Vacant Rental Sewer Problems

Vacant homes are always a challenge.  Homes were designed to be lived in and attended to.  When they are vacant for long periods, minor deferred maintenance can quickly balloon into serious problems.

Today, I got a call from a tenant who we had just moved in a couple days ago.  They were frantic.  The message: "There is sewage in our basement!!! Help!"

This particular home sat vacant for many months as it was renovated and then placed on the market for sale.  Since sales were slow, the owner decided to rent the home instead.  It was also built in the 1915 era with clay sewer pipes.  After calling Drain Tech to scour out the line, they determined that the pine tree in the front yard had grown roots into the line.  Also, since the home had been vacant for so long, any paper or other solids that sat in the line at the time had dried up.  When the new tenants arrived, the sudden rush of water expanded the waste again and it was impeded by the root ball that had grown in the meantime.

For this reason, landlords and investors should be careful and inspect sewer lines prior to taking ownership.  I recently replaced a sewer line at a property.  It was inconvenient but necessary to continue renting the building.  Had I known when I bought the property what I know now, I would have done the sewer inspection and perhaps acquired the property at better terms.

So, the moral of the story is be diligent and be prosperous.  A little due diligence goes a long way.