It's a Miracle!

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It's a Miracle! (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Jun 10, 2026 3:57 PM

It's a Miracle! (by Richard [MI]) Jun 10, 2026 4:28 PM

It's a Miracle! (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Jun 10, 2026 7:10 PM

It's a Miracle! (by Lucy [IN]) Jun 10, 2026 11:43 PM

It's a Miracle! (by zero [IN]) Jun 11, 2026 5:01 PM

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It's a Miracle! (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Posted on: Jun 10, 2026 3:57 PM
Message:

A few months back was noticing unusually high water bills for one of my duplexes. I let the tenants there know that we would be putting in water submeters to track down the issue.

We had suspicions that the lower performing tenant downstairs was doing laundry for friends and family outside the household. The washer and dryer were always going and you could continually smell dryer sheets. She had also complained about a $500 electric bill as well.

When we read the sub meter for the first WEEK it was an outrageous number. Something like three times what it should be for two people.

We immediately contacted her and she stated that she "only does 2 or 3 loads a week of laundry" and that "sometimes she has to jiggle the toilet handle"

Of course I immediately had the toilet guts replaced and told her she must report things like that IMMEDIATELY. Our helper didn't think the toilet innards were that bad off.

Was just over there Monday to mow and low and behold I smelled NO dryer sheets going. I had my helper read the meter today and it is back at a normal level!

Truth be told I think this miracle was the result of her stopping laundry services for friends and family more than it was the toilet slightly leaking. And yes, it's in the lease, no laundry services, car washes, etc. etc. for outside the household. --72.0.xxx.xx

It's a Miracle! (by Richard [MI]) Posted on: Jun 10, 2026 4:28 PM
Message:

Keep your eyes open. Now that you have caught her and possibly eliminated that source of money for her, she WILL find another way to get money. Dealing drugs? Who knows what? I'd keep a weekly eye on the meter and on her.

Maybe she will have a handyman friend put in a plumbing bypass around the meter so she can get free water or maybe wire around the electric too. Keep an eye on her because she will NOT like that the extra source of money is not there. --50.36.xxx.xxx

It's a Miracle! (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Posted on: Jun 10, 2026 7:10 PM
Message:

Richard, I don't think she was running a for profit laundry, I think she was doing laundry for her estranged husband, her grown daughter and her BF who don't live there, etc. --64.246.xxx.xx

It's a Miracle! (by Lucy [IN]) Posted on: Jun 10, 2026 11:43 PM
Message:

That's a good clause for the lease I hadn't thought of! --208.67.xxx.xx

It's a Miracle! (by zero [IN]) Posted on: Jun 11, 2026 5:01 PM
Message:

I had an inherited tenant that was doing that. I noticed the adult children coming in with baskets of laundry and coming out with baskets of wet laundry.

I didn't put sub meters on, I told her that she would start paying for the water bill. It is a duplex. She wasn't too happy but she stopped the free washer service.

Good on you to catch this and cause the miracle to happen. --47.227.xx.xxx

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