Should I charge the tenant that cost plumbing all our sinks from dumping cooking oils?

[Karla128]

My plumber charged me $75 for the plumbing issues. The new guest is young as 20 only. And dumped oils to the sinks. My plumber charged $75 , which is very cheap from other plumbers in our areas for house calls on Sunday. 

My guest admits it, and said will not let it happens, and asked me what to do with cooking oil...I told him to put it in any containers and let me know, So I will dump it to oil recycling services in our area because he has no car. 

How does Airbnb handle this? How do hosts handle this? Looking forward to hearing from hosts!

Thanks

[Mike340]

@Karla128

You guest clearly seems unaware of the problems of putting oils into the plumbing system, and to be fair nor are half the restaurants and homes of the general public.

I have put up clear signs above the kitchen sink and advised in my house manual about the problem, as well as asking guests not to put any non-biodegradable items down the toilet.

Do not assume that your guests know these things...a 20 year old..well... I will not comment on what an average 20 year old might know or not...but I would have thought you have to just as much tell them, as they are to know...in this case..definitely tell a 20 year old.

So, in this case...I think it was clearly an accident caused by lack of knowledge, rather than any deliberate damage.  I would not attempt to charge the guest 100% ...it seems like 50/50 is fairer...but then look at whether you want to really push it for that 38 dollars or not....i am not sure it is.

[Karla128]

Thanks, Mike

I was thinking the same for 50/50

He is young but he said he lived in USA for 1 and a half years already. Plus he is Chinese from Shanghai. 

As we know that Shanghai is much more aware of plumbing issues from not even dumping toilet papers in the toilet. This is sold surprise to me to find that only one week from his cooking to plugged all the kitchen sinks. Even we have the best garbage disposal. Thanks for your advice. I will try that 50/50 and see how he responds. 

Just in case, anyone asks: Our plumbing is only 9 years young like new ...

[Sarah977]

@Karla128   One thing that helps to keep drains from plugging up when people are letting oils and things go down the drain is to wash your used coffee grounds down the drain. If the drain is already quite plugged, this wouldn't help, but if you do it on a regular basis, the coffee grounds are rough, they absorb the oils and scrape the drain clean.

[Karla128]

Thanks, Sara, for the tip. 

The problem is I do not use that kitchen at all, And I do have cleaner maintain weekly bases. 

Who would thought of someone cook nuddle with lots oil and dump it is the sink? 

I did not. 

I am aware of Asia love to use lots oil for cooking but never thought if this. 

Plus Shanghainese are usually never put toilet paper in the toilet at all... It does not seem logical at all... But I learn today that never assume it...  

Will post all items what not to dump to the sinks. 

Thanks

Maybe in different languages too. 

[Sarah977]

@Karla128   Well, most 20 year olds have never been homeowners, never had to pay for a plumber, or any kind of repairperson, or appliance repair, or a new appliance, or had to pay an electric or gas bill (utilities included in their rent wherever they normally live) and may still live most of the time with mommy, or they are just freshly out on their own. So they are often like children, even though they think of themselves as adults. Plus lots of people, no matter what age, don't seem to have any common sense.

[Karla128]

Yes, I agree with you. I have found age may not have much to do with it.

One of my 50s tenants dump the dental flosses in toilet sink too. Glad that he admits it... To stopped it.  ( He replied that he never heard of it at his 50 ages...!!!) I wonder why some house has to rebuild from those type of people? 

And understand this might be one of the reasons for most European family does not move as much as the USA and keep their house for generations. It is really comes done to family knowledge. 

Of course, we did not have the same type of toilet, or lots sink as it was 50 years ago...