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Here's the situation.. pipes have been frozen since last night.. This is my first time living up north, I've lived in Fla my whole life. I'm not sure what to do.. So I dont have access to the basement, the landlord is evidently on vacation (got that info from the people next door) and he won't answer the phone... what do I do???? How can I unfreeze my pipes.. I'm so ready to move out and ********** guy over like he is us..
Here's the situation.. pipes have been frozen since last night.. This is my first time living up north, I've lived in Fla my whole life. I'm not sure what to do.. So I dont have access to the basement, the landlord is evidently on vacation (got that info from the people next door) and he won't answer the phone... what do I do???? How can I unfreeze my pipes.. I'm so ready to move out and ********** guy over like he is us..
look in the yellow pages, and call a plumber. The pipes can burst. you will be doing the landlord a favor.I think in the north you need to drain water from the pipes b4 the real cold sets in. good luck. are the pipes frozen for the people next door? he should have left somebody in charge with a key.
silly guy.
Call a plumber and a locksmith. Break the door down if you have to. Take pictures first, make a record first, emails are good because they are dated and easy to verify. Get a receipt from the plumber and locksmith. Do not pay rent for every day the pipes were frozen. Deduct the plumber's and locksmith's charges from your rent. Do not pay for ANY damages resulting from this fiasco.
Document everything!
If you can't get a plumber on short notice, try seeing if you can turn up the heat in the basement (or any room that seems below freezing--the pipes may be running through that room and freezing.)
If you need to go to a hotel do so. Frozen pipes/no water means the dwelling is unlivable. Besides not paying rent for those days, you can also deduct the cost of the hotel from your rent in most states. Check the web for your state's laws regarding renter's rights.
hey you guys thanks for all your responses.. 24 hours later he has called back.. told me to call this person, no answer, call this person, no answer... So I called him back, and now no answer.. I'm just going to call my own plumber like you guys recommend because the pipes have now been frozen for 24 hours and we need water in the kitchen! I can't do my dishes or cook....
hey you guys thanks for all your responses.. 24 hours later he has called back.. told me to call this person, no answer, call this person, no answer... So I called him back, and now no answer.. I'm just going to call my own plumber like you guys recommend because the pipes have now been frozen for 24 hours and we need water in the kitchen! I can't do my dishes or cook....
Oh Tara, I'm sorry that this happened to you. I hope by now everything is ok. I know how excited you are about living up north for the first time in your life and how you are enjoying the snowfalls. Unfortunately, winter can cause it's dilemmas.
Call a plumber and a locksmith. Break the door down if you have to. Take pictures first, make a record first, emails are good because they are dated and easy to verify. Get a receipt from the plumber and locksmith. Do not pay rent for every day the pipes were frozen. Deduct the plumber's and locksmith's charges from your rent. Do not pay for ANY damages resulting from this fiasco.
Document everything!
If you can't get a plumber on short notice, try seeing if you can turn up the heat in the basement (or any room that seems below freezing--the pipes may be running through that room and freezing.)
If you need to go to a hotel do so. Frozen pipes/no water means the dwelling is unlivable. Besides not paying rent for those days, you can also deduct the cost of the hotel from your rent in most states. Check the web for your state's laws regarding renter's rights.
agree 100% great advice, you do not have your basic services. Keep a diary of all attemps to contact LL and who you spoke to, the time, ect. It is a holiday so that could sway a court in his favor, I have seen it happen, so keep your guns hidden until you can use them for the most good. Do not withold your rent, you will be in violation but a demand letter with your rent and proof of damages, physical and emotional might jar him into a few free months of rent. good luck
This kind of stuff happens. Keep the reciepts and send him copies. Tell him how much it was to fix it and ask him how he wants to give you the money... deduct from rent? Or write you a check... etc. If you withhold rent for any portion without your landlords consent it MAY be a against the law and it could be grounds for eviction. Get a hold of him and rationally discuss how you can be reimbursed. I wouldn't rock the boat too hard unless he refuses to reimburse you.
This kind of stuff happens. Keep the reciepts and send him copies. Tell him how much it was to fix it and ask him how he wants to give you the money... deduct from rent? Or write you a check... etc. If you withhold rent for any portion without your landlords consent it MAY be a against the law and it could be grounds for eviction. Get a hold of him and rationally discuss how you can be reimbursed. I wouldn't rock the boat too hard unless he refuses to reimburse you.
Do New Hampshire have a dept of housing? If so, next time file a complaint there and they will send out inspectors who will fine the landlord. In NY, there's a 311 system in which you could file without going down to the housing court.
I am somewhat confused by this frozen pipes problem. Anywhere I have ever lived where pipes could freeze the tenant is responsible for taking care that they don't. Ignorance of problems caused by winter has never been an excuse. When it starts to freeze we have always left some warm water dripping at night, and sometimes during the day, if it got very cold.
If the tenant can't access an area to resolve something because the landlord has closed it off, that is another matter.
Moving from an area where things don't freeze would never be an excuse for failing to prevent frozen pipes. A couple of times the water in our greenhouse started getting slushy, and we warmed up the pipes with a hairdryer. We also wrap the pipes to insulate them in the winter. The landlord should have taken care of that.
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