Tenant seeks advice after landlord sends them monstrous water bill without warning: 'I wouldn't pay for that'

A leaky pipe could cost you hundreds on your water bill.

A Redditor asked r/LandlordLove for advice after a suspected water leak turned into a $900 bill.

"Seems like there's a leak somewhere, usually water usage is included in my monthly payment," they wrote. "[The landlord] texts me today, says that this month the houses usage was over 100,000 gallons and includes the bill as proof. No way I used that much water … I don't want to have tension and I just want some insight on what my options are."

It's a shocking amount of water — according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the "average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home." 

That's only around 10,000 gallons per month — nowhere near the hundreds of thousands of gallons the landlord billed for. 

To check for a leak, the Redditor should shut off their water and then check their meter. If the meter is still moving, that means water is still running somewhere, and there's a leak.

One commenter summarized it well: "Most likely you'd see evidence of a leak in just a few seconds of watching [the meter], but if you watch it for thirty seconds and nothing changes at all, there's certainly no leak that would add up to the amount being claimed."

It could even be a lawsuit, depending on the agreement. One user mentioned this, saying, "If your lease says water is included, it's included, and the landleech can suck it."

Unfortunately, there have been instances of battles between tenants and landlords across the country. From landlords flooding parking spaces to tapping into electricity and allowing leaky faucets to lead to massive water bills, tenants have struggled to make progress. 

In order to save money on utilities and ensure the ability to implement eco-friendly initiatives like installing solar panels or planting a garden, renters can try to work with landlords to change established rules. 

In this case, though, even small leaks can waste hundreds or thousands of gallons of water every year. The EPA estimated that the "average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day."

Fixing leaks can save trillions of gallons of water nationwide — that's why it's important to check for them. WaterSense even has a "Fix a Leak Week" to encourage and educate homeowners about the issue. 

For more ways to reduce your water usage (and save money on your bill), explore our guide and learn how to waste less water. From using a rain catcher to buying a reusable water bottle, these tips and tricks will help you save gallons and dollars. 

Commenters found the bill completely unreasonable.

"I wouldn't pay for that," one user said, and the Redditor agreed — no thanks. 

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