<p>I wanted to update everyone about what has been going on with our rental home. Well, the mother was right, we have mold; at least in the basement! After hounding the tenants for pictures of the areas of concern in the basement; finally received them a week ago. After seeing the pictures, it was obvious that I had an issue that needed attention, but the inspector wasn’t scheduled until yesterday as the tenants were all going home for Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>I spoke to the inspector and received his written report and pictures last night. The gutter in the back that has been drooping, has cause the water to run down the back of the house and settling between the wall in the basement as well as the subfloor above. There was some flashing missing under the deck that is allowing the water to enter the basement. We have some rot at the door from the kitchen to the deck, but luckily it seems most of the water damage is along the basement wall which is unfinished, so shouldn’t be too costly to repair. The inspector also noticed one of the deck supports was pulling loose, so that will need to be repaired also. There is no indication of foundation issues which I was concerned about.</p>
<p>Besides the repairs he suggested a dehumidifier which I know some here also suggested. He said I didn’t need to deal with it in the crawlspace and drain, just to attach a hose and run it outside into the wooded area.</p>
<p>All the damages are due to the large amount of rain this summer and that back gutter pulling away from the house. I am to blame as I have know since June about the gutter, but didn’t realize it was that big of a deal. I had called two different people to come repair it, but neither showed. Because I don’t live there I didn’t stay on top of it. Costly lesson learned While my son lived there he would clean the gutter as you can easily reach it from the deck. I didn’t realize how quickly it filled with debris; if it hadn’t been for the amount of rain, I don’t think this would have been an issue.</p>
<p>Now I have to figure how to get workman to the house and get the repairs done around the tenants schedule. I would love to do it while they go home for winter break, but with their belongings in the house, unless I am there, I don’t trust anyone to do the work. If this were where I live, I could be there each day, plus I know people that I trust to be in my home while I am gone. I can get the gutter, deck and basement taken care of without them home and wait for the door frame for when they are around.</p>
<p>This is why I wanted to have the house sold and not be distant landlords! It will still be cheaper than having a management company!</p>
<p>I would just tell the tenants to coordinate with the repair person to come up with a time when someone will be at home to let him in to do the work. Give them the repairman’s phone number and tell the repairman to expect their call, but to bill you for the work.</p>
<p>As a renter, I don’t consider it my job to sit around the house waiting for contractors to show up or handle telephone calls. It’s beyond annoying, and not something I’d want to deal with.</p>
<p>Of course, they can’t protest the fact the repairman will accomplish the work at the repairman’s convenience.</p>
<p>You might want to consider a gutter cover or cap to prevent the gutter from filling up with debris.</p>
<p>I use them on my house - I got inexpensive vinyl ones and installed them myself, a handyman could easily do it in an hour or two. Mine have a curve with a groove, the water falls in, everything else washes right over.</p>
<p>^^^ I have thought about the gutter helmets and other similar product. While I have gutter guards on there now, the leaves and pinestraw still sit on top of them. The gutters on the front are fine, so it is just the back that need attention and the house is small. I did forget to ask the inspector if having another downspout would help, but I think we have ones on both sides of the deck; I need to find out. He did say that due to the pitch of the roof, there was just so many places the water can go!</p>
<p>Most of this work if not all, other than the mold removal, can be done by a handyman, it’s just getting them to come when they say they will. While it would cost me more, I am considering using a construction type company with their own subs and get everyone in and out within a day or two.</p>
<p>Nothing bigger than a pine needle can fit through, and then only if it hits at just the right angle. Whatever does seem to make it through washes out.</p>
<p>I didn’t want to start another thread so thought I would add a new tenant store here! So my main tenant calls me last night and leaves a message that the heat on the main level is blowing cold air. As I didn’t answer his call, he text me to tell me he was calling the heat and air company to have them come and fix the system. Before I had a chance to respond to him, he text again to say the company wouldn’t come for him as he was not the homeowner!</p>
<p>After talking to my tenant, I figured it was just the pilot light, but since I am not in the same city, I went ahead and ask the heating company to make a call. They came this morning and called me around 2:30 to tell me the gas has been cut off at the meter, so he couldn’t lit the pilot; otherwise the system looked fine. For some reason I forgot we don’t pay the utilities on the house, I made the renters put everything in their name; I was having a bit of a brain cramp! I call my husband to ask who we used as our gas provider and he reminded me we don’t handle the utilities there.</p>
<p>I text the boys at 3:00 to tell them to contact their gas provider to see why the gas was turned off; maybe it was a mistake, or maybe they forgot to pay the bill!! That said, I can’t imagine gas would be cut off with just one unpaid bill. It has been over 4 hours and I haven’t heard a peep from the boys which makes me think this is due to unpaid bills. The odd thing is, the only gas in the house is the one furnace on the main level and the fireplace, which they don’t use; we aren’t talking about a large bill each month.</p>
<p>My husband wants the renters to pay for the service call today, which I think is $83. If the gas was turned off due to unpaid bills, I can see having them pay. What if it was turn off by accident; are they still responsible? Furthermore, I am not sure I will know what the real reason was, as the gas company won’t talk to me I don’t think.</p>
<p>Our gas company has always been willing to talk to us, since we are the owners. It’s worth a call to find out.</p>
<p>If it was a shutoff due to non-payment, I would absolutely ask them to pay the service charge. If they won’t pay it, take it out of their security deposit.</p>
<p>If it was turned off due to unpaid bills, I think they should pay, but if it was something random (not their fault), it might be nice for you to. I’m a renter, and I don’t think it’s at all unusual for people renting a house to be responsible for their own utilities. I wonder if they’ve been paying anything (i.e. other utilities or cable) or if they just don’t know how to live in a home as adults.</p>
<p>You can see if the gas company will speak with you, but if they won’t, it really doesn’t matter. You simply tell the tenants that you are charging them for the service call UNLESS they can prove to you that their payments on the gas bill were current when the gas was turned off. They don’t provide proof the payments were current, they’re liable for the service call - it’s that simple.</p>
<p>Actually, I’ll correct that:</p>
<p>They are liable for the service call regardless of whether or not their payments for the gas bill were current. If, in fact, the gas company screwed up, that’s between them and the tenants. You charge the tenants for the service call, and the tenants can go after the gas company.</p>
<p>Since, as you say, you do not have a contract with the gas company, the gas being turned off is not your problem. And, yes, you’re responsible for ensuring that the furnace is operating properly . . . but since there was nothing wrong with the furnace, and the tenants demanded a service call, they’re responsible for paying for it.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s so clear cut. It was the owner who decided to call the service company, not the renters. The renters didn’t know what to do and only contacted the owner to say it didn’t work - not to place a service call. The owner contacting the service company to check on it is part of the cost of business from having a remote rental (with clueless renters).</p>
<p>Obviously, in retrospect, as the OP said, the OP should have had them check with the gas company in the first place. Actually, many gas companies will do a check if called so that would have been another route that could have been taken.</p>
<p>So, I don’t think the renters owe the money even if the gas was cut off due to their failure to pay the bill. It’s be nice for the renter to pay but I don’t think they should be obliged to in this case.</p>
<p>I don’t know what the convention is on this though.</p>
<p>I can see how the bill might not have been paid regardless of the cost - disorganized renters focused on school and other things and not on keeping up with bills or maybe even paying attention to notices mailed to them.</p>
<p>In my area (where pipes will freeze if property is without heat), the gas company automatically reverts the billing to the owner if the tenant terminates service, etc. This protects the property should the tenants move without notification, etc. I believe the gas company is required by law to continue service during the winter months even if the bill remains unpaid. I’ll be surprised if they terminated service from lack of payment.</p>
<p>This is not an area where the weather typically would be cold enough for pipes to freeze. Actually, the renter did try to contact the repair company without checking with me first, but because we live afar, it would be my choice to have them come service the unit. We have a contract with them, so we usually are able to get same or next day service.</p>
<p>I still never heard from the renters tonight, so I am going to assume they don’t need my services in getting heat to the house, which means someone forgot to pay their bill! I am betting that they don’t get the gas back on until Monday or maybe later if they didn’t call today.</p>
<p>I didn’t think about the renters being responsible either way and if the gas company did indeed turn off the gas in error, the renters can deal with the gas company.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry to hear about the problems you’re having. As a former landlord, I can personally tell you it was a real pain and we lived near our rental property. If things get to be too much, you may seriously want to consider getting a property manager just for your own sanity.</p>
<p>These really have been good renters once we got rid of the interference of their parents. I did not mind calling the heating company to come check the unit; I prefer to keep the house in good order. Even if it had been just the pilot light, without trying to relight it, we would not know for sure. This furnace is in the crawl space, and while my husband would have tried to light it if we were there, when it wouldn’t light, he would have had no idea what to do next. I would have never known to check to see if the gas had been cut off at the meter, so at some point a professional would have been called in.</p>
<p>Our goal is to avoid a property management company as we are not even making enough to pay the mortgage. It wasn’t by choice we have a rental home, and hopefully we will be able to sell it in the next few years.</p>
<p>So, maybe it was worth the cost of the service call to learn a valuable lesson for the future! </p>
<p>But, really, who would have thought to ask the tenant if they’d paid the bill? That’s something I’d have taken for granted. I’d probably want to add a provision in any future lease that the tenant would be liable for any damages resulting from the tenant’s failure to pay the gas or electric bills.</p>
<p>I would send them the charge for the service call. Their negligence caused the gas to go out and they were too stupid to figure it out. If this was my (sometimes unorganized) child I would (and frankly have) charged them for any extra fees I have incurred due to his own stupidity. Can you tell I had to deal with this before with a child of mine ;)? I call it a way to learn from their mistakes. If you forget to pay the bills there will be consequences.</p>
<p>The gas company may not talk to you but you can call them and ask them what the procedure is if bills are not paid or if there would be any other reason the gas would be turned off. They will tell you how many months you have to be in arrears, if the company would personally come out and put a notice on the door. And if the gas is turned off, I would think there would be a big notice posted on the front door. </p>
<p>I would then strongly suggest that there be an automatic withdrawal for all utilities so you won’t be bothered again and they won’t incur any more service calls.</p>
<p>Also, my D lives in a condo. Her utilities are in the owners name and the owner emails her the amount and she adds it to her rent check. My S’s old apartment complex did that also and even though we had never heard of it or had it happen in their college apartments, it must be the norm some places and an idea if you have to rent to another set of tenants.</p>
While my son lived there he would clean the gutter as you can easily reach it from the deck. I didn’t realize how quickly it filled with debris; if it hadn’t been for the amount of rain, I don’t think this would have been an issue.</p>