# Legality of advertising a rental with no running water? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546 "2014-10-06T14:21:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/1 "2014-10-06T14:21:25Z")
This may be a stupid question, but Craigslist sparked my curiosity and I couldn’t google the answer: is it legal to advertise a rental unit with no running water? I found [this ad](http://i.imgur.com/rauMPKL.png) today to rent a log cabin. It has electricity and is situated next to a creek, but no running water. Who’d want to rent a place without the ability to take a shower? I wouldn’t want to live there. Someone else might be interested since the rent is low, but this is upstate New York. The ad says a pump could be rigged up from the nearby creek, but it’s about to get colder than a titch’s witty here. I don’t know if that creek freezes over in winter, but I bet it’s possible. What say ye, legal types? ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/2 "2014-10-06T14:27:24Z")
As long as they’re open about it, some people are rugged living types. My son would love a place like that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/3 "2014-10-06T15:04:41Z")
Lots of folks like in places without electricity or running water. There are plenty of ways to keep clean without indoor plumbing. I’d be surprised if it was illegal to do so in those areas. It might be different in a developed community. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/4 "2014-10-06T15:06:37Z")
Might be outside a city or county limit that requires water service. I’ve got several friends whose families own cabins in upstate NY without water (and some without electricity). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/5 "2014-10-06T16:25:44Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > What say ye, legal types? How can legalities be given without at least a general location? ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/6 "2014-10-06T16:35:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How can legalities be given without at least a general location? The OP mentioned upstate New York. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-advertising-a-rental-with-no-running-water/700546/7 "2014-10-06T16:47:44Z")
there are rural areas which have no building codes applied to them. even if there are codes the building may have predated them and be grandfathered in.