# Tricky Landlord



## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

I am liking my new rental house in Tlaxcala City quite well after two months, and hope to renew for a second year when the time comes. However, since nothing can be uncomplicated, I do have a landlord problem.

There have been two water issues. One is municipal; the city of Ocotlán (part of greater Tlaxcala City, but somewhat separate administratively) has had problems with potable water service for weeks, and I have had no city water for 10 days; fortunately, my cistern is still half-full at the moment. There is word that perhaps this politically based issue has been resolved - there were protests - although I’ll believe that when I see evidence of it. I have been checking my stopcock every day, and there is still no water flow.

The other issue is on the landlord. The float valve in the cistern was old, clogged, and busted, and was removed three weeks ago. Simple fix, right? Have a plumber come and install a new flotador?

One would think so. But no. The owner is an older woman who lives distantly; her representative is a son who lives in Mexico City. For three weeks now, I have emailed him once a week reminding him about the problem, and every time he responds that he has not heard back from the plumber, as if that is an ANSWER. It is abundantly clear that he does not want to deal with this (comparatively minor and easy) issue, and that gives me pause for the future.

My tone has been very polite so far. I have been afraid that if I take a sharper tone, the son will act all affronted, as if I am assaulting his dignity. I have encountered that kind of passive-aggressiveness before.

I have thought of possibly engaging my own plumber and then letting the son know how much it cost. Any other recommendations?


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Don't wait much longer, maybe one week more. Flotador costs $300.00 pesos and $200.00 pesos to have someone install it, more or less. Deduct $500.00 pesos from the rent. First notify them what you "need to do." IMO


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

If I were in your shoes, I'd just do what Alan suggests- hire a plumber- it's a standard easy job, and an inexpensive one. I replace them myself, it's not rocket science, but not everyone wants to have to get up on the roof. I wouldn't even try to get the landlord to reimburse or take it off the rent, it's a 500 peso job, just get it done and chalk it up to living expenses.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

My thought was to wait until next week and then have it taken care of. I am vacillating on whether to re-engage the owner’s son at that point. The cost doesn’t bother me, I’ll swallow it gladly, but the fact that the landlord is non-responsive DOES bother me. Of course, if I want to remain living here, and I do like the house very much, I don’t want to establish a negative vibe with the owner; but I don’t want to give a license for negligence, either. I fear I’m already being a bit of a pushover.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Good advice from both Alan and surabi. I hope I'm wrong, but I think the fact that neither nor your landlord nor her son live nearby could cause similar problems in the future. But if you're happy with your house, then it's worth putting up with occasional inconveniences of this sort.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Yes, I think you are right and I shall have to put up with the situation for the sake of the otherwise ideal lodgings. I know that if I “react”, I become the bad guy, which is not fair but IS how it works. If I failed to pay my rent on time, I doubt they’d be so patient on the other side! And yes, this does give me some worries for the future, but I guess forewarned is forearmed.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

PatrickMurtha said:


> Yes, I think you are right and I shall have to put up with the situation for the sake of the otherwise ideal lodgings. I know that if I “react”, I become the bad guy, which is not fair but IS how it works. If I failed to pay my rent on time, I doubt they’d be so patient on the other side! And yes, this does give me some worries for the future, but I guess forewarned is forearmed.


If the rent is cheap I wouldn't ever ask for anything in cases like this. That is just the way I think it is done and why the rent is cheap in the first place.IMO


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Can you change it yourself? If so, do so, and when you move out uninstall and take with you the part you paid for, as it's yours. Just like people uninstall and take away light fixtures they installed.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

The point about the rent being reasonable is true. What I pay is in the middle range for Tlaxcala City, but VERY LOW for Mexico as a whole, which is why I came here. To be more explicit - 4500 pesos / month for 1200 square foot 3-bedroom, newish construction, 2 km from downtown (but semi-rural). Safe and charming city. 

I would install the flotador myself, but I am so NOT handy.

Good news, the city water is flowing again tonight. I hope it is back on permanently.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

Having been a landlord myself, if a renter is getting a good deal, it's nice when the renter gets the inexpensive things fixed and pays for it themselves, in acknowledgement that they appreciate the cheap rent and don't expect me to pay for everything. Those are the kind of renters who are keepers.

Basic things like safe and reliable electric and water and working appliances, if they are included in the rent, are really things a landlord should maintain, but it's not worth creating bad blood for something that costs 500 pesos if the landlord isn't responsive. Just save all your receipts in case it would be useful to show them at some point so they realize they have a good, hassle free tenant.

It always seems to happen that just when you're getting panicky about your water running out, and the toilet you haven't dared flush just for a few pees stsrts to get smelly, the water comes back on. Same thing with the electric coming back on when you've just gone to buy a block of ice and a cooler so your fridge food doesn't go bad.

The suggestion to take the new float when you eventually move, I find really tacky and cheap.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Does your contract specifyes who is responsible for what?,, If it is the landlord deduct it from the rent or pay for it.. It should be spelled out n the contract.


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## hyracer (Aug 14, 2011)

In the area we live in, it's not uncommon for the renter to be responsible for the first $25 to $30 (dollars) of repair. It is stated as such in our lease. Although our owner has never enforced that clause for minor repairs we've notified them about so far.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Well, making an impression is a two-way street. The owner’s son has made a bad impression on me, a new tenant. He may not care, but he has done that. There is bad blood already, I’m just not going to tell him. 

i have read the lease carefully. It does not indicate that the tenant is responsible for anything like this at all. Not for any necessary maintenance costs, and certainly not for calling in a plumber.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Mexico is different. For stuff like this, it is usually up to the renter to deal with in my experience.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

PatrickMurtha said:


> Well, making an impression is a two-way street. The owner’s son has made a bad impression on me, a new tenant. He may not care, but he has done that. There is bad blood already, I’m just not going to tell him.
> 
> i have read the lease carefully. It does not indicate that the tenant is responsible for anything like this at all. Not for any necessary maintenance costs, and certainly not for calling in a plumber.


Patrick, my advice to you is to ignore the bad blood, take care of inexpensive repairs on your own, and relax. From personal experience, I know that getting all hot under the collar (not that any of my tops have collars!) in Mexico solves nothing. Try going with the flow a bit.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

surabi said:


> The suggestion to take the new float when you eventually move, I find really tacky and cheap.


It has been years since I rented. But when I moved out of my last rental, the landlord counted the light bulbs and made me pay for one that was burned out.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

eastwind said:


> Can you change it yourself? If so, do so, and when you move out uninstall and take with you the part you paid for, as it's yours. Just like people uninstall and take away light fixtures they installed.


Changing the valve is easy: Turn off the incoming water to your house. Then unscrew the old valve and screw on the new one. Snug it up with a wrench or large pliers. Done! Turn the incoming water and it should be just fine.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Telfon tape also to be professional. Costs 10 pesitos.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

RVGRINGO said:


> Changing the valve is easy: Turn off the incoming water to your house. Then unscrew the old valve and screw on the new one. Snug it up with a wrench or large pliers. Done! Turn the incoming water and it should be just fine.


There are those of us who find those things easy, but there are plenty of people who are the opposite of handy and are intimidated by the smallest task that involves a tool. Likely don't even have any idea where to turn off the main water into the house.

Was staying with a friend in Denver a few years ago. I saw that all the faucets in her house dripped a no-no in Denver in their drought level summers. She said she knew, but had been procrastinating because it would cost her $300 to get a plumber to walk in the door. I told her all they needed was new washers, I would do it for her (she expressed great skepticism), went to hardware store for a package of washers, asked her for a screwdriver and did the job.
She was impressed way beyond reason.

I feel sorry for people who can't do the simplest household repairs themselves. Must get expensive having to hire someone for everything, not to mention having to wait for them to show up.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> It has been years since I rented. But when I moved out of my last rental, the landlord counted the light bulbs and made me pay for one that was burned out.





TundraGreen said:


> It has been years since I rented. But when I moved out of my last rental, the landlord counted the light bulbs and made me pay for one that was burned out.


Did the landlord pay for the light bulbs? I pay for my own.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

surabi said:


> I feel sorry for people who can't do the simplest household repairs themselves. Must get expensive having to hire someone for everything, not to mention having to wait for them to show up.


Well, I can change light bulbs and tighten loose screws (no jokes, please) in the kitchen and bathroom faucets, but otherwise I call Gustavo, my favorite neighborhood handyman, for help. He is very dependable and charges modicum fees for his services.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> It has been years since I rented. But when I moved out of my last rental, the landlord counted the light bulbs and made me pay for one that was burned out.


Yeah, well just because other people act tacky and cheap doesn't mean we have to follow suit.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

Isla Verde said:


> Well, I can change light bulbs and tighten loose screws (no jokes, please) in the kitchen and bathroom faucets, but otherwise I call Gustavo, my favorite neighborhood handyman, for help. He is very dependable and charges modicum fees for his services.


 It's great to have a reliable handyman. Just because we _could _fix something ourselves doesn't mean we always want to. I might be able to change out the thermocouple in my hot water tank, but if my plumber can do it in 20 minutes, and it would take me 2 hours, I'd rather work in my garden.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

The rental I had prior to this year was furnished, and came with a full set of working light bulbs, but it didn't occur to me to ask the manager to replace dead ones - but one time when she came to offer the rent there was a dead one over the table I hadn't changed yet and she offered to replace it. Surprised me. She had to realize that more than one bulb burned out in 4 years, but whatever. It wasn't her money, though, she was charging the owners for it. I left her with a full set of working bulbs.


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