Maybe this is a piggyback off of bet’s post about not being in the mood. I got a text last night at 10:30 (thank you “do not disturb”) about none of the plumbing fixtures draining. The house has a septic system, so my mind went to the worst case scenario. I returned the text around 6 am and let them know I’d be over in the afternoon to check the septic system out. I go there around 2 with just the basic hand tools I keep in the car since it was on my way, with the intention of doing recon and returning with my fully stocked truck to make the repairs afterwards. I took the covers off of the septic tank and pump chamber and ran the pump manually. I verified the effluent filter was clean and the pop off valve was fully seated, which told me the backup was in the house’s main drain, and that the septic system was working as designed.

I walk into the house, flush the toilet and hear it gurgle. I explained to the tenant that the septic system was fine (it’s all mostly new after all) and like I explained during the lease signing, all plumbing stoppages are his responsibility to repair, per the lease. I let him know that I’d be happy to clear if for him, but it’ll be much cheaper to pay a plumber because I don’t work for free. He was surprisingly fine with that, which tells me he may already know what the problem is.

With us, it has been a toy flushed down the toilet most times. Small plastic soldier type if you can picture. Sometimes it is hair "scrunchies", etc, but the worst offender was baby wipes, a whole septic tank full, with a few ink pens for good measure, but the deposit had been returned so I was out of luck. Single woman had lived there several years and wasn't using it enough to be a problem. However when next tenants moved in, it was 2 people with one there all of the time and that's when we started having issues within a month or two.

I just posted a maybe-too-long post about getting a pita Section 8 person out,

I absolutely believe that if you make the routine things happen routinely, so much about our job handles itself.

You tackled that like a pro IMO. There was an issue, you investigated the scope and assigned them a follow up task. You might want to follow up one more time in a couple of days. There was a time when I did something like you did, although the issue was the carpeting on the steps, Two days later my living room pergo was in the driveway.

I didn't even give them a notice, I just filed. My lease says 5 days for non-payment and no notice needed for other breaches. I figure the flooring didn't accidently fall into the driveway.

I always install for rentals with a septic tank and in line drop filter that is attached to the mail drain pipe and goes into the Septic System, 1st Tank. When this spiral 3 foot long filter gets clogged, the drain backs up. But the main clean out at the other side of the rental has a pressure spring activated release clean out cap. So instead of the sewerage backing up in the house or going into the tank, a pile of stuff in ejected onto the rear lawn.

I'm not telling you how to run your business... But you may care in 3-4 weeks when after they do something bone-headed or do nothing at all and fill the bathtub with feces. Seen that happen twice...not in my houses, but in places I was considering purchasing..The smell is unbelievable.and the entire bathroom floor was soaked in human waste.

I care very much about maintaining the value of my property, so I am right on it for repairs and maintenance.

Letting the res plunge or snake or call a plumber sounds like my Rent Discount Program.