Is a tenant responsible for a high water bill that resulted from a leaking pipe under the house?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Is a tenant responsible for a high water bill that resulted from a leaking pipe under the house?

My wife and are renting a house. Recently our water company has switched so we haven’t had a bill in 3 months. On average our water bill is $35-$45 a month. This month however, it was $500. We asked the water company why our bill was so much and they suspected we had a leak. They came out to inspect and confirmed there was a in fact a leak in the piping under the house. When we presented this to our landlord to ask for her assistance in paying the excessive bill she said she was not responsible because we failed to bring it to her attention. We offered to split the difference with her and she still refused. What are our rights? Are we stuck with the bill?

Asked on October 17, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Texas

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

As a general matter, a tenant is only responsible for costs which were under his/her control. Therefore, a tenant would be responsible for costs from a leaking pipe only 1) if the tenant caused the leak (e.g. banged into and damaged the pipe) or 2) failed to report a leak of which the tenant was aware to the landlord. If you reported the problem to the landlord once you became aware of it--presumably, after the water company confirmed the leak--your landlord, not you, should be responsible.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption