Sewer Leaks

A sewer leak is one of the nastiest problems a landlord can face. Thankfully, I have only seen sewer leaks occur a handful of times but I can tell you the most important thing here is COMMUNICATION.

I have seen scenarios where landlords do not even let the tenants know a sewer leak has happened, let alone share what steps they have taken to remedy the situation and the timeline to resolution.

Do not let this be you! I assure you, even if tenants need to move out for a few days to get the mess cleaned up, they will be grateful for your open and honest communication. 

These sorts of scenarios can go in one of two directions. The first direction is you say little to nothing, avoid ongoing communication and don’t remedy the situation quickly. When you do this, tenants get angry and ultimately inspectional services or attorneys might get involved. 

The other direction is being super proactive. You immediately let the tenants know where the sewer leak is and explain the next steps. You explain WHO is going to come to the property and WHEN they will come and HOW they will fix the issue. You explain to your tenants that you have hired professionals who are familiar with sewer clean-ups, and that they will ensure everything has been properly sanitized. 

It’s natural for many landlords to try to save wherever possible on vendors, but this is not a a time to be cheap. You want to make sure your property is cleaned correctly and your tenants are satisfied with the work. 

If you have a sewer leak in your property and things are getting messy (no pun intended), give me a ring and I will help!