Good 6 year tenant with three kids. --71.227.xxx.xxx

--71.227.xxx.xxx

If this were my tenant, I would start making moves towards getting them out. These are games I won't play. --74.47.xxx.xx

My husband showed up 1 hr after the call with the rental snake in hand. 3 hours from the call, the drain was clear and the bleach was applied about 6 hrs from the call. Kids have a 3 day weekend so we are being charged for their staycation. It is bad my husband is dealing with crap, he is getting stressed out from being manipulated. He comes home mad at me for buying rentals. We have had this one 19 yrs now and this is the first time this happened at this house. --71.227.xxx.xxx

--74.47.xxx.xx

To me it sounds like a tenant sitting around the apartment watching too much Judge Judy. --74.47.xxx.xx

Your tenants sound like ones I'd be glad to be rid of. This may be your opportunity! Don't let them bully you. --107.72.xxx.xx

If it's a single family home, send her the bill for the professional sewer guy to clean it out. They don't just magically clog. --74.47.xxx.xx

She did say it was roots. --107.72.xxx.xx

Oh that's right Lisa. I forgot I read that. --74.47.xxx.xx

Do what you gotta do. --71.13.xx.xxx

You did everything that could be expected in a timely manner,I would ignore her request,when she shorts the rent I would start an eviction.No wonder your husband hates the house,you send him over to do the filthiest job available in a rental,next time just pay someone to do the job. --24.25.xxx.xxx

--96.231.xxx.xxx

FYI, for future reference, don't use bleach to cover the smell. Use Lyme. --75.141.xxx.xxx

--100.34.xxx.xxx

--50.134.xxx.xxx

Homer is telling you right, you should have used powered lime. As far as the tenants claim for you to pay expenses, I am not as strict as the rest of them here. You stated that she was a 6 year tenant? If she is a good payer, I would try to reason with her, and perhaps pay a portion of the costs in order to keep her. Only you know how hard it is to rent a house to someone for 6 years without interruption. --8.38.xxx.xxx

Almost every year when we have a heavy rain most of the basements flood in our area. Everyone cleans up their own mess and the city picks up all the stuff that got wet in the basement a few days later. I have 3 rentals on that street and no one calls me about 'bad air' inspection or hotels. One tenant came home from the hospital with a new born and her basement flooded twice due to roots .We called the plumbers to clear the sewer and that was the end of the problem. --99.62.xxx.xxx

So glad I live on top of a hill. S--t runs downhill, so any backups are the flatlanders problem below. :-) --47.216.xx.xxx

--69.201.xx.xxx

Well who saw the roots? This means something outside will have to be serviced or snaked again in a year, try some of the drain foam online, tenant can go on holiday or whatever but there is no reason for reimbursement, prepare for eviction - examine inside for damages so you have some idea what the deposit will cover, if you have not used it already for something else... --76.188.xxx.xxx

Needless to say - she moved. I also created what not to flush or pour/place, etc into drain pipes, showers, toilets. --69.201.xx.xxx

Thanks for your help. Tenant is still at the hotel and texting haz mat cleaners and inspectors. We did hire a professional plumber, who did clean from outside vent, but my husband tried himself while waiting for him to arrive. Cleared the line within 5 hrs of the report of an odor. I myself, when a single home owner, rented a sewer auger and cleaned it out myself before at another house. I only needed help to drag it back up the stairs. I even retrieved a rock out of a sewer cleanout using two sticks like forceps because they wanted to excavate the line! We usually look ourselves. --70.194.x.xxx

this is a situation of where being the owner works rather than being the manager who needs to then go talk to the owner. As the owner the very first instance she asked about this your answer should have been a "no" that she understood. clean it up the same as you would in your own home and be done with it. --72.95.xx.xx

Add a fan in that space to draw the smell out,,, set it so it pulls the smell outside. --184.206.xxx.xxx

It is dry and does not smell and the tenant cames into the basement and sent a thank you for the work efforts last night. But she is still staying at a hotel until we hire an inspector. --70.194.x.xxx

You need to let those air quality and hazmat people know that any bill resulting from tests regarding this are the sole responsibility of the tenant and not you. She will stop once she realizes it's $250 for this test and $500 for that test and on and on. --174.201.x.xx

Bleach on organic matter produces a dangerous chemical. Can't think of the name of it. That was a dumb idea to throw the clog back in and pour bleach on the residue. --73.33.xxx.xxx

I would not be paying for the hot. Check out time. Let the hotel deliver the news. If its that vital to them they will pay it themselves --66.87.xx.xxx

--207.241.xxx.xxx

Sorry for your headaches... as others have said they can stay in a motel as long as they like on their dime. You took care of the issue and in Mi it's very common to have sewer issues in older neighborhoods. Low flush toilets don't help either :) when we have sewer issues I use a licensed sewer company to perform all work... when they get done they clean up.... i try to follow up with tenant either in person or via phone. Any issues I address them. I would also suggest that you add some language about this in your lease. Basements/crawl space is not living space.... store personal items at your own risk etc... btw.... I've had tenants say the same stuff as yours... it's usually because they don't have next months rent or they already have another place to live.... --70.194.x.xxx

On your root issue, I use RootX to prevent the roots from returning. The stuff isn't cheap, but it is excellent --24.239.xx.xxx

You have done as much as most landlords would do. Probably need to prepare for an eviction. --98.184.xxx.xxx

Update: tenant still in hotel. Still concerned about bacteria in the air. She had an emergency water damage company suggest hepa air scrubbers without seeing the house starting at a cost of $ 500. After coming out, They had no suggestions to clean as it was clean, but still offered air filters service. I told contractor no to air scrubber before he came out to the house. City confirmed no city backup based on their inspection Sat. My husband said the basement smelled fine, way better than his car and the city did take the trash. --70.194.x.xxx

Sue, I'd say you have went above and beyond. I would ignore this tenant until the first of the month when rent is due. If it's not paid, that I would contact her and start the process of getting her out. --74.47.xxx.xx

--207.241.xxx.xxx

No update from the tenant yet. Tip: The haz mat company did say when this happens, that they put the hose up to the hot water tank and flush hot water on the floor to remedy followed by a disinfectant spray. --70.194.x.xxx