A question from a landlord-is this a scam

In My Humble Opinion
1

One of the tenants in one of our duplexes is a hoarder. She’s a professional person, a Psychiatrist, if you can believe it. I knew when I bought the place she was a hoarder (existing tenant.) I also knew she paid well over market, and paid all her own repairs. I did inspections, ordered her to have regular housekeeping services in and monthly extermination.

Anyway, shit happens. And today it did.

I was at work when the tenant on the other side called, the toilet was overflowing. So I called my regular guy, and he was free and on his way. Then the hoarder calls. She’s called her own plumber, and he wants to talk with me. I quickly fire him, and tell him my guys are on the way. Obviously it’s a serious blockage in the lines.

However the plumber (hers) called in a remediation company, and they get there before I can. My offices are an hour away. Said remediation guy does nothing because he needs rags and gloves. Huh?? My partner gets there, and we see the scope of the problem. I call remediation guy to tell him we don’t need him (obviously the problem is bigger than him, and he doesn’t have rags and gloves) Seriously?? He argues, we fire him. Remember, we never hired him to begin with.

Now he’s threatening to call the city and FD about the place. I have already arranged a dumpster, and taken off work, demanded that she do the same, and will be over there in morning to start the clean up. This guy says all wall board, baseboards etc, must be removed in a sterile environment, blah blah blah. I understand that it’s serious, but I will take care of it ASAP.

I called this yahoo’s office and asked that an invoice be faxed to my office, and I will pay it, even though I did not hire this guy.

This seems like a racket. The plumber sees sewage and calls this guy, and this guy, who does carry rags or gloves, tries to hold me up for thousands.

I would really like to know if this is some kind of racket. I have never heard of a plumber doing this. When I asked the woman on the phone at the “remediation” company for an amount, she said it would depend on their agreement WITH THE REFERRING PLUMBER.

Been a landlord over 20 years with multiple units and I have never heard of this.

2

It doesn’t even qualify as a racket. Why would you even speak to either the plumber or the remediation company after telling them they were trespassing on your property and not authorized to do any work? You didn’t hire either of them. If they want to get paid that badly they can try to get it from your tenant.

3

That’s my thought. It’s not a ‘racket’ so much as someone who thought he could make a quick buck from you…or the tenant (who may have been over paying him) or the plumber. I’d call him up and say “$xxxx.xx, are you kidding me, I tell you what, send me an invoice for fifty bucks and I’ll pay that for your troubles, but anything more, you can collect from whoever called you, but it wasn’t me, so I’m not paying you.”

If you can get him to rebill you for $50, you can pay that if you want, it’ll probably make him go away. But you didn’t call him, you didn’t sign a contract, you don’t owe him a nickel and he’s probably just a handyman. Or, just ignore it. I bet nothing becomes of it.

4

Why are you paying the plumber/remediation team at all? You didn’t hire them. When they showed up you told them to get lost. Don’t give them any money at all. That implies a business relationship that not only never existed, it’s one you don’t want.

Tell them if they show up again you’ll have them arrested for trespassing.

If they call the FD/city/whatever have your agreements with the guys you did hire at the ready to prove you are, in fact, taking care of them problem.

“Removed in a sterile environment”? WTF? You remove anything contaminated with sewage THEN sanitize everything. This sounds like a rip-off or a couple of con artists to me.

Also - is the plumbing problem related to the hoarder at all?

What do you mean by “hoarder”? That encompasses a wide range of things, some more unhealthy than others.

And no, it’s not surprisingly she’s a psychiatrist. Being a mental health professional in no way insulates you from mental illness any more than being a medical doctor makes a person immune to cancer or heart disease.

5

I agree with the others; you should never have agreed to pay the invoice. If you like, call the bluff of the remediation company and let them call the fire department. The worst that can happen is that your hoarder tenant is forced to clean up her place, and perhaps move. I think that would be a good thing. And I don’t know if you think that she’s involved in the racket (presumably not, though, as the threat is as much against her as you), but if not, tell them to send the invoice to her.

6

‘Worst that can happen’: it’s conceivable that the landlord might get cited for allowing unhealthy conditions to exist (the hoarding situation). Assuming that you do have the drywall etc. appropriately dealt with by your own people, I would assume the municipality couldn’t cite you for the toilet-overflow damage itself. I mean, um, “stuff” happens and you’re dealing with it. It would certainly be a hassle, but you should be legally OK if the repairs are accomplished promptly. Maybe the tenants could hit you up for paying for alternate accommodations?

The issues I see with the remediation guy who didn’t have rags or gloves: If he’s really a professional, that’s the kind of thing that is kinda a tool of the trade. I mean, if you call a plumber you expect him to have things like wrenches, and plungers and snakes with him; similarly the remediation guy should have rags, gloves, masks etc. with him on any call.

Also, the remediation guy seems to have said “pay me or I’ll rat on you”. If he’s reputable, he’ll rat on you (if warranted) regardless.

7

Well, not a word from them today. And today I had a parade of plumbers I know and trust going thru, and they pretty much said the same as you all. They all have these “remediation” companies calling them all the time for referrals for which they offer a kickback. One guy even said that some plumbers set their BIL or someone up as a “remediation company” just for shakedowns esp. when they think they forsee a big homeowner’s ins. claim. I won’t be making a claim.

Half filled a 40 yd. dumpster today with bags and bags and bags of crap, including poopy carpet, and baseboard. Had a long talk with her, and she’s now officially so terrified of me throwing her out, that she will do anything I ask. I was not mean, just forthright. She’s older, has multiple heath issues, and no family whatsoever. So taking responsibility on myself for letting it get so bad, I am going to have to take a more active role with her.

I told her this one is on me. Next time or from here on out, she pays. Not of course for the flood and damage should this occur again. (Camera-ed lines today, tomorrow we Bluestake and dig.) And I won’t be paying if I have to send her to a hotel for some days to finish the job. Getting quotes on a complete replumb, fixtures, water heater, and the out door mess. All carpeting will go out, tile to come in.

8

You’re a nice guy. I hope she knows how lucky she is.