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B/O won't condemn my apartment

Bender

Bender

SAWHORSE
Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
22
Location
King County
Hi all, I work as a building inspector in the state of Washington. My B/O will not condemn my apartment and I don't know what to do. My apartment is on the ground floor and sewer started backing up into my tub on Saturday the 13th and has happened 3 times since then. The plumber the apartment complex had out cleared the line and videoed it and found a larger break in the line at the foundation. My complex has not been helpful and doesn't want to pay for a emergency repair. They are saying it will take at least till February 2nd to get it repaired. My complex also wants me to not use the plumbing or water now. My sewer is down stream of three more units and all their **** comes into my apartment. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, my B/O says it's better than living in a cardboard box and he has no legs to stand on. I know he does in the IBC, UPC,and IPMC. How can I get my director to understand that we have these codes and can inforce them. Please help. Thanks in advance.
 
I have red tags, as do most inspectors. Do it yourself. I wouldn’t hesitate to red tag the upstream units as well.

I don’t know the rules in Washington state but here I would be protected…. And the BO already didn’t like me.
 
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I do have red tags and the ability to do this. But my BO has never backed up my red tags. I also don't want it to appear that I am using my position of power to influence the outcome in my favor.
 
Yankee Chronicler said:
You are a building inspector? Is there a municipal or county health department? If so, I'm certain they would see raw sewage backing up into a dwelling unit as an urgent problem.
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Yes I'm the building inspector for the city I live in.The B/O is my boss. The health department said it was a city issue and was nice but not helpful.
 
Bender said:
Hi all, I work as a building inspector in the state of Washington. My B/O will not condemn my apartment and I don't know what to do. My apartment is on the ground floor and sewer started backing up into my tub on Saturday the 13th and has happened 3 times since then. The plumber the apartment complex had out cleared the line and videoed it and found a larger break in the line at the foundation. My complex has not been helpful and doesn't want to pay for a emergency repair. They are saying it will take at least till February 2nd to get it repaired. My complex also wants me to not use the plumbing or water now. My sewer is down stream of three more units and all their **** comes into my apartment. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, my B/O says it's better than living in a cardboard box and he has no legs to stand on. I know he does in the IBC, UPC,and IPMC. How can I get my director to understand that we have these codes and can inforce them. Please help. Thanks in advance.
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Get all the video and photo evidence, make a claim with your insurance company for your renter's policy and they will put you in a hotel until it is fixed. In addition, they may try to subrogate with the landlord's insurance company. You can't control your BO, but you can control what you do. If you did not buy renters insurance, then that's on you.
 
I learned a long time ago that sometimes the insurance company needs me to be the "bad guy" so that their policy holders can get what they should be getting.

It's one thing to not issue an order when you have an occupant telling you they will have to live in their car, but if they are asking you too...
 
jar546 said:
Get all the video and photo evidence, make a claim with your insurance company for your renter's policy and they will put you in a hotel until it is fixed. In addition, they may try to subrogate with the landlord's insurance company. You can't control your BO, but you can control what you do. If you did not buy renters insurance, then that's on you.
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THIS. Absolutely correct.

You can't control the BO and red-tagging your own place of residence will land you in court with the landlord. Pretty easy to establish a special relationship with yourself, haha. Even your BO should look to have another AHJ make determination to be objective.
 
classicT said:
THIS. Absolutely correct.

You can't control the BO and red-tagging your own place of residence will land you in court with the landlord. Pretty easy to establish a special relationship with yourself, haha. Even your BO should look to have another AHJ make determination to be objective.
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The neighbors’ shlt is ending up in his bathtub. The story starts and stops right there. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Were I the judge and a landlord sued this tenant, I would jail the landlord.

The BO is an idiot. Him I would fire.

Move. Start with a motel and then find an apartment. Take the landlord to small claims court for the motel, restaurants, moving expenses and general screw you money.

Where I worked tenant landlord issues were handled by the health department. That means that I lacked jurisdiction over rental properties. That didn’t stop me from using red tags.

It didn’t happen often but there were moldy messes with rotten floors and plenty of swimming pools involved. My managers and health dept managers chewed me out for writing the violation but not for the violation. In other words they agreed with me but had to chew me out anyway.

I would promise to not do that again… every time.

Have you ever wondered where the term “fired” came from? Back in time if the townsfolk were soooo done with you. They burned your house down and ran you out of town.
 
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ICE said:
Where I worked tenant landlord issues were handled by the health department. That means that I lacked jurisdiction over rental properties. That didn’t stop me from using red tags.
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I am shocked, quite honestly, that the health department would decline to address a situation involving raw sewage backing up into a dwelling unit. I can't even imagine a health department that wouldn't be on top of that in less than a minute. Actually, the same applies to your BO. Is your entire city/county corrupt?

Take a video and contact the local television stations. Invite them to come over and film the [bleep} coming up out of your bathtub.
 
In CA,

Landlords’ responsibilities​

Landlords have obligations to the tenants. The law requires landlords to keep the premises safe and in good condition and to:

  • Fix water leaks from the roof, doors, windows, or walls.
  • Repair plumbing, gas, heating, and electrical problems.
  • Keep the grounds outside your unit clean, safe, and free of pests such as mice and roaches.
  • Supply enough trash bins
If they don't the tenants can make the repairs, and deduct the costs from their rent
 
Bender said:
Hi all, I work as a building inspector in the state of Washington. My B/O will not condemn my apartment and I don't know what to do. My apartment is on the ground floor and sewer started backing up into my tub on Saturday the 13th and has happened 3 times since then. The plumber the apartment complex had out cleared the line and videoed it and found a larger break in the line at the foundation. My complex has not been helpful and doesn't want to pay for a emergency repair. They are saying it will take at least till February 2nd to get it repaired. My complex also wants me to not use the plumbing or water now. My sewer is down stream of three more units and all their **** comes into my apartment. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, my B/O says it's better than living in a cardboard box and he has no legs to stand on. I know he does in the IBC, UPC,and IPMC. How can I get my director to understand that we have these codes and can inforce them. Please help. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Have you tried contacting WABO and the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC)? Both of these organizations are very influential in assisting building officials with education and collaboration. And notify your Building Official in writing and cc' the Development Director, the City Manager and the City Council.

Since you appear to be in King County, the County Building Official and the King County Code Enforcement Division may also be of help for you. Lastly, if you haven't already obtained legal council, then you should. Because you will have to seek action against the building owner, manager, and the BO. Please keep us informed on how this turns out.
 
I think you got some good advice here so I'm not going to add anything regarding the current predicament you're in. I will give you two other pieces of advice though:

1. Look for another job.
2. Never live in the jurisdiction you work for.

When I was new as an inspector I rented in the city I worked for for about a year. Couldn't get out soon enough and when moving time came anything within the city limits was automatically off the list. Best decision ever. When you leave work, you need to be able to leave work. I don't care what my neighbor's doing because it's not in my jurisdiction. I'm to the point where I don't even want to shop or go to restaurants in the city I work for, you can't "un-see" some things.
 
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