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Karen

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As a mother and her teenage son checked out, the mother mentioned that the son had "put paper in the toilet" and clogged it up. Well, we spent yesterday plunging and pouring chemicals into the toilet to unclog it. Nothing worked. I finally gave up and called a plumber today, who snaked it clear.
My question is - would you charge the guest for the plumber's visit? (We wouldn't charge for my time, my housekeeper's time, the room being out of service, the drain unclogger, the super-drain unclogger, the fumes.)
 
I do not think so. It usually takes more than "paper" to clog plumbing that solidly. Did the plumber tell you what the problem was? It could be tree roots or was it a "foreign object" that the guests did grace your system with? If the latter, then maybe - but you would then have to "prove" it.
 
I do not think so. It usually takes more than "paper" to clog plumbing that solidly. Did the plumber tell you what the problem was? It could be tree roots or was it a "foreign object" that the guests did grace your system with? If the latter, then maybe - but you would then have to "prove" it..
The plumber didn't say - he just shoved the blockage through. Wouldn't be tree roots, it's a second floor toilet and none of the others had the problem. And the mother admitted that the kid blocked the toilet. Probably a magazine. (Though "why" would be a good question.) So, do I charge her? I want to...
 
Teenager? Stuffed a magazine down the toilet? If he wasn't in some way unaware of the repercussions of something like that I'd say at least try to get half. A roll of TP is one thing, but a magazine is not going down. Too bad you don't know exactly what it was. You don't accidently flush a magazine, you try to hide it from your mother.
 
No I would never charge for anything like that, we can't "presume" to know what caused it unless the plumber said what it was, maybe it was mother who flushed something SHE should not have .... but either way .. no
 
I do not think so. It usually takes more than "paper" to clog plumbing that solidly. Did the plumber tell you what the problem was? It could be tree roots or was it a "foreign object" that the guests did grace your system with? If the latter, then maybe - but you would then have to "prove" it..
The plumber didn't say - he just shoved the blockage through. Wouldn't be tree roots, it's a second floor toilet and none of the others had the problem. And the mother admitted that the kid blocked the toilet. Probably a magazine. (Though "why" would be a good question.) So, do I charge her? I want to...
.
As much as I would want to, it just has to go down the toilet in more ways than one - you cannot "prove" what it was. Add another name to your Do Not Rent list...
 
I guess I won't charge her, or even send her a polite note with an invoice, though the damage is certainly beyond normal wear and tear. Thanks, everyone, for the feedback- Karen
 
I guess I won't charge her, or even send her a polite note with an invoice, though the damage is certainly beyond normal wear and tear. Thanks, everyone, for the feedback- Karen.
Sorry. I knowe it is haard to take - it is just one of the downsides of doing business. It hurts on several fronts - #1 that anyone would do something so totally unnecessary and stupid and then #2 that you have to ante up and let it go. I sincerely hope the plumber's bill was reasonable (I know - that is an oxymoron if anything is).
 
It is part of doing business, I agree. Unless you KNOW it was an intentional act, you should just let it go.
I was reminded by this thread of the handling of this by cruise lines. They had (have?) quite a problem with objects being flushed down that do not belong, causing major issues in some cases. They have notice in the bathrooms (and most likely elsewhere) that if someone causes a back up they could be liable for damages. I do not remember the wording but it is harsh.
What is sad is that it has come to that!!! What is the matter with people!
 
I call that a cost of doing business. And the guest was up front with you that a blockage had occurred. When I woud charge a guest for "damages" is when they flush something I've told them is not permissible, and I warn them up front that if they do, they will be charged for the repair - so there are no surprises at the end of the day. For me, when something forbidden gets flushed and creates a blockage, I can get the "evidence" out and hand it over to them. Nothing just pushes through past my pumps. If you found something had been flushed that wasn't supposed to be flushed and was able to prove what it was (by having the object pulled back out), then I think you would have an argument in your favor for charging for the repair.
Sometimes, toilet paper just cloggs when used in a large quantity. It happens on my vacuflush occasionally. I let it sit and break down for a few hours, shut off the water and then try to flush and trigger the vacuum pump until is sucks it through. But an "object" gets stuck in the first duckbill and I can open that and pull it out. Objects never flush through! So it is possible that your clog was paper, especially if you use something thick and plush like Charmin.
Not that any of you would have this problem, but how timely of a subject...Just this weekend, I got a clog - it's the calcium build up in the discharge hose - pee and salt water turn into a concrete-like substance and eventually clogs. I have to now take the hose off, go outside and beat the snot out of it on the dock to break up the "concrete" in side. About every 2 to 3 years this happens - I knew it was coming. I could hear the pump beginning to labor all week. At least it was my toilet and not a guest toilet. Not looking forward to that! This is why I've been switching over to fresh water toilets.
 
we have one saniflow (macerating toilet) and I have put a harsh sign on it more as a deterant than anything but it is $120 a go to get it fixed so I am trying to keep it to a minimum.
 
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