Occasionally I have to collect monies from my residents in addition to rent....plumbing bills for shampoo caps that fell into the toilet; HVAC service firm calls for NO HEAT when the filter is totally covered with debris from burning candles and incense.
While I do try to talk(via e-mail) most residents through mundane issues....sometimes a service firm is called and the cost may become the tenant’s responsibility.
My latest such issue is a tenant who returned home to fine the AC condensate line leaking....she reported it appeared broken via e-mail and I responded to turn off the AC, put a pan under the leak and that I would have HVAC firm call her first thing Monday. She baulked at waiting 2 days because she was having to empty the pan under the leak with a turkey baster.
I just received the bill for the service call and the repairman reports that there was DOG FOOD in the condensate pump....and YES, she has a dog; however, she does not keep her supply of dog food in the small HVAC closet near the kitchen.
She does have a mouse; however, which she has been trying to get rid of for several weeks. Evidently the MOUSE took the dry dog food from her dog’s bowl and was “squirreling” it away in the condensate pump.
When she objected via e-mail to my request that she provide half of the cost of the service call * $51.50 * with her June rent, she wanted me to reconsider my request.
My response....since the care of the house is her responsibility and she is in charge of pest control for the property, I should have charged her the ENTIRE bill so any re-consideration on my part would be to charge her the ENTIRE $105.00.
....sorry, I don't rent The Magic Kingdom....sorry, Mickey!
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