'Fix the issue': Landlord accuses their tenant of overflowing their bathtub and flooding the garage, then the renter calls out their lazy plumbing ‘fix’ that has doomed the whole building

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Mar 4, 2025 5:00 PM EST

This tenant called out his landlord for his 'landlord special' repair that was destined to cost the building thousands in water damage. At least this diligent tenant has kept a paper trail to cover his tracks after his landlord blamed him for using a bathroom amenity to which he was certainly entitled.

Ahh, yes, we've all heard of the landlord special. As if slapping 200 layers of white paint over bug carcasses, electrical outlets, and door hinges wasn't enough to make tenants rue the day they signed their lease, bad landlords continually push the limits of human decency when it comes to their cash-cow apartments. Like a parasite draining the life from their victim, a landlord will reap the spoils of their tenants' toils as long as possible, cutting every corner in the book to save a few bucks—but this landlord takes the cake, gaslighting his renter into accepting blame for something that was 100% his fault.

Want another lousy landlord story? Without further ado, here's another tale of a terrible homeowner who ran up his tenant's electrical bill $700/month by secretly running 2 space heaters 24/7 in the attic.

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    Every tenant's worst nightmare is losing their deposit. Landlords will think up any excuse to keep an extra few thousand bucks from their renter and unless their power trip is kept in check, the landlordianship never gets questioned. But this tenant was not to be trifled with and was determined to keep his deposit after move out day…

  • For context, I've been in this apartment for 15 months, my lease is up in 3 months. I addressed this issue in December of 2023 when I first moved in, maintenance said "they couldn't find an issue" even tho I told them it was my over flow drain in my bathtub. It leaks into the garage below my apartment.
    via This-Tree-5107
  • I took a bath this morning and received this text. I'm also not sure of who this other number is in the group text, I think it's another tenant. Am I in the wrong to continue to take baths?? What do I do moving forward? This is a plumbing issue right?
    via This-Tree-5107
  • Hi Alice! Any chance you took a bath recently? There appears to be an overflow below your unit again so I want JR to check? Yes I did this morning, I tried to keep it low!
    via This-Tree-5107
  • JR I'm glad we at least identified the source. Given the issues baths are causing in your unit with the overflow if you could refrain from using the bath tub moving forward we would appreciate it. Thanks for quick repaired and enjoy the rest of the weekend!
    via This-Tree-5107
  • JR Today 12:19 PM Yes it has since December of 2023, can we get this fixed? Our plumber indicated this was strictly a result of you overflowing the tub. There's an overflow drain that drains out as opposed to flooding your unit so the system is working as it should. We just really can't have you overflowing the tub any more please.
    via This-Tree-5107
  • lood-of-an-orange I'm not a plumber but I would think your overflow drain should you know drain into a pipe and not the garage???
    via lood-of-an-orange
  • Optimal-Hamster... They can't tell you that you can't take a bath. They need to fix the issue.
    via Optimal-Hamster
  • EconomistNo7345 well if they don't want it to drain into the garage they need to fix it. they can't make you not use the tub you pay to use.
    via EconomistNo7345
  • 404PUNK This is on them, it's their duty to fix this issue or at least compensate you. Some people need to take bathes for health reasons and you're paying for a fully operational bathroom.
    via 404PUNK
  • cassandrahcm They definitely need to fix it bc that's not how an overflow works, but I rarely put in water that high in the tub. Does it happen when you shower ever? It could be the drain not draining properly as well?
    via cassandrahcm
  • Acceptable_File23... So the overflow isnt even hooked up to the drain? If this only happens when water enters the overflow then its not even connected to the drain and the water is running down into the garage.
    via This-Tree-5107
  • Dizzy_Eye5257 Um no. A properly installed tub should not be doing this. This is not on you
    via Dizzy_Eye5257
  • Exciting-Engine-5... So, wrongggggggg. I had a landlord tell us the same thing. It should drain into the same area as the tub drain. But to help you out they make a cover that suctions over the overflow so you can take higher tubs. That's what we did!
    via Exciting-Engine-5
  • PresentationPrize... Oh we must have the same landlord! lol I love when they're just like no baths!
    via PresentationPrize
  • lilackoi this is a plumbing issue. ur landlord is being stupid on purpose i think because it's obvious the pipes are just not working or leaking. depending on where you live you could call 311 and report this if ur landlord refuses to fix it. they cant tell you you cant use the bathtub for its intended purpose. they need to find the leak and fix the pipe.
    via lilackoi
  • ithinarine The overflow drain on tubs is supposed to go down the drain. Is essentially just a second drain higher up on the side of the tub that attaches and goes down the same pipe. If the overflow drain is not attached to the plumbing, that's their problem to fix. The fix isn't to ask you to stop taking a bath.
    via ithinarine
  • Edit to add// I added pictures of my previous text letting my landlord know about the issue and of the bathtub drain. I do not over flow my bathtub to the point it runs on my floor... I occasionally take
    via This-Tree-5107
  • baths, I'm an athlete & take Epsom salt baths maybe once a month. It's a small tub and I'm almost 6 foot tall. I have to fill it as close as I can. I don't intentionally fill it past the overflow drain, I fill it as close as I can to the bottom of the drain.
    via This-Tree-5107
  • The garage is slanted down & makes it look like there is much more water than what is actually there. I just want to ensure I can't be charged with "water damage" once I move out or anything of that matter.
    via This-Tree-5107

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