Bonkers Bathroom

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

Hello all,

Got a knock on the door from my roommate this morning and he informed me that the bathroom has exploded. Sure enough, I look in there and the bathtub is filled with murky water and there's water all over the floor. Our landlord had told him on the phone that it was a clog and he was bringing someone in right away. The dude, looks like a maintenance man, shows up, but apparently it's some sort of major clog.

Our landlord told me he needed to bring an actual plumber in and it would be 2-3 days before we could use the bathroom again. I've found the section in MA law that says the landlord must provide a usable toilet and shower, but I don't know what my course of action should be from here on out. Any suggestions?  Thanks!

Comments

[veek.livejournal.com]

Have you tried telling your landlord that you'd love to accommodate but just can't, that it's unacceptable to be unable to use your [toilet? and] shower, and that the plumber thing must be expedited, and seeing what he says?

If you can't use the toilet, you have more leverage since it's a sanitation issue. If you can, but just can't use the shower, he'll probably say suck it up.

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

No. I'll give that a try. Thanks!

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

It's toilet and shower. I called him and he said he might be able to get someone here today. He was going off what his maintenance guy said in that even with a specialist it might be down for some time. I guess I'll just wait and see!

[veek.livejournal.com]

Sounds like your landlord is on it. That's great! Good luck, and sorry about all your troubles!

[molyflogs.livejournal.com]

Is this your landlord? http://davis-square.livejournal.com/2974115.html

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

I wondered that too, but the roommate pronoun doesn't fit it being three women. :)

[violet-helix.livejournal.com]

Apparently, it's just an all around bad day for plumming in Davis Square.

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

I guess! Fortunately the landlord was right on top of it and everything is good now.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

I think the right thing, if your landlord is a reasonable person, would be that you find a modestly priced place to stay until your apartment has a usable bathroom (Morrison House B&B, for instance? or a motel-type place) and that you deduct the cost of that stay from your next rent check. I'm not sure what the law has to say about this, but I'm confident that you're correct that your landlord has a responsibility to provide you with a working bathroom, and if your apartment's isn't working, then a temporary stay somewhere that does have one is the logical requirement. Sucks to be him (expensive!), sucks to be you (having to go live somewhere else for a few days), but that's life.

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

Yes sucks, but that is why your landlord has house insurance and insurance for having renters. Either of those insurance plans should over the cost of repair as well as the hotel room. If not, then your landlord can get a write-off in taxes for all of those expenses.

If it is not resolved today, do you have another place to stay? It would be an act of kindness if you could stay at a friends house for a night or two and allow your landlord to not have to deal with it. Otherwise you could contact the Bower Street B&B or even AirBnB and see what your options are.

If you do plan to deduct the cost from your next rent check, but sure to check with your landlord first. He may decide to just put you up....

Also- take photos of the mess!!!