unblocking sink in rental

[samsonara]

The letting agent has called me to say tne tenant has called about a maintenance issue, the bathroon sink is blocked. I told the agent that I didn't really consider it a landlords maintence issue, until the tenant, who probably blocked it through the usual hair and fluff that falls into sink, has tried to unblock it using chemical sink unblocker and if that hasn't worked then yes it would need looking into. Am I on the right lines or not here?

im in rental and if our sink blocked and plunging didn't work (we are on a septic tank) i would ask the LL, as i wouldn't want to damage the plumbing and risk losing my deposit.

do you have a septic tank that render chemical unblockers useless?

I'd agree with you. We had blocked sinks regularly in our rental and, as you say, of course it's just normal gunk that is from our lives. We would buy chemical unblocker and take it from there.

However, those are expensive (at close to £5 for a good one), so you might find your tenant is feeling a bit skint and doesn't want to even pay that!

good point bamboobutton, I don't think it is on a tank, I hope I'm right in thinking that as the tank was leaking and it got disconnected, but wasn't removed as it's not easy getting it down from roof) but plunging is a good starting point. I hope it is just a case of too much gunk down the plug hole.

What does the letting agent think? They should have some idea if it's normal to be the landlord's responsibility. If I was renting then I think I'd expect this to be done for me.

Also, maybe they have tried unblocking it. Our bathroom sink was blocked a couple of months ago. It took me a few days using the chemical stuff and plunging in between uses to sort it. Gave myself blister with the plunger too. Would I have done that in a rental? No.

Thanks BlingLoving. I think it's the new open plug holes, in our bathroom we have the one with the sections and an attached rubber plug that means the opening catches hair and bits making it easier to catch throw away, whereas the rental one has the push up and down to plug the sink, or lift it and have a hole that lets alot through.

Blocked sinks and drains are a tenant's responsibility as they are generally the person that has caused it.

If all waste goes into the same pipework outside the property you may find it is actually a blockage of fat from the kitchen sink that is causing it.

It is their responsibility to act in the first instance and try to resolve it.

If you know it is a shared drain etc and there have been problems historically, then as a landlord you must act.

Similarly if the drain has "collapsed".

But they must make every effort to remove whatever teh blockage is, even calling out Dynarod if needs be.

Should you have to do it on their behalf because they are skint, then ask any company who attends to detail the cause on the invoice and ask for this to be deducted from the deposit. Obviously only if it is deemed to due to a blockage caused by them.

When I was in this situation in rental, the landlady rang me and asked me to use a specific chemical unblocker (one she recommended) and then to phone her back in 24 hours if it hadn't worked.

She also told me to deduct the cost of the chemical from the monthly rent payment which was a nice gesture (although I didn't - it was only a few pounds).

So yes - I think right lines - but be polite and nice about it. Don't make it sound like you're shrugging it off.

MissAnnElk, yes maybe they have, they will get back to me. The rental agent staff who called was a young lad who didn't seem to know what a blocked bathroom sink meant, when I expalined it was prob just usual gunk, that could be dissolved away he seemed to agree. I know those plungers can be tough on fingers, we have really old one, whose wooden handle is a bit worn down, but the plunge bit is really effective.

Thanks BigBadMummy and theyoungvisitor, good advice I appreciate it. ThanksBigBadMummy for outlining about the blocked sinks being tenants responsibility as I agree it is through use, which is the only time I have come across it myself as that is what I was trying to explain to the letting agent.