Forum
« car mechanic in Bay Ridge? Exterior sheet metal sills »
August 11, 2009
Need plumber for night or Sun.
I have a tenant who needs the shower repaired. Nothing major. At most it's a shower body replacement but probably smaller.
The problem is that the tenants are gone except for evenings after 7:00 or Sunday. I can't access the apartment without them because there are two dogs there, one quite threatening. Anybody know of a reliable plumber who won't charge more for an evening or Sunday?
Comments
I think it's crazy that you are bending over backward -- and will probably end up paying more to get a plumber there a night or weekend -- because your tenants have aggressive dogs. Why not have them find another place for the dogs to stay the day you arrange for a plumber to come during normal working hours? Or at least have them lock them in a room, or take half a day off work to control them while you're there with the plumber?
Posted by: bricktop at August 11, 2009 8:58 AM
I agree.
The biggest problem with working after hours is that all the suppliers are closed.
"If something goes wrong, and something always goes wrong..."(Cosmo Castorini in Moonstruck)
...you are forcing the plumber into a make-do repair.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at August 11, 2009 9:28 AM
You best bet would be with a Chinese plumber. Go down to Chinatown and ask around. . .
Posted by: IronBalls at August 11, 2009 9:55 AM
"Shower body at most" is not necessarily a small job. Are you dealing with leaks in the meantime (i.e. additional damage)? Ask your tenants to pick a day or days when they guarantee they'll either be home or boarding their dogs with a friend or kennel. If they're unwilling to do so, get a price from a legitimate plumber for work on overtime and collect an advance deposit from your tenants for the extra charges. If necessary, cite the section of the lease that guarantees access for repairs.
Posted by: vinca at August 11, 2009 10:59 AM
I agree that the bigger problem is difficulty accessing the premises. Whether or not you allowed a menacing dog on the premises, you need to be able to access the apartment. While your current situation is not an emergency, some day there may be one. You need to think long-term about how you want to resolve that situation so that you have the access you need as the owner consistent with the tenant's rights under the lease. Right now it appears you do not.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 12, 2009 9:23 AM
Can they have the dogs somewhere else for an afternoon? This certainly seems like something they should cooperate with to enable you to use a plumber during normal business hours. It's not your fault they have a dog that complicates this.
Posted by: jland at August 12, 2009 1:35 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.