I rent a space in a strip mall style building for my restaurant. There is a recurring sewer line backup because the line is old and makes a 90° turn. This gets clogged a few times each year. The turn is about 160 feet from my shop. Despite this affecting at least four other tenants, I am always the person who calls to get it fixed.
The landlord knows what the problem is and will not fix the pipes because it is “cost prohibitive.” They have a contract with a local plumber to come blast hot water down the line periodically.
Even with that plumber coming out, we have backups a couple times a year still. The sewage backs up onto my floor through a floor drain, through my utility sink, and my toilet. Other tenants are similarly affected. Earlier this year it backed up so bad one of the other tenants closed for two days to have professional cleaner come in and clean up their store.
I am wondering what options I have here. I have a lawyer who helped me with my lease who I could contact. But I figured I would ask and see if anyone here had any suggestions before I make that call.
Sewer pipes can be both unclogged and repaired without ripping up the street using the newest technology.
The traditional approach to the problem is cost prohibitive. You might bring along some of this information and have a “Never Split the Difference” conversation.
My guess is that there is some number that works for your landlord when it comes to solving the problem…
If you get into a “What is?” “What if?” “What Wows?” and “What Works?” mindset, there possibly might be a workable solution. And do toss rent reduction and other mitigation solutions into the pot.
Getting to the state of “pitchforks, flaming torches, hot tar and feathers” easy. Finding a workable solution not so much…
Some issues can be resolved using trenches plumbing technology, but this specific problem of an old underground 90, mixed with tampons/blue shop towels/grease cannot be fixed like that. That fitting needs to be dug up, replaced with a longsweep, with and added 2 way cleanout that is jetted once a year both ways, with an investigation on who is flushing the towels, because that’s who I’d be backcharging the costs too