't the same and a landlord would only have to unblock toilets (and to fix them) where the blockage is caused by the drain not being in proper working order, e.g. because it cannot function properly due to bad design or installation as deannatrois mentioned.

IMHO it is therefore for the tenant to unblock then go after the landlord if necessary.

Fish&Chips

A major cause of blocked waste pipes is when someone has flushed wet wipes (especially after a baby's nappy has been changed) down the toilet. My daughter had a blocked toilet and discovered that her friend who often popped round to visit with her toddler, was throwing the soiled wet wipes down the toilet rather than putting them in a nappy sack

Wet wipes should *never* be flushed down the toilet and be put in a rubbish bin instead.

[Deleted User]

Whatever happened to putting everything soiled into the soiled nappy and disposing of it all at the same time? Surely that's easier?

Fuzzyness

Fish&Chips wrote: »

A major cause of blocked waste pipes is when someone has flushed wet wipes (especially after a baby's nappy has been changed) down the toilet. My daughter had a blocked toilet and discovered that her friend who often popped round to visit with her toddler, was throwing the soiled wet wipes down the toilet rather than putting them in a nappy sack

Wet wipes should *never* be flushed down the toilet and be put in a rubbish bin instead.

i can attest to that. we had the same when renting. told LL drain was blocked. he got some round to clear it, who reported back the reason it was blocked. he asked us to pay which we did.

my tenant informed me their drain was blocked about 3 months after they moved in. i paid for this one as it was likely that the reason it was blocked was caused by the previous tenant. next time i might not be so generous (depending on the reason for the blockage).

steampowered

Fuzzyness wrote: »

my tenant informed me their drain was blocked about 3 months after they moved in. i paid for this one as it was likely that the reason it was blocked was caused by the previous tenant. next time i might not be so generous (depending on the reason for the blockage).

I don't see how this is you being "generous". Surely it is just you meeting your responsibilities as a landlord? I don't see how you can expect the tenant to pay unless the blockage is their fault!

Miss_Samantha

steampowered wrote: »

I don't see how this is you being "generous". Surely it is just you meeting your responsibilities as a landlord? I don't see how you can expect the tenant to pay unless the blockage is their fault!

As per my previous post, I don't think it is the landlord's responsibility to unblock drains. If the blockage is due to a default of the landlord, though, then the tenant may demand to be reimbursed.

Fuzzyness

steampowered wrote: »

I don't see how this is you being "generous". Surely it is just you meeting your responsibilities as a landlord? I don't see how you can expect the tenant to pay unless the blockage is their fault!

which if you read my post properly you will see that i put "depending on the reason for the blockage". if it wasnt their fault and somethign to do with the drains i said i would pay but if it was sanitary towels or baby wipes i'd would ask them to pay.