No hot water

[DeezNuts]

So I rent a house with a couple friends. My roommates are friends(and me kinda) with the girl whose parents own the house. Their other daughter lives in the back house and currently has a termite problem, so she needs to get it sprayed and tented. For them to do this, they will need to turn off the gas(hot water) from today until Tuesday.

Originally they had said from Friday-Monday, but since Friday is a holiday and some other reasons, it was extended. Now I'm not trying to be a dick about it, but I pay my rent on time, shouldn't I basically get a refund for the days that I basically have to stay at a friends place?

The girl in the back house(speaking for her parents) just emailed all of us saying how sorry she is for the inconvenience, and that she will buy a space heater, but the real problem will be the lack of hot water. I am one of those people who NEED a hot shower to start the day(especially weekdays) and this will be a major inconvenience. My roommates(2 girls) are way too nice and too connected to the owners to really cause a fuss, but I just feel having no hot water for basically 5 days calls for some type of rent rebate. Anyone been in a similar situation with thoughts on the matter?

DN

[MrTrik]

I think you are being a cheap bastard. Suck it up and shower at the gym or a friend's place. [censored] happens.

[tonypaladino]

I was in Florida a few years ago when there was some sort of gas main problem and most of Central Florida had no gas. We took cold showers and got used to it. If you want some hot water to wash your face or shave, just heat some up in the microwave or on a hot plate (or stove if yours is electric.)

And, At least you have water, once the water to my house was off completely for 72 hours. I had to stand in the shower and dump tepid water from gallon bottles on my head to bathe. It could be worse.

I don't think they owe you any rent money back, this could be considered an "Act of God" type thing.

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you are being a cheap bastard. Suck it up and shower at the gym or a friend's place. [censored] happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree (but I just wouldn't have said it quite like that).

[DeezNuts]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you are being a cheap bastard. Suck it up and shower at the gym or a friend's place. [censored] happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I was under the impression that renters had some rights and this was completely a landlord's responsibility to make up to his tenants. Everyone in the house is a working professional around 30 yrs old, so it's not like we are just going to miss class, and I pay over $1k in rent and I don't think 5-6 days of no water and having to stay with someone else is being "cheap".

I wanted to make sure that we were not being taken advantage of due to the relationship between my roommates and the landlord's daughter. I don't have this same relationship and it is purely landlord/tenant for me.

Thanks for the responses.

DN

[MrTrik]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think you are being a cheap bastard. Suck it up and shower at the gym or a friend's place. [censored] happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I was under the impression that renters had some rights and this was completely a landlord's responsibility to make up to his tenants. Everyone in the house is a working professional around 30 yrs old, so it's not like we are just going to miss class, and I pay over $1k in rent and I don't think 5-6 days of no water and having to stay with someone else is being "cheap".

I wanted to make sure that we were not being taken advantage of due to the relationship between my roommates and the landlord's daughter. I don't have this same relationship and it is purely landlord/tenant for me.

Thanks for the responses.

DN

[/ QUOTE ]

And I think that water heaters fail. Gas lines need to be shut off. Plumbing can have problems. This would be true whether or not you have a Landlord.

[mostsmooth]

i think you should pay only 5/6 of your months rent for this month, or ask them to reimburse you for a hotel

[sarahbellum]

[ QUOTE ]
I was under the impression that renters had some rights

[/ QUOTE ]

Tenants DO have rights, and they vary by state and county. In my county, a tenant cannot be without hot water for more than 24 hours. You need to search for yourself and see what is true in your own county. Unfortunately my law does not allow for reimbursements -- the choices are litigation, moving out, and other annoying choices.

[BadBoyBenny]

I'm on your side dude. I think the landlord needs to shut the gas off in November you should be reimbursed for the rent you would have had to pay. Depends somewhat on where you live though.

[BadBoyBenny]

God isn't shutting off the gas, the landlords are.

[DeezNuts]

[ QUOTE ]
God isn't shutting off the gas, the landlords are.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, after the first few posts, I thought I was being a [censored] or losing my mind, but I honestly think that the landlord has a responsibility to his tenants when shutting off the gas for this long. When does it become their responsibility, after 2 weeks? A month? I should still pay a full months rent for that?

I'm not some 20 yr old that can just go crash on the floor at my buddy's place. I have sent an email back to the daughter saying that it is the weekend was already an inconvenience, extending it to Mon/Tues is just too much, hinting at a reimbursement of rent. I don't want to strain relations too much, but 6 days is unacceptable w/o at least some compensation.

DN

[tonypaladino]

[ QUOTE ]
God isn't shutting off the gas, the landlords are.

[/ QUOTE ]

The termite infestation is the act of god.

[BadBoyBenny]

The act of God happened to the landlord, not the OP.

IMO He/She should have no right to inconvience you by cutting off the gas in novemeber to protect some other property they own without you getting some type of reparation.

[captswifty]

I agree with you. Most states have tenants rights laws that specify things like being able to heat the property above 65 degrees and having 110 degree water. Explain to them politely that you can't live in a house for almost a week with only space heaters and no hot water. Any decent landlord wouldn't make you pay rent for those days.