Tenant Demands To Get Rent Deducted Because There Was No Hot Water Over The Weekend

Advertisement
  • 01
    Font - AITA for refusing to pay for her hotel room??
  • 02
    Font - I rent out the spare bedroom in my house for $800 a month (market rate in my area). I don't know my roommate very well, but we work for the same company. I work early mornings and she works late evenings. So we're often ships passing in the night.
  • 03
    Font - On Friday my hot water heater broke. The home warranty guys said they couldn't get anyone out until Monday morning. It's hot as balls right now, so I wasn't too upset. A few cold showers won't kill anyone. I texted my tenant "hot water is out until Monday" and she responded .
  • 04
    Font - I didn't see her all weekend, which is normal, as I said. The guy got here at 8AM to fix the heater. When he was done I texted her to let her know the hot water was back on. She hits me with this gem. "My hotel bill was $250. Do you want to reimburse me now or deduct it from next month's rent?"
  • 05
    Font - I stared at the text for a good while. I didn't even know she was gone. She got a hotel room just for hot water? That's so extra. She could have showered at work, but she got a hotel room? I texted "hey, I didn't know you left. Rent is still due in full on the first of the month, regardless of if you choose to sleep elsewhere for a weekend."
  • 06
    Human body - She texted me back "there was no water. I couldn't stay there. You're my landlord and have to provide me with livable accomodations."
  • 07
    Font - I texted back "there was water, just not hot. If it was winter, you might have a point. Rent is still due in full. Failure to pay rent will result in me filing with the court, which will impact your credit."
  • 08
    Font - She stopped responding. I texted a friend who said I was way too harsh and should have just countered with a $50 discount for those two days or something. Which, sure, if she'd asked for a $50 reduction that would have been reasonable. But I'm not paying for her hotel and the audacity of her to ask me pisses me off. But I know jumping to talking about filing a thirty days was a bit dramatic. Was I TA?
  • 09
    Font - IAmHerdingCatz 17 hr. ago 3 Certified Proctologist [26] Not having hot water is what's called a habitability violation. In my state the landlord would owe the tenant a discount in the form of pro-rated rent. In your case that would come to $26.67 per day the water heater was out of commission, assuming a 30 day month.
  • 10
    Rectangle - WarLazy7979 - 16 hr. ago Ⓒ Wrong. OP was not shirking his responsibility as a landlord. He let his tenant know there was a problem and she sent him a 3
  • 11
    Font - PennyCoppersmyth. 16 hr.ago. edited 9 hr. ago A 2 day repair time for a hot water heater is not a habitability issue in my state. Thats a completely reasonable (in fact, impressive) turn around time for a repair. It does become one when it goes on for weeks without repair. I'd love to have OP as a landlord.
  • 12
    Plant - Bosscat727 17 hr. ago NTA. Water was available. You don't owe her anything for that hotel. No one told her to get a $250 room.
  • 13
    Font - AshleyzOpinion 18 hr. ago Asshole Enthusiast [7] NTA. That is something that should have been discussed PRIOR to her getting a hotel room. She should not have assumed or expected it. Also, I agree with you that if it was winter it would be a different story. Your delivery was direct and reasonable.

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article