Repairs, Maintenance Washer overflowed and damaged floor of rental

[Sbowman]

Sunday my washing machine malfunctioned and flooded the laundry room area. The room has cheap laminate flooring and of course it was damaged. When we saw the damage we contacted our landlord, and he sent over a repairman to assess the damage. The floor has to be replaced. The repair man advised we put down tile in case it ever happened again, to us or future tenants. There are two boxes of tile in the pantry from when the kitchen floor was replaced, and he said we would need one more box and that would be plenty. This option is much cheaper than buying new laminate. However the landlord wants to use laminate again, and he wants us to pay for everything. It's going to be over $300 to fix. Does this sound right? I just don't want to be screwed over. The laminate was two years old. This may be irrelevant but it was also in subpar shape when we moved in, it bubbles up in places like it was not installed properly.

 

[Sbowman]

Ok the original post didn't sound clear enough...basically what I want to know is can he make us but and put down laminate floor against the repair man's recommendation? Can we say no and put down tile? If the floor floods again are we still responsible for replacing it again? I'm certain our washer is fixed but you just never know. It seems stupid to me to have laminate flooring in your laundry room. Is there a way we can not be made responsible for any future water damage because of this?

 

[army judge]

You pay now, or he may sue to evict you for destroying his property, and attempt to keep the deposit.

I suggest whatever you do, get it in writing signed by the owner.
Don't discuss this with the handyman.
Talk to the owner and ask, can we compromise because the tile was warped for $200? Negotiate, don't be obstinate.
Don't pick a fight when you're in no position to win, even if you win.

Then prepare to go up to $250, or ask f you can say $100 in your rent each month until its aid off at $250.

Be creative, give something, get something, never fight.

Who wants to waste time before a silly assed judge in a dress?

Make a deal, barter, negotiate, plead, beg, but don't demand and don't fight.

Watch how much better it gets. Never talk to the hired help, it only gets them in trouble.
Or, they also snitch to Mrs. Bigstuff.

 

[disagreeable]

Putting in a single piece laminate with properly caulked edges is just as effective as tile. Two year old laminate has 10 -18 years in useful life left.

 

[Sbowman]

So I have another question about this. But first, I don't see how laminate floor can be "just as good" as tile when you can't even mop it. If it gets wet, it's done for. So for a laundry room tile would be better... Anyway. So repairman comes Saturday and takes up floor, goes to Lowes, comes back and says they only had one box of the same laminate left and it's not enough for the whole floor. So he says that he will put down the tile. He leaves and says he will finish the job Monday. Then we don't hear from him until today (Wednesday). He would not answer calls and never called. Now he says landlord definitely wants the laminate still, and wants him to go to great lengths to find it. It has been discontinued and cannot be ordered. No Lowes within two hours of here have it, as he checked. So now he's going to check elsewhere. Meanwhile have a gaping hole in my laundry room where there is no floor. And repairman is charging us MORE to look for this stupid laminate. I am just at a loss. What can I do? I want the floor fixed! But he is insistent and I guess job will be delayed indefinitely??? I have two small kids and this floor is not safe. You have to walk through laundry room to get to play room, which is filled with flooring stuff so kids can't even use it. I'm just so frustrated.

 

[disagreeable]

Apparently you are talking about a faux wood laminate, not a traditional. That type is not good for area like you have.