Life What's fair? (Water Damage Question)

**Rain Man** · 07:18 PM

Thank you in advance for your wise counsel (bowing with hands in prayer position).

What's the fair thing in this situation?

We're on the fifth floor of an office building, and have a kitchen in our space. The sink is clogged for some reason, and the maintenance guy pulled the little u-shaped pipe off and put a bucket under the drain. Supposedly they're going to do the anti-clog thing on Monday. I think this happened Thursday morning, but don't recall.

We put a note on the sink not to use it.

Now, the dishwasher is next to the sink, and one of our administrative people started it up. I don't think she knew that the dishwasher drained into into the same drain, so when the dishwasher drained it dumped the water out under the sink, which then ran around on the floor and made its way down to the fourth floor. At that point it set off a fire alarm, so the fire department came out. I don't know the extent of the damage on the fourth floor. I would suspect it's not major considering this is your typical office building with cheapish walls and ceiling tiles, but I don't know if there's also any kind of fire department bill for a false alarm.

The maintenance guy just came up and told me that the landlord is planning to hold us responsible for water damage.

I want to be fair about this, but don't want to pay a bunch of money if it's a landlord deal. What thinks you?

Brock · 06-24-2011, 07:13 PM

Your maintenance guy is kind of a moron. The water should have been turned off.

**Rain Man** · 06-24-2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Your maintenance guy is kind of a moron. The water should have been turned off.

Now that's an excellent point. I hadn't even thought about that.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 06-25-2011, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Now that's an excellent point. I hadn't even thought about that.

You hadn't considered he was a moron and it took someone from CP to point it out ?

JD10367 · 06-24-2011, 07:28 PM

Yeah, the plumber should've just turned the water off. A note doesn't really cut it. Of course, the plumber can just claim that "you office people" told him to leave the water on so you could use the sink to fill up cups or something.

Probably a no-win situation, so you might just have to bite the bullet and cover the damage.

MIAdragon · 06-24-2011, 07:35 PM

I'm not sure why he pulled the pipe for a clog, then left it off? As stupid as he was your emp still caused the damage and u are on the hook.

**alnorth** · 06-24-2011, 07:42 PM

I think you are pretty well screwed. At best, maybe the landlord is partially responsible for not getting on it right away (though I'd think 4 days and a sign is pretty good). If he's determined to ask you to pay for it, that would take a fight and in the end you'll have a pissed off landlord.

It was an accident, no one intended the water damage to happen, the maintenance guy wasn't bright, but your minion should not have turned on the dishwasher.

If the damage is not outrageous or horrifyingly expensive (or covered by insurance if it is), just pay it, be done with it, and have a happy landlord.

seclark · 06-24-2011, 07:47 PM

so, is DaFace mopping the floor on a friday night?
sec

Abba-Dabba · 06-24-2011, 07:55 PM

Simply shutting the water off may have not been an option. Since it is a office building the water line may have been in a tower line formation thingah mahjiggy. Meaning if they turned off the water to you, they would have had to turn off the water to all floors above and below you at that point.

But I guess you could try to use them not shutting the supply off as a negotiating tactic if things go badly. But still they probably wouldn't absolve you of much of the damages anyway.

JD10367 · 06-24-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

Simply shutting the water off may have not been an option. Since it is a office building the water line may have been in a tower line formation thingah mahjiggy. Meaning if they turned off the water to you, they would have had to turn off the water to all floors above and below you at that point.

Another good point. Ultimately, though, whether they couldn't turn the water off or there were shutoffs right under the sink, the fact that an employee turned on the dishwasher and caused the leak would probably be the deciding factor in any litigation. The plumber may have been a dumbass, but he didn't turn on the dishwasher.

**Rain Man** · 06-24-2011, 08:02 PM

This is officially starting to suck.

HonestChieffan · 06-24-2011, 08:06 PM

Sucks but you pay the toll

**Predarat** · 06-24-2011, 08:26 PM

I put shared blame but if your landlord is a dick or a ****, like most landlords are, the fight may be just as expensive or more expensive then the cost of the repairs. Maybe diplomaticly try to split the blame,but have them pay more, state your case and work up from there. But I have a bad feeling about this.

KCBOSS1 · 06-24-2011, 08:40 PM

Sorry dude. I think you're on the hook for this one.

CrazyHorse · 06-24-2011, 08:47 PM

Sounds like you're on the hook for it. If you have insurance it might cover it. Water damage claims are extremely expensive. As a store owner of a carpet cleaning company, I have some experience w/water damage.

Good luck. Hopefully, there is little damage. Check your policy, if you have one.

View Poll Results: Who pays for any damage or charges in a fair world?
Rain Man, Inc. pays all damage. Bad dishwasher move.	14	26.92%
Rain Man, Inc. pays most damage. Some shared blame.	8	15.38%
Split it down the middle.	3	5.77%
Landlord pays most damage. Some shared blame.	5	9.62%
Landlord pays all damage. Should've fixed the damn pipe.	17	32.69%
I like running in sprinklers.	5	9.62%
Voters: 52. You may not vote on this poll

06-24-2011, 07:09 PM	Topic Starter
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3408491 VARSITY	What's fair? (Water Damage Question) Thank you in advance for your wise counsel (bowing with hands in prayer position). What's the fair thing in this situation? We're on the fifth floor of an office building, and have a kitchen in our space. The sink is clogged for some reason, and the maintenance guy pulled the little u-shaped pipe off and put a bucket under the drain. Supposedly they're going to do the anti-clog thing on Monday. I think this happened Thursday morning, but don't recall. We put a note on the sink not to use it. Now, the dishwasher is next to the sink, and one of our administrative people started it up. I don't think she knew that the dishwasher drained into into the same drain, so when the dishwasher drained it dumped the water out under the sink, which then ran around on the floor and made its way down to the fourth floor. At that point it set off a fire alarm, so the fire department came out. I don't know the extent of the damage on the fourth floor. I would suspect it's not major considering this is your typical office building with cheapish walls and ceiling tiles, but I don't know if there's also any kind of fire department bill for a false alarm. The maintenance guy just came up and told me that the landlord is planning to hold us responsible for water damage. I want to be fair about this, but don't want to pay a bunch of money if it's a landlord deal. What thinks you? Last edited by Rain Man; 06-24-2011 at 07:18 PM..
Posts: 141,201

06-24-2011, 07:13 PM	#2
Brock Say hello to my little friend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Larryville Casino cash: $9598422	Your maintenance guy is kind of a moron. The water should have been turned off.
Posts: 47,314

06-24-2011, 07:28 PM	#5
JD10367 Cheaterlover* Join Date: May 2009 Location: RI Casino cash: $10010716	Yeah, the plumber should've just turned the water off. A note doesn't really cut it. Of course, the plumber can just claim that "you office people" told him to leave the water on so you could use the sink to fill up cups or something. Probably a no-win situation, so you might just have to bite the bullet and cover the damage.
Posts: 12,916

06-24-2011, 07:35 PM	#6
MIAdragon Someone pass the antifreeze Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Miami (North Cuba) Casino cash: $1687819	I'm not sure why he pulled the pipe for a clog, then left it off? As stupid as he was your emp still caused the damage and u are on the hook.
Posts: 15,767

06-24-2011, 07:42 PM	#7
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57176239	I think you are pretty well screwed. At best, maybe the landlord is partially responsible for not getting on it right away (though I'd think 4 days and a sign is pretty good). If he's determined to ask you to pay for it, that would take a fight and in the end you'll have a pissed off landlord. It was an accident, no one intended the water damage to happen, the maintenance guy wasn't bright, but your minion should not have turned on the dishwasher. If the damage is not outrageous or horrifyingly expensive (or covered by insurance if it is), just pay it, be done with it, and have a happy landlord. __________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry
Posts: 36,130

06-24-2011, 07:47 PM	#8
seclark MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: nemo Casino cash: $1779900	so, is DaFace mopping the floor on a friday night? sec __________________ "Mr. seclark. Wrong for gravy, wrong for jelly, wrong for biscuits." -rj "If every Planeteer who was disliked by another Planeteer stopped being a Planeteer we wouldn't have any Planeteers." -rj
Posts: 13,396

06-24-2011, 07:55 PM	#9
Abba-Dabba MVP Join Date: May 2001 Casino cash: $4512970	Simply shutting the water off may have not been an option. Since it is a office building the water line may have been in a tower line formation thingah mahjiggy. Meaning if they turned off the water to you, they would have had to turn off the water to all floors above and below you at that point. But I guess you could try to use them not shutting the supply off as a negotiating tactic if things go badly. But still they probably wouldn't absolve you of much of the damages anyway.
Posts: 18,144

06-24-2011, 08:02 PM	#11
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3408491 VARSITY	This is officially starting to suck. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,201

06-24-2011, 08:06 PM	#12
HonestChieffan Seeking the Truth daily Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the Country in MO Casino cash: $2314309	Sucks but you pay the toll __________________ “Make no mistake. If you try anything to raise the cost of vishessavatubs, I will veto it.” - Joe Biden, SOTU 2023
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06-24-2011, 08:26 PM	#13
Predarat Run Chiefs fans, run!! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Casino cash: $9973863	I put shared blame but if your landlord is a dick or a ****, like most landlords are, the fight may be just as expensive or more expensive then the cost of the repairs. Maybe diplomaticly try to split the blame,but have them pay more, state your case and work up from there. But I have a bad feeling about this.
Posts: 10,776

06-24-2011, 08:40 PM	#14
KCBOSS1 RAISE EM RIGHT Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arkansas Casino cash: $10005366	Sorry dude. I think you're on the hook for this one.
Posts: 1,927

06-24-2011, 08:47 PM	#15
CrazyHorse All Motor! Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $10004900	Sounds like you're on the hook for it. If you have insurance it might cover it. Water damage claims are extremely expensive. As a store owner of a carpet cleaning company, I have some experience w/water damage. Good luck. Hopefully, there is little damage. Check your policy, if you have one.
Posts: 2,118