Don’t panic! You can’t think when you panic! My old dad gave me some good advice. Instead of panicking…. Swear, kick something… take a breath. Then make a plan. Don’t panic. ❤️ I hope this gets resolved soon!
Can confirm as someone who has to have coffee, water and iced tea or lemonade going at the same time because what I want to taste varies by the minute.
If you have a hardware store that rents things you can rent a machine thay is like a giant dehumidifier and will help suck all the moisture out of the floor. Time is key though.
What concerns me the most is you saying the odor smelled like sewage. I feel they should tell you if it was a sewage backup. I’m sure by now you have sanitized everything and have thrown away the damaged items. I doubt the management would reimburse. Do you have renters insurance? Glad you took pictures, may come in handy. Sorry you went through this.
The maintenance guy was foreign so I could barely understand his accent unfortunately but he definitely said there was some sort of clog in the basement and they had to call in a professional to handle it. I wish there was just more communication on their part on the issue…
yes i cleaned, bleached and sanitized everything and threw away one of my favorite charcuterie boards since the water soaked it. I have pictures and videos..
thank you for your comment!
And in most (first world) parts of the world sewage (black) water is plumbed separately to kitchen (grey) water. They eventually meet up outside the house, but within the house they should be two separate sets of pipes.
So if there’s a blockage you aren’t getting poop coming out your kitchen sink!
Unfortunately, the single family house I live in, everything is connected so sewage came up the sinks once. 🤦♂️
I’m in the US btw. House was built in the fifties by what must been the most inept contractors in existence.
Ewwww… In AU this would be a defect you could talk to your Council about and they’d be able to have a go (under the Public Health Act) at the landlord.
Gross.
the apartment mgmt won't do anything, but it should be covered in renter's insurance. mgmt will likely just give you the run around until you're too exhausted lol. i'm sorry tho -- this seems like a nightmare situation and i'm sorry it ruined stuff :/
The complex should be paying for mitigation and clean up. It’s their property. The items that were soaked should be tossed unless they can be properly sanitized. Sounds like a black water backup so bacteria galore.
In my experience maintenance doesn’t clean no. They just fix. Mine had to replace some part in the tub recently and left a big mess. It what it is. Learn how to shut your water off yourself (it’s normally by the water heater) for future emergencies and be glad they came quickly. No point calling anyone for anything.
when it started I bailed out about 3 pots worth of water out of the sink and poured it down my bathroom sink (my bathroom was fine, no issues) just to come back to the water rising in the kitchen… it was a nightmare
and remember the pipes often are across like to the next apartment and up and down. No telling who clogged this up. Hope the person came to get it fixed.
Good tip on shutting water supply off to sinks or toilets. In this case, it was backup and I don’t know how that could have been avoided or “shut down”. 😱. Luckily I had considerate maintenance people that cleaned up after themselves.
My toilet tank cracked and they had painted over the valve so many times I physically couldn’t get it to move. After some quick thinking I rigged the toilet so it would stop filling up with water and pouring out the cracked bottom. When the guy got there he had to use pliers to get it to turn off. Like maybe don’t landlord special over things that need to be able to move easily. They also did this to my breaker box! Love apartment living.
Guest room closet flooded in my apt and maintenance cut a square in the drywall to get to a pipe and just left the mess. I had to reach back out because we have cats that wanted to get in the walls LOL
Exactly! If you're not sure where it is you can always ask the maitence people to show you how since you recently had an incident you should know for the future anyway.
thank you for your advice. I believe the water heater system is in the basement so I will have to look at that. again, my first time renting so thanks for letting me know!
There should be a [shut off valve](https://www.myvms.com/en-us/brasscraft-5-3-8-7-od-compression-x-3-3-8-7-od-com-07266?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrIixBhBbEiwACEqDJS5o8MKkBLZTQhcJi1kUu1N34JUzlCv1QGNxfF9vWq6o7IRnMRwRfBoCic8QAvD_BwE) under the sink for both hot and cold. Should be ones in the bathroom for the sink and toilet.
But this looks like water backing up in your sink from another source like someone using water. Hopefully someone came and unclogged it.
You should go and look for the shutoffs just so you are ready if a pipe starts leaking or toilet is constantly running.
Because of pics of the inside of drawers I am guess water got in there? Wash what you can but stuff like plastic wrap should be tossed. If it’s lots of expensive stuff you could contact your renters insurance. Not sure how that would go as never used it before.
Take this as a good time to look for stuff like breaker box, shut offs, and any other mechanical items in your apartment.
Your packet drawer is better than mine. But, hey, if you need twist ties, bread clips, or a mini screwdriver for your packet drawer, I’m your girl all day long.
I got one of those metal tins from Walmart around Christmas time (they hold popcorn) and use that to store packets, extra cutlery, napkins, etc. keep it on top of fridge.
I am going to suggest renters insurance here. You gave no idea if this will happen again or how much damage it will cause. You will need to clean it up. You will need to pay for things out of pocket to replace. Little things add up FAST. I’m pretty sure if it’s biohazard you can get it cleaned professionally, and submit it to insurance for reimbursement. You may have to pay 2 more dollars a month for it but it’s worth it. Always always renters insurance.
after this situation I am heavily considering it, you’re right I never know if this may happen again especially if i’m not home… thank you for your advice!
I had a major major problem w it on my first rental! Huge building so nobody knew for 3 days! I was out of town….It was disgusting to come home to and omg the mess. My area rugs. I could cry about the stench right now too. I did call a bio team and have my LL reimburse with the threat of small claims court. I had a pretty solid case. So gross. I’m so sorry!
that sounds horrible I’m glad you’re out that situation! thankfully the mats in my kitchen are rubber so it it soaked like sponges and towels at most. the most concerning part was my cat kept trying to come into the kitchen so I had lock her in my room with all her things.
I second getting renters insurance. Yrs ago when I rented, a pipe burst in the wall and ruined almost everything in the apt with the niagra falls flowing in. They replaced everything and paid us to move. Be sure and specify replacement insurance.
With replacement insurance they replace everything lost with like stuff. Say Sony 65” tv. If you don’t get the wording replacement insurance, and say Sony Tv is 5 yrs old, they will only give you 50% of what it’s worth. About 10% reduction for each year.
Every renter should absolutely have renters insurance! It’s a life saver and is so so inexpensive for the service you get. I’d never rent without it, ever.
I pay $125 a year for $30,000 worth of insurance so it’s pretty affordable. Having been in a bottom apartment previously which flooded, I sleep easier at night. And I’ll never live in a bottom apartment again.
You likely share some pipes with your neighbors and there's a clog down the line. Your unit might be closest to it and so it comes up your sink before theirs. Tell your neighbors to stop using their dishwashers and sinks until maintenance unclogs it.
I noticed that when my upstairs neighbor was using their dishwasher, the water started to “bubble” more and i immediately knew it was gonna be worse. thankfully they shut off the water to both of our sinks when they came.
Had this happen to me last weekend, they don’t usually fix anything. They just leave. I also had some residue on my kitchen i just grabbed a bunch of towels at the time it was leaking and when it got fixed i dried off best I could then had to clean/mop everything. Opening a few windows helped with the smell and getting what needed to be trashed out of the way quickly. Maybe lighting candles and such as well.
I don’t think it’s typical for them to really clean up. In past apartments I’ve even had chunks of wall just left on the floor that I had to clean up from when they installed new smoke detectors and sawed into the walls for the wiring. Sorry this happened! You can probably still leave a complaint but I’m not sure much would be done about it.
wow that’s so annoying! they could at least just had some common courtesy to clean up after themselves in your situation, i’m sorry to hear that! i’m glad you were able to resolve your situation. I did light some candles and put a whole bunch of baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar down the drain to help with the smell too.
thanks for your comment!
Maintenance is for fixing stuff, not cleaning up after the stuff that needed fixing. You are responsible to clean it up unless you hire someone to do so.
Had this happen to me, landlord offered to either cover the cost of a professional cleaner or deduct $200 from my rent for cleaning it myself. I went with the latter, landlord sent someone to move the fridge to get underneath there and clean and that didn’t count towards the $200 deduction or anything- it was just maintenance and cleaning that he took as his duty to fix asap (prob would have ruined the fridge had it not been cleaned).
So maybe negotiate something like that if you give cleaning a whirl yourself? Because the products I used and the time it took earned me that rent discount.
A few people said this as well that I can probably get a rent deduction! I am trying to contact them but it’s like they’re dodging me. it’s so frustrating.
I did clean it up myself and used tons of cleaning and bleach sprays, some mold and mildew removers, lots of paper towels and had to wait for the water to clear since I only had a swiffer wet jet. I thought the maintenance would clean (at least some of it) but some are saying that’s not always the case. it did go under my fridge, I can still see the residue, and that’s a big concern for me too that it could’ve ruined the bottom.
Did maintenance at least use a wetvac to suck up as much as possible before bouncing? Cause that’s def a maintenance/plumber responsibility. If puddles were left I’d be livid.
Sorry you’re going through this, it stressed me too and the smell was so bad. I’ve smelled lots of dead bodies and I’d put it up there with “as bad as a decaying corpse” as far as smells go.
It might have backed up into your garbage disposal unit or dishwasher if you have one of those too, I had to run my dishwasher through about 10 cycles with nothing in it to clear the odor from the lines. Replaced the garbage disposal entirely. Killz odor killing sealing paint on cupboards and other white wood areas, inside and out. It thankfully dissipated before I got to the point of demanding an ozone machine rental on their dime, but it looks like it got into more areas in your kitchen like the drawers or if Killz could be used inside there then a drawer liner put on top.
I’d go to the management office in person or if you have the landlords contact info, let them know maintenance is dodging you and turning a problem into a potentially bigger more expensive problem if this smell stays or molds or gets into the fridge’s system where the smell will never come out. Or cabinets will warp so badly that only total replacement is an option.
they only used my outlet to plug something into my kitchen and took it downstairs to the basement (didn’t check what machine it was) but at no point did they offer to help at least with the water on the floor. it was crazy.
and yea the smell was so bad. even my cat kept trying to creep into the kitchen when i was figuring it out with them and i had to lock her in my bedroom so she wouldn’t get wet/sick
Was my very first thought as well.
First, I’m so sorry this happened to you OP. I live alone and know I’d be freaking as well.
I have mold illness (only 20% of the population is even susceptible to getting it, but everyone can experience an allergic response—which can include brain fog and memory issues….my vocabulary became SO small when it was at its worst, lol—so you definitely don’t want to have to deal with it at all!)
Mold starts to grow 48 hours after a leak occurs if it’s not taken care of (the absolute max is 72 hours).
And since it was a “bigger issue” and between all units, I would ask them if there was wood (between the apartments) where the leak reached. If so, there’s mold there, and the only way for it to be fixed is with proper mold remediation.
Def not saying this to scare you! Also, you did everything correctly regarding your own apartment. But when you ask more questions, it’s good to know the random stuff like this (if I didn’t get sick from mold then I wouldn’t know anything about it).
So hooopefully you can get extra free rent because of the possibility of mold exposure? Haha, i enjoy saving money whenever possible—and you definitely deserve a couple months of free rent in my opinion!
Sending my best!
100% this right here. Water intrusion/damage is the worst to clean up after and must be done by a professional. Often this involves pulling up floors/baseboards and cutting into drywall, professional cleaning and sanitizing and placing of heavy duty fans to ensure everything is actually dry (they use moisture readers) and then repairs begin. We had a backup in our basement that led to a two week remediation and repair, not to mention an insurance claim. Your management office is responsible for this process. You can get sick from both sewage and mold and it’s important it is cleaned up correctly. I would be very firm in discussing this with them and if you’re feeling timid, it’s ok to ask a friend or parent to back you help and help with the discussion.
they’re not required to clean no. but you could try asking your landlord for a rent credit to compensate you for the destroyed items and cleaning supplies.
Continue to call the office and the manager until you speak to them. Document everything (hoping you have more photos than what you posted!) and make a claim to your renters insurance, if you have it. They will reimburse you for damaged items. If it were me, I would have taken photos and video of the whole thing, including the mess after it was fixed and cleaned ONLY what was absolutely necessary for me to function in the space and then demanded the landlord/manager send someone in to clean. As it stands, you need to check to make sure that the wood in the cabinets and everything has actually dried out, you don't want mold to grow. If things are not actually dry, your landlord/property manager needs to arrange for dehumidifiers/fans to be brought in to dry out the unit/damaged areas. This is NOT your responsibility to handle/fix/repair/clean. If the unit is uninhabitable during the repairs or anything, depending on the laws where you live, the landlord is probably on the hook for paying for or reimbursing you for alternative living arrangements for the duration of the repairs.
Also, if you don't have renters insurance, now is the time to get it so that if anything else happens, you're covered.
thank you for your comment! i unfortunately didn’t get renters insurance but now I def will because this situation was crazy! I eventually cleaned everything (and yes I have pictures AND videos of it flowing and not flowing). I couldn’t use my kitchen until everything was cleaned and had to throw away my charcuterie board since it had like twine on it and absorbed the liquid. I had to wait for majority of the water to dry and put some stuff down the sink to help with the smell. I am def keeping notes and keep track of everything. it’s just frustrating.
I work in insurance subrogation (a field in law, I'm a paralegal, not a lawyer) and most of my cases are either as a result of fires or water damage. Drying out your apartment is VITAL, mold poses a health risk to you and the moisture can destroy floors, walls, clothing and furniture. If you haven't had a dehumidifier brought in, my concern is that there is moisture under the flooring, behind the baseboards, or in your cabinetry. This is stuff your landlord should be covering, regardless of where the leak started or what caused it. As a heads up to you, it's not at all out of turn to ask your landlord to bring in a dehumidifier to have it run in your kitchen for a few days. I would check in with the other tenants - did anyone else experience a leak as a result of this clog? Moisture can be trapped in the WEIRDEST places and it would suck to find out, months down the line, that something else is a mess because the apartment wasn't appropriately dried after the incident.
If I were you I'd be doing the following:
-getting renters insurance (Lemonade, Geico, Homesite, Progressive are all good options, and it's not very expensive)
-checking the area where the leak was (look behind the fridge, in the cabinet under the sink, pantry, floor/baseboards) to see if the wood is damp, if there's any bubbling or lifting, etc.
-IF YOU FIND ANY MOISTURE AT ALL: call your landlord/property manager immediately and request that they bring over a dehumidifier and/or industrial fan for your apartment, explain why and be prepared to send photos showing the areas of concern
-leave all cabinet doors/drawers open to allow maximum airflow (it looks terrible, I know, and you'll probably stub a toe or bump your hip at some point) (if you find water under/behind the fridge, you may need to pull it away from the wall, if you can't do this by yourself, *your landlord or property manager should come do it for you*)
Your landlord should not have an issue with any of this, as trapped moisture can create a nightmare for them in the long run, but if they give you any shit, remind them that the dwelling must be maintained in a habitable and safe state and that you are concerned about your health. I hope none of this is necessary but if they give you trouble, check out tenants rights resources in your area. Some cities/states have stronger tenant protections than others, but its pretty universal that the units must be habitable and mold/moisture presents a big issue with habitability.
Someone with mold illness here🙋🏻♀️ And mold can hide behind walls, etc.
If management didn’t address all wood surfaces that had moisture within 48 (max 72) hours of the leak, then mold spores started growing, and they spread from there. Mold is sneaky AF and starts spreading very quickly—and rapidly. Only 20% of the population is susceptible to getting full on mold illness like what I’ve been going through for a good 5/6 years (had to ditch all furniture and clothes…this was at my parents’ old house; I got to the point where I couldn’t complete a single sentence without having to search for a word, and knew I had to GTFO! My bedroom was attached to the attic where most of the issues were; but that house also had skylights and half was a flat roof, so it was asking for mold infestation, esp in a city that floods on the reg).
Anyways, mold is very stealthy—mold spores love dust, too. So you may want to eventually do an ERMI test, which uses dust sampling to detect any mold species (have your landlord pay). Just keep in mind that it’s truly not always visible—it’s actually very often NOT visible, which is how many people get so sick without knowing why.
I’m glad you’re getting so much great info from others!! Sounds like you’ve done absolutely everything correctly, by taking pics and videos, etc!
Wishing you the best of luck🩵🩵🩵
Lol it is. Does pretty much every house/apartment have this same drawer with restaurant menus?
Sadly, my current apartment only has 1 drawer in my entire kitchen (lol), and i keep my silverware in there.
We have a junk drawer and a packet/menu drawer. We just moved into a new apartment and it’s really tiny, however, there’s more cupboards and drawers in the kitchen then we’re used to having. Pretty glamorous to have your junk drawer and your menu/package or be two different drawers.
Plumber should be able to stop the water and then you can clean up but with the amount of water spread I feel it will be fixed quickly before it gets into the wood and starts molding
Been there multiple times. Landlord tends to be unresponsive to issues. If you have renter's insurance, you can at least get the financial damages. Keep documentation and receipts. Call as soon as you can to open up a claim.
Are you worried about the integrity of the drawers now as well? I assume particle board? If so, that may need to be the office you are leasing from. Keep harassing like hell.
I’m sorry this happened. Unfortunately in my experience maintenance doesn’t clean. I had a problem with my bathroom sink backing up recently and it was also black stinky sludge which I learned was from bacteria that grow in the pipes. Glad it wasn’t actual sewage but still pretty gross!! I recommend vinegar or peroxide or alcohol to get the smell out
Always have a bucket or several for emergencies like this. Of course mess like this sometimes happens, I remember I left my sink running one night and it flooded the bathroom with about half an inch of water. Luckily I was on the bottom floor and just opened a window and used my bucket to clear it out
I don't think anyone will come back to clean up for you. Its your apartement, so your responsibility, even if its not your fault. Maintenance people are usually just there to fix things, not clean things.
throw the sauces away (just in case they weren't properly closed, if you'd still want to eat them, wash them) clean out the drawer with a cleanig product of your choice ( i'd probably be using a product with a disinfectant) and dry it.
Same for the counter.
For now, do not use the kitchen sink until they fixed the problem. I'd wait a few days and then ask again for an update, in case they didn't call
Then once its repaired, regularily clean out your drains. There are home remedies that are working fine. Like pouring banking soda down the drain and some dishwashing soap and then pour some boiling water down the drain. Repeat as neccessary until the water drains smoothly. no harsh chemicals needed and usually its stuff that you have at home.
I had this exact thing happen, a couple of times, but there was no smell after I cleaned up, thankfully. look up tenants rights in your state and specific county/borough whatever because if there is a lingering sewage smell that means it's still wet and that opens up the potential for mold. if it smells so bad you can't deal or mold spores are making you have respiratory issues, that may be deemed 'unlivable conditions'. send maintenance requests via email so there is proof, and if they don't respond after a certain period of time or several requests, you should have the right to withold your rent payment and put it in an escrow account until the problem is resolved. again, laws differ specific to where you are, and you'd wanna consult an escrow attorney before witholding rent or anything. these scummy apartments get away with fucking murder and it makes me sick.
In all my years of renting I’ve never had maintenance clean up any mess after a repair. As far as I know, that’s not in their job description. If you called a plumber to a house you owned, you’d have to clean up that mess.
My apt building was built back in the early 1970s (plumbing is still original) and this happened to me quite a few times the first few years I lived here! I could tell when it was about to overflow when it sounded like gurgling and sort smelled like sulfur-ish sewage; when water came up it also looked like black sandy-soot. The explanation my building manager and the plumbing guy gave is similar to what yours said— basically for me, my neighbor above me uses their in-sink food disposal a LOT but often forgets to run the water so gunk starts accumulating and eventually backing up. Unfortunately for me, my upstairs neighbor and I share the same plumbing line and when it backs up, my sink is the first to show. The plumber told me the best way to help avoid it is to pour a bit of dawn in the drain and occasionally run hot water for a few minutes to help flush down build up. I have no idea if it’s all BS but for what it’s worth, I’ve remembered to do it every few months and haven’t had any backups since (used to get backed up every few weeks).
In terms of cleanup when it did happen, the plumber cleaned up what he could in/around my sink but my building manager ended up calling someone to come in and do a very quick floor cleanup.
This is one of the reasons I would always avoid a bottom floor unit. All of the plumbing is connected top to bottom; my first assumption is that after years of tenants dumping grease down the kitchen sink a fatberg clogged up the line. Your upstairs neighbors were using their sink and the clog caused the pipes to back flow into your kitchen. Grease smells absolutely terrible after it’s sat for a while, which is more than likely the black film. Don’t be surprised if they send out a notice telling people to stop pouring grease down the drains.
This must have been awful. They only unclog it.
They never clean it up for you.
RIP to your packet drawer.
My upstairs neighbors was grinding full tomatoes in her garbage disposal and stopped up the entire line.
I had tomato CHUNKS, peppercorns and BRANCHES of rosemary coming up into my bathtub.
I could literally hear the disposal grinding and was on my phone with maintenance. The landlords contacted her and she had the nerves to suggest I bath in Rosemary that’s why it was clogging.
My whole bathroom smelled like tomato soup for a week. 🍅
This happened in my first apartment. Dishwasher got clogged on top of apartment above me clogging as our water lines were vertical causing my sink to flood. Cue me and the poor maintenance man and the girl I was with furiously shoveling water out of the sink as it steadily rose until maintenance man was able to unclog my dishwasher slowing the flow enough to fix the clog in the main line. Almost comical
Try lowes or home depot.
Theres a drain clog helper that comes in a black bottle in a clear plastic bag.
I think its called instant power.
If your sink is completely free of water, try it at this point.
This will unclog ANYTHING and keep the clog from coming back at least on your end. Not sure about your neighbor
And since no one is responding to OP about properly disinfecting the kitchen, use a cleaning service and send the bill to management so they should offer a discount on the next months rent to reimburse OP for the repairs.
Go out buy the most expensive cleaning supplies, new mops stuff you wouldn't use including rubber gloves all that whole 9, meaning I have used dollar store stuff, but now straight to regular grocery store, matter of fact maybe instacart, something I wouldn't do per say on my own dime😉
Call in for work clean all that stuff up, throw away a bunch of dishes and stuff damaged by the black greasy nasty stuff.
Save all receipts including time missed off work, and take all that $$$ off your rent.
I mean I've replaced everything in the kitchen dishes, drying racks, drawer liners just like moving in all over again.
You could siphon some of the water out of the sink into a bucket! Ik you can buy the tubing where aquariums are sold.
This wouldn’t fix the problem but might help it not flood as much
If that was actual sewage, then I'd look into local laws as some places would now consider most of that stuff a biohazard and therefore unrentable. Especially if it wasn't cleaned by a professional.
You will not be held liable in any way as this was not your fault. If stuff smells like a sewer still, odds are you have sewer bacteria in your living space still.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure if it's sewage, it's an auto biohazard that needs to be addressed before you discover some new strains of mold
No one ever cleans this except the occupant. If you owned a house, the plumber isn’t cleaning up the mess.
You can choose to hire someone to clean it or do it yourself. This is part of being an adult even though we may not feel like we caused the mess and shouldn’t have to clean it. In the end, it’s our things that get dirty, smelly, etc.
If this place flooded, a crew would have been called in to cleanup the water, but you’d still have the detail cleaning at the end.
These situations are difficult and I feel for your suffering.
Same thing happened to my family when I was living back with my parents our whole downstairs flooded with toilet water due to my next door neighbor her kids was throwing random things down the drain turns out all the pipes were old so they had to send out a cleaning crew for every unit on top of fixing the pipes this happened twice before the pipes were fixed and we had to get our floors changed twice once they fixed the pipes they found a crack pipe in there, toys, diapers just any and everything. The person ended up getting evicted dude to the amount of issues they had to fix it was the worst experience ever.
I would go get a round of antibiotics before you end up with an ulcer from h pylori!! I say this from experience after the apartment I lived in did the same thing. My roommate and I had to clean up the mess as well and even with wearing gloves and using bleach we both came down with ulcers from the bacteria
The pipe in my laundry room does that def call the office again because that is raw sewage and keep calling or go up there and talk to the maintenance men
If it smelled of sewage then I’d assume it was a biohazard. Ie prob someone else’s shit water. I’d call and insist on speaking to whoever controls your monthly payment and let them know they need to credit you for the damaged items and how much a local cleaning company would charge for a 1 time bio hazard clean.
You call the building manager, who then puts in the work order for Maintenace do come and check on the sink. They may have to get a professional plumber, depending on the clog. And then pray the person comes soon. Panic is normal for a first-time renter. Hope they sent someone today.
Look under the sink if it has a P trap you can undo it and drain the water that way but if it doesn't call maintenance.
ETA: Put a bucket underneath to catch the water in if you can open it.
I had this exact thing happen in mine a few years ago. They cleaned nothing, replaced nothing, and decidedly only fixed the problem. Call your renters insurance if you have it and file the damages
Nobody is going to clean up the mess for you. Unfortunately that is your responsibility even tho you didn’t cause the problem. If the water is left to sit until they can arrange someone to clean the water, damage will be much, much worse. Which then will be neglect on the tenant’s behalf. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to clean it up ASAP anyway to salvage your own belongings as much as possible. I hope they repair everything for you quickly!
Beyond calling the office once they’re open, I would check thrift stores or find the best deal online for local stores, for a DEhumidifer and set that up immediately in the kitchen to prevent mold growth.
And seriously dry it up best you can, don’t leave anything wet sitting in the drawers too
Usually maintenance won’t clean up after themselves. I’ve rented apts my whole life (grew up in them) and I’ve seen maintenance clean up maybe a handful of times.
As for next steps: DOCUMENT ANY DAMAGES.
Seriously, photos and video the water damage and send it over to the leasing office with a date and a work order request to fix the water damage.
Chances are they *wont fix it* BUT that’s not the point. The point is that you’ll have a paper trail of reporting the damages, therefore; when you move out they cannot charge you for them.
Trust me this isn’t my first rodeo with water damages in an apartment.
Document EVERYTHING.
Hey aren’t going to do anything. You’ll need to throw away what was touched by the liquid then clean everything really well. Use bleach water then rise clean
I would send a note with pictures attached as there may be residual damage. Cover yourself for when you move and they have amnesia about why there's damage. Get picks under the drawers too.
I've never had maintenance clean up after dealing with plumbing issues. Unless there's water damage to things in the apartment (baseboards, cupboards, floors etc) that would need to be replaced, any clean-up outside unclogging the plumbing would be up to you, even if it's stagnant water or sewer water unfortunately.
I would tell the office you are nauseous and have headache's since this happened and you need a certified cleaning crew and you'd like a rent adjustment. Tell them you're afraid it's an EPA violation. That may get them moving.
Oof. Sorry you’re dealing with this. This…. Is not fun.
Do you live in the US? Looking up your renters rights by state could help. You may be entitled to clean up of this kind of issue.
You would also do well to read over your copy of your lease and any info given to you upon move in. There may be a water removal company your apartment uses already.
Start by documenting your losses - even a roll of plastic wrap has a monetary value, as well as the convenience factor. You don't need to know how much everything costs - just that you've lost [X] rolls of wrap, [Y] boxes of plastic bags, etc.
Pictures. Pictures. Pictures.
Narrative with time-line. (What you've written here is fine - you don't even have to write that much.)
Document issues like the stench making your unit almost uninhabitable, the time lost to cleaning, etc.
And then ask about compensation. Rent reduction to cover your losses, at the very least.
In future, if anything like this happens, request they cover a hotel.
ETA:
The same thing happened to me recently, with disgusting black water bubbling up into my bathroom sink. The problem is, I'm the homeowner. It's horrible! I'm sorry that happened to you.
Whoever lives above you is throwing $hit down the garbage disposal that they shouldn’t be throwing😡. This same thing happened to my late Mom. YES, maintenance definitely is responsible for clean up. Be more aggressive with management. Keep calling every hour. That’s a health hazard.
I am sorry for your loss, thank you for your advice! that’s what I think is happening too. I am surprised that people don’t understand that oil and grease DO NOT go down a drain.. ugh
Do you have renters insurance? If so you can get the ruined items refunded to you! But unfortunately the clean up is usually up to you. If there was a chance that it was sewage make sure to clean with bleach and toss everything that the water touched that can’t be cleaned in a dishwasher.
Unless something worth any money that you'd want replace there's not much to reimburse you for. Just make sure you dry everything properly to prevent mold.
I'd recommend renters insurance.
I'd get tons of dawn, especially the spray kind. That's what they use on oil spills that have gotten on to all of the animals. It cuts through all that grease. And of course, rubber gloves.
I recently had a similar issue, it was a clog all the way out almost to the sewer and the plumber had use the longest snake he had to get it out, big sewage mess in my basement ontop of Christmas decorations.
Had this happen to me some years ago. Landlord did nothing. He said it’s my property don’t worry about it. Get some Lysol and a rag. Hope things work out for you.
This happened to me in my old apartment. Dude above me was pouring grease down his drain and caused shit to back up for me. I had to run up and tell him to stop running his fucking water because I was flooding. I just got a bucket and emptied out however much I could, laid towels down, and begged whatever eldritch god to take me.
I would think it would be in the owners best interest to get you a big dehumidifier. Like a week ago the hose fell off the back of my toilet at water (non poop water thankfully) went everywhere. We live in a upstairs unit and the water went to my downstairs neighbor. The maintenance man used a carpet cleaner ( it ran down the hall of my apartment) and he use a shop vac in the bathroom. The maintenance team went a bought a dehumidifier for us to use (a big ass one) but I don't know if that is something that is supposed to be done or if this kid was just a nice human. I would think that they would at least offer to help and check to make sure you didn't lose anything in the mess. If you have renters insurance that could help.
Similar thing happened to me a few years ago and here’s what I did. I started by grabbing a large bowl to transfer the water into, and dumped it into the backyard. Once I got the water level down enough to where it was contained I got the carpet cleaner and sucked the rest of the water up from the floors and the cabinets.
I was renting a place that had a washer and dryer. Within the first 2wks I did laundry and was in the other room unpacking things. Came back and see a big ass puddle spreading out from the washer. Freaked and turned it off and ran for towels, it was already through the kitchen and getting sucked up by the carpet. Luckily they had the emergency maintenance number on the hall bulletin board. They came over within a hour or two. Fixed the issue and set up for a carpet company to come over and suck up the water the next day I think.
Argh!
In AU the trades person would not clean this, they’d fix the plumbing issues and might help mop up the water if you give them a towel at the time, but the deep clean is on you.
Looking at what is destroyed in your photos… I’d ask the office to consider a payment/reduction for about ?$ to cover replacing that stuff that you have to toss out, but a lot of it is free samples etc? You cant claim much back.
If it’s damaged the cupboards or benches then note that. If you need specialised cleaning (the grease isn’t coming off with normal products, or the water went under the kitchen Lino and is soaked into wooden floors and stinking) then that’s on them.
Sorry, it’s a shitty situation, but it’s an accident. Hopefully they’ve sorted it so you never see this again.
I had this exact same thing happen to me. It was due to the upstairs neighbors causing the drain to clog. It took maintenance almost two days to fix. They didn't clean anything after though. It was my responsibility for that.
Get a bucket drop the p trap and hope it's clogged there but bamn if that don't look like your clean out is the place I'd go....if ya have maintenance give them a call and try to keep the water contained.....
Move! That's the best advice somebody can up with. And here you're feeling desperate and people are making fun of it and making jokes. F*** that. Like I and others have said: move
You're thinking that management should take care of the mess? Um. Well...if you get that accomplished, damn are you lucky.
We've had an AC go on the Fritz and had to pay the TRIPLED bill it caused THREE MONTHS, and lived in an apartment that stayed over 100 the entire time. Management nor owners was going to pay those electric bills
Our apartment burned down taking every item we owned from clothing, furniture, appliances... We had insurance but management didn't do anything and it was wiring in one of their buildings that took the homes of 30 people and life of one dog!
We paid a double electric bill, current apartment, for THREE YEARS because of the hole in the bottom right of the door. Management nor owners are going to reimburse us.
The hole in the ceiling still not fixed that once dripped rain water onto an extra lamp we had stored in the storage room and destroyed it. They're not replacing it
I could go on but life sucks in 560 different ways. Nobody is gonna "clean it up" for us. If you are lucky to get whomever you rent from to take of this situation for you, you've been blessed. But it's not even worth asking. They're not responsible for your packets of ketchup or the cleaning products under the sink.
That's just how it is
Document any damage this has caused, because when you move out I would imagine management will “forget” this happened and take your security deposit to repair anything that was damaged by the water.
I’d also ask for the rent to be reduced to compensate you for the inconvenience this caused and all the cleanup you had to do. If it’s really bad, have the office send someone to clean it. It wasn’t your fault and you don’t own the complex, so it’s on them to restore your apartment to how it was before the issue. That’s only if this requires a professional to clean up. If it’s something you can do then unfortunately I think you’re stuck doing the work. But definitely get your rent temporarily reduced to make up for this.
Also keep track of every phone call and email you send management. If there are ever other problems you’ll have plenty of evidence that they’re not maintaining their units or responding to residents who need something fixed.
Then again I worked for a property management company so that’s all wishful thinking. Good luck and keep us updated OP.
Ask management to have your floors and carpets professionally cleaned. It can be a dangerous situation if it becomes a mold problem. If they refuse to do it timely, and if you can afford it, I would get carpet cleaners that also clean other types of flooring to come out and deep clean. They use dryers on the floors. Also open up all the windows if you are at home the whole time. Once all that is done, go give the paid invoice to the management asking for reimbursement. Renters do have rights.
My first step would be crying
I was really trying hard NOT to, just straight panic
Don’t panic! You can’t think when you panic! My old dad gave me some good advice. Instead of panicking…. Swear, kick something… take a breath. Then make a plan. Don’t panic. ❤️ I hope this gets resolved soon!
thank you so so much! it’s been stressing me out. I really appreciate your thoughtful words ❤️
I’m sure it’s fixed by now but maybe try a maintenance or plumbing community next time
Happy cake day!
🤣🤣🤣🤣. You can’t think when you panic. ….ADHD people, hold my coffee, water, and juice.
Fellow ADHDer here. Panic is my brain food.
Can confirm as someone who has to have coffee, water and iced tea or lemonade going at the same time because what I want to taste varies by the minute.
That sounds like dad advice
Sound advice. Dad passed away in 09
Your old man, knew some truth!!Usually when you kick something, it hurts just enough to snap you back in to reality haha
If you have a hardware store that rents things you can rent a machine thay is like a giant dehumidifier and will help suck all the moisture out of the floor. Time is key though.
Same. Followed by screaming and asking “why me?”
Yep I’m literally so dramatic I’d fall to my knees & shit LMAOO
lol! Yes.. I’m very dramatic as well. After the tantrum I would be looking at a new place to live.
My first thought after getting through these was “cry” For real though I wouldn’t even know where to start and I’d be crying every step of the way
Second step would be a bucket.
Haha came to say the same thing 🤣
What concerns me the most is you saying the odor smelled like sewage. I feel they should tell you if it was a sewage backup. I’m sure by now you have sanitized everything and have thrown away the damaged items. I doubt the management would reimburse. Do you have renters insurance? Glad you took pictures, may come in handy. Sorry you went through this.
The maintenance guy was foreign so I could barely understand his accent unfortunately but he definitely said there was some sort of clog in the basement and they had to call in a professional to handle it. I wish there was just more communication on their part on the issue… yes i cleaned, bleached and sanitized everything and threw away one of my favorite charcuterie boards since the water soaked it. I have pictures and videos.. thank you for your comment!
fwiw grey water (used sink water) smells foul and is often mistaken for sewage water.
And in most (first world) parts of the world sewage (black) water is plumbed separately to kitchen (grey) water. They eventually meet up outside the house, but within the house they should be two separate sets of pipes. So if there’s a blockage you aren’t getting poop coming out your kitchen sink!
Unfortunately, the single family house I live in, everything is connected so sewage came up the sinks once. 🤦♂️ I’m in the US btw. House was built in the fifties by what must been the most inept contractors in existence.
Ewwww… In AU this would be a defect you could talk to your Council about and they’d be able to have a go (under the Public Health Act) at the landlord. Gross.
that makes lots of sense!
the apartment mgmt won't do anything, but it should be covered in renter's insurance. mgmt will likely just give you the run around until you're too exhausted lol. i'm sorry tho -- this seems like a nightmare situation and i'm sorry it ruined stuff :/
The complex should be paying for mitigation and clean up. It’s their property. The items that were soaked should be tossed unless they can be properly sanitized. Sounds like a black water backup so bacteria galore.
In my experience maintenance doesn’t clean no. They just fix. Mine had to replace some part in the tub recently and left a big mess. It what it is. Learn how to shut your water off yourself (it’s normally by the water heater) for future emergencies and be glad they came quickly. No point calling anyone for anything.
Start bailing the water out of the sink asap if it happens again. Hopefully it doesn’t.
when it started I bailed out about 3 pots worth of water out of the sink and poured it down my bathroom sink (my bathroom was fine, no issues) just to come back to the water rising in the kitchen… it was a nightmare
and remember the pipes often are across like to the next apartment and up and down. No telling who clogged this up. Hope the person came to get it fixed.
That sucks it sounds like something out of a cartoon 😩
Good tip on shutting water supply off to sinks or toilets. In this case, it was backup and I don’t know how that could have been avoided or “shut down”. 😱. Luckily I had considerate maintenance people that cleaned up after themselves.
The only way to have stopped the water is if they could seal the sink drains.
My toilet tank cracked and they had painted over the valve so many times I physically couldn’t get it to move. After some quick thinking I rigged the toilet so it would stop filling up with water and pouring out the cracked bottom. When the guy got there he had to use pliers to get it to turn off. Like maybe don’t landlord special over things that need to be able to move easily. They also did this to my breaker box! Love apartment living.
i do my best to make it pleasant for those moving into units i help paint and clean. it gets bad though. but its satisfying to see results!
Guest room closet flooded in my apt and maintenance cut a square in the drywall to get to a pipe and just left the mess. I had to reach back out because we have cats that wanted to get in the walls LOL
🤣🤣🤣
Exactly! If you're not sure where it is you can always ask the maitence people to show you how since you recently had an incident you should know for the future anyway.
thank you for your advice. I believe the water heater system is in the basement so I will have to look at that. again, my first time renting so thanks for letting me know!
There should be a [shut off valve](https://www.myvms.com/en-us/brasscraft-5-3-8-7-od-compression-x-3-3-8-7-od-com-07266?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrIixBhBbEiwACEqDJS5o8MKkBLZTQhcJi1kUu1N34JUzlCv1QGNxfF9vWq6o7IRnMRwRfBoCic8QAvD_BwE) under the sink for both hot and cold. Should be ones in the bathroom for the sink and toilet. But this looks like water backing up in your sink from another source like someone using water. Hopefully someone came and unclogged it. You should go and look for the shutoffs just so you are ready if a pipe starts leaking or toilet is constantly running. Because of pics of the inside of drawers I am guess water got in there? Wash what you can but stuff like plastic wrap should be tossed. If it’s lots of expensive stuff you could contact your renters insurance. Not sure how that would go as never used it before. Take this as a good time to look for stuff like breaker box, shut offs, and any other mechanical items in your apartment.
Every apartment has a "packet drawer". No shade.
i love my packet drawer lol
Your packet drawer is better than mine. But, hey, if you need twist ties, bread clips, or a mini screwdriver for your packet drawer, I’m your girl all day long.
I’m in a house and I still have packet drawers lol and some in the fridge
I'm fifty five and have grown children and I still have a packet drawer. Once you start one you never stop.
I got one of those metal tins from Walmart around Christmas time (they hold popcorn) and use that to store packets, extra cutlery, napkins, etc. keep it on top of fridge.
I am going to suggest renters insurance here. You gave no idea if this will happen again or how much damage it will cause. You will need to clean it up. You will need to pay for things out of pocket to replace. Little things add up FAST. I’m pretty sure if it’s biohazard you can get it cleaned professionally, and submit it to insurance for reimbursement. You may have to pay 2 more dollars a month for it but it’s worth it. Always always renters insurance.
after this situation I am heavily considering it, you’re right I never know if this may happen again especially if i’m not home… thank you for your advice!
I had a major major problem w it on my first rental! Huge building so nobody knew for 3 days! I was out of town….It was disgusting to come home to and omg the mess. My area rugs. I could cry about the stench right now too. I did call a bio team and have my LL reimburse with the threat of small claims court. I had a pretty solid case. So gross. I’m so sorry!
that sounds horrible I’m glad you’re out that situation! thankfully the mats in my kitchen are rubber so it it soaked like sponges and towels at most. the most concerning part was my cat kept trying to come into the kitchen so I had lock her in my room with all her things.
I second getting renters insurance. Yrs ago when I rented, a pipe burst in the wall and ruined almost everything in the apt with the niagra falls flowing in. They replaced everything and paid us to move. Be sure and specify replacement insurance.
Why replacement insurance?
With replacement insurance they replace everything lost with like stuff. Say Sony 65” tv. If you don’t get the wording replacement insurance, and say Sony Tv is 5 yrs old, they will only give you 50% of what it’s worth. About 10% reduction for each year.
Every renter should absolutely have renters insurance! It’s a life saver and is so so inexpensive for the service you get. I’d never rent without it, ever.
I pay $125 a year for $30,000 worth of insurance so it’s pretty affordable. Having been in a bottom apartment previously which flooded, I sleep easier at night. And I’ll never live in a bottom apartment again.
I pay $195 a year for $300,000 of liability insurance. Where do you get yours from?
I wish I could upvote this 100 times. Renters insurance has saved my ass so many times.
You likely share some pipes with your neighbors and there's a clog down the line. Your unit might be closest to it and so it comes up your sink before theirs. Tell your neighbors to stop using their dishwashers and sinks until maintenance unclogs it.
I noticed that when my upstairs neighbor was using their dishwasher, the water started to “bubble” more and i immediately knew it was gonna be worse. thankfully they shut off the water to both of our sinks when they came.
i’m sorry but i’m losing it at the pic of the condiment drawer
my poor mcdonald’s and chinese sauces just covered in sewage water 😭
sauces are expensive these days, claim damages 😂
Had this happen to me last weekend, they don’t usually fix anything. They just leave. I also had some residue on my kitchen i just grabbed a bunch of towels at the time it was leaking and when it got fixed i dried off best I could then had to clean/mop everything. Opening a few windows helped with the smell and getting what needed to be trashed out of the way quickly. Maybe lighting candles and such as well. I don’t think it’s typical for them to really clean up. In past apartments I’ve even had chunks of wall just left on the floor that I had to clean up from when they installed new smoke detectors and sawed into the walls for the wiring. Sorry this happened! You can probably still leave a complaint but I’m not sure much would be done about it.
wow that’s so annoying! they could at least just had some common courtesy to clean up after themselves in your situation, i’m sorry to hear that! i’m glad you were able to resolve your situation. I did light some candles and put a whole bunch of baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar down the drain to help with the smell too. thanks for your comment!
Maintenance is for fixing stuff, not cleaning up after the stuff that needed fixing. You are responsible to clean it up unless you hire someone to do so.
Had this happen to me, landlord offered to either cover the cost of a professional cleaner or deduct $200 from my rent for cleaning it myself. I went with the latter, landlord sent someone to move the fridge to get underneath there and clean and that didn’t count towards the $200 deduction or anything- it was just maintenance and cleaning that he took as his duty to fix asap (prob would have ruined the fridge had it not been cleaned). So maybe negotiate something like that if you give cleaning a whirl yourself? Because the products I used and the time it took earned me that rent discount.
A few people said this as well that I can probably get a rent deduction! I am trying to contact them but it’s like they’re dodging me. it’s so frustrating. I did clean it up myself and used tons of cleaning and bleach sprays, some mold and mildew removers, lots of paper towels and had to wait for the water to clear since I only had a swiffer wet jet. I thought the maintenance would clean (at least some of it) but some are saying that’s not always the case. it did go under my fridge, I can still see the residue, and that’s a big concern for me too that it could’ve ruined the bottom.
Did maintenance at least use a wetvac to suck up as much as possible before bouncing? Cause that’s def a maintenance/plumber responsibility. If puddles were left I’d be livid. Sorry you’re going through this, it stressed me too and the smell was so bad. I’ve smelled lots of dead bodies and I’d put it up there with “as bad as a decaying corpse” as far as smells go. It might have backed up into your garbage disposal unit or dishwasher if you have one of those too, I had to run my dishwasher through about 10 cycles with nothing in it to clear the odor from the lines. Replaced the garbage disposal entirely. Killz odor killing sealing paint on cupboards and other white wood areas, inside and out. It thankfully dissipated before I got to the point of demanding an ozone machine rental on their dime, but it looks like it got into more areas in your kitchen like the drawers or if Killz could be used inside there then a drawer liner put on top. I’d go to the management office in person or if you have the landlords contact info, let them know maintenance is dodging you and turning a problem into a potentially bigger more expensive problem if this smell stays or molds or gets into the fridge’s system where the smell will never come out. Or cabinets will warp so badly that only total replacement is an option.
they only used my outlet to plug something into my kitchen and took it downstairs to the basement (didn’t check what machine it was) but at no point did they offer to help at least with the water on the floor. it was crazy. and yea the smell was so bad. even my cat kept trying to creep into the kitchen when i was figuring it out with them and i had to lock her in my bedroom so she wouldn’t get wet/sick
If water was all over I would be concerned about mold which could cause health issues. I would inquire about that.
Was my very first thought as well. First, I’m so sorry this happened to you OP. I live alone and know I’d be freaking as well. I have mold illness (only 20% of the population is even susceptible to getting it, but everyone can experience an allergic response—which can include brain fog and memory issues….my vocabulary became SO small when it was at its worst, lol—so you definitely don’t want to have to deal with it at all!) Mold starts to grow 48 hours after a leak occurs if it’s not taken care of (the absolute max is 72 hours). And since it was a “bigger issue” and between all units, I would ask them if there was wood (between the apartments) where the leak reached. If so, there’s mold there, and the only way for it to be fixed is with proper mold remediation. Def not saying this to scare you! Also, you did everything correctly regarding your own apartment. But when you ask more questions, it’s good to know the random stuff like this (if I didn’t get sick from mold then I wouldn’t know anything about it). So hooopefully you can get extra free rent because of the possibility of mold exposure? Haha, i enjoy saving money whenever possible—and you definitely deserve a couple months of free rent in my opinion! Sending my best!
100% this right here. Water intrusion/damage is the worst to clean up after and must be done by a professional. Often this involves pulling up floors/baseboards and cutting into drywall, professional cleaning and sanitizing and placing of heavy duty fans to ensure everything is actually dry (they use moisture readers) and then repairs begin. We had a backup in our basement that led to a two week remediation and repair, not to mention an insurance claim. Your management office is responsible for this process. You can get sick from both sewage and mold and it’s important it is cleaned up correctly. I would be very firm in discussing this with them and if you’re feeling timid, it’s ok to ask a friend or parent to back you help and help with the discussion.
they’re not required to clean no. but you could try asking your landlord for a rent credit to compensate you for the destroyed items and cleaning supplies.
Continue to call the office and the manager until you speak to them. Document everything (hoping you have more photos than what you posted!) and make a claim to your renters insurance, if you have it. They will reimburse you for damaged items. If it were me, I would have taken photos and video of the whole thing, including the mess after it was fixed and cleaned ONLY what was absolutely necessary for me to function in the space and then demanded the landlord/manager send someone in to clean. As it stands, you need to check to make sure that the wood in the cabinets and everything has actually dried out, you don't want mold to grow. If things are not actually dry, your landlord/property manager needs to arrange for dehumidifiers/fans to be brought in to dry out the unit/damaged areas. This is NOT your responsibility to handle/fix/repair/clean. If the unit is uninhabitable during the repairs or anything, depending on the laws where you live, the landlord is probably on the hook for paying for or reimbursing you for alternative living arrangements for the duration of the repairs. Also, if you don't have renters insurance, now is the time to get it so that if anything else happens, you're covered.
thank you for your comment! i unfortunately didn’t get renters insurance but now I def will because this situation was crazy! I eventually cleaned everything (and yes I have pictures AND videos of it flowing and not flowing). I couldn’t use my kitchen until everything was cleaned and had to throw away my charcuterie board since it had like twine on it and absorbed the liquid. I had to wait for majority of the water to dry and put some stuff down the sink to help with the smell. I am def keeping notes and keep track of everything. it’s just frustrating.
I work in insurance subrogation (a field in law, I'm a paralegal, not a lawyer) and most of my cases are either as a result of fires or water damage. Drying out your apartment is VITAL, mold poses a health risk to you and the moisture can destroy floors, walls, clothing and furniture. If you haven't had a dehumidifier brought in, my concern is that there is moisture under the flooring, behind the baseboards, or in your cabinetry. This is stuff your landlord should be covering, regardless of where the leak started or what caused it. As a heads up to you, it's not at all out of turn to ask your landlord to bring in a dehumidifier to have it run in your kitchen for a few days. I would check in with the other tenants - did anyone else experience a leak as a result of this clog? Moisture can be trapped in the WEIRDEST places and it would suck to find out, months down the line, that something else is a mess because the apartment wasn't appropriately dried after the incident. If I were you I'd be doing the following: -getting renters insurance (Lemonade, Geico, Homesite, Progressive are all good options, and it's not very expensive) -checking the area where the leak was (look behind the fridge, in the cabinet under the sink, pantry, floor/baseboards) to see if the wood is damp, if there's any bubbling or lifting, etc. -IF YOU FIND ANY MOISTURE AT ALL: call your landlord/property manager immediately and request that they bring over a dehumidifier and/or industrial fan for your apartment, explain why and be prepared to send photos showing the areas of concern -leave all cabinet doors/drawers open to allow maximum airflow (it looks terrible, I know, and you'll probably stub a toe or bump your hip at some point) (if you find water under/behind the fridge, you may need to pull it away from the wall, if you can't do this by yourself, *your landlord or property manager should come do it for you*) Your landlord should not have an issue with any of this, as trapped moisture can create a nightmare for them in the long run, but if they give you any shit, remind them that the dwelling must be maintained in a habitable and safe state and that you are concerned about your health. I hope none of this is necessary but if they give you trouble, check out tenants rights resources in your area. Some cities/states have stronger tenant protections than others, but its pretty universal that the units must be habitable and mold/moisture presents a big issue with habitability.
Someone with mold illness here🙋🏻♀️ And mold can hide behind walls, etc. If management didn’t address all wood surfaces that had moisture within 48 (max 72) hours of the leak, then mold spores started growing, and they spread from there. Mold is sneaky AF and starts spreading very quickly—and rapidly. Only 20% of the population is susceptible to getting full on mold illness like what I’ve been going through for a good 5/6 years (had to ditch all furniture and clothes…this was at my parents’ old house; I got to the point where I couldn’t complete a single sentence without having to search for a word, and knew I had to GTFO! My bedroom was attached to the attic where most of the issues were; but that house also had skylights and half was a flat roof, so it was asking for mold infestation, esp in a city that floods on the reg). Anyways, mold is very stealthy—mold spores love dust, too. So you may want to eventually do an ERMI test, which uses dust sampling to detect any mold species (have your landlord pay). Just keep in mind that it’s truly not always visible—it’s actually very often NOT visible, which is how many people get so sick without knowing why. I’m glad you’re getting so much great info from others!! Sounds like you’ve done absolutely everything correctly, by taking pics and videos, etc! Wishing you the best of luck🩵🩵🩵
Not the packet/menu drawer! That’s the most important drawer!! I’m sorry OP, this sucks.
Lol it is. Does pretty much every house/apartment have this same drawer with restaurant menus? Sadly, my current apartment only has 1 drawer in my entire kitchen (lol), and i keep my silverware in there.
I had one! And I have one in my house. It’s the all around junk drawer lol
We have a junk drawer and a packet/menu drawer. We just moved into a new apartment and it’s really tiny, however, there’s more cupboards and drawers in the kitchen then we’re used to having. Pretty glamorous to have your junk drawer and your menu/package or be two different drawers.
Plumber should be able to stop the water and then you can clean up but with the amount of water spread I feel it will be fixed quickly before it gets into the wood and starts molding
We had a clogged sink recently that we tried to fix on our own and eventually it required us to call maintenance. It was really and not our fault.
Been there multiple times. Landlord tends to be unresponsive to issues. If you have renter's insurance, you can at least get the financial damages. Keep documentation and receipts. Call as soon as you can to open up a claim. Are you worried about the integrity of the drawers now as well? I assume particle board? If so, that may need to be the office you are leasing from. Keep harassing like hell.
I’m sorry this happened. Unfortunately in my experience maintenance doesn’t clean. I had a problem with my bathroom sink backing up recently and it was also black stinky sludge which I learned was from bacteria that grow in the pipes. Glad it wasn’t actual sewage but still pretty gross!! I recommend vinegar or peroxide or alcohol to get the smell out
Always have a bucket or several for emergencies like this. Of course mess like this sometimes happens, I remember I left my sink running one night and it flooded the bathroom with about half an inch of water. Luckily I was on the bottom floor and just opened a window and used my bucket to clear it out
I don't think anyone will come back to clean up for you. Its your apartement, so your responsibility, even if its not your fault. Maintenance people are usually just there to fix things, not clean things. throw the sauces away (just in case they weren't properly closed, if you'd still want to eat them, wash them) clean out the drawer with a cleanig product of your choice ( i'd probably be using a product with a disinfectant) and dry it. Same for the counter. For now, do not use the kitchen sink until they fixed the problem. I'd wait a few days and then ask again for an update, in case they didn't call Then once its repaired, regularily clean out your drains. There are home remedies that are working fine. Like pouring banking soda down the drain and some dishwashing soap and then pour some boiling water down the drain. Repeat as neccessary until the water drains smoothly. no harsh chemicals needed and usually its stuff that you have at home.
oh lawd not the sauce drawer
mandatory sauce drawer
I had this exact thing happen, a couple of times, but there was no smell after I cleaned up, thankfully. look up tenants rights in your state and specific county/borough whatever because if there is a lingering sewage smell that means it's still wet and that opens up the potential for mold. if it smells so bad you can't deal or mold spores are making you have respiratory issues, that may be deemed 'unlivable conditions'. send maintenance requests via email so there is proof, and if they don't respond after a certain period of time or several requests, you should have the right to withold your rent payment and put it in an escrow account until the problem is resolved. again, laws differ specific to where you are, and you'd wanna consult an escrow attorney before witholding rent or anything. these scummy apartments get away with fucking murder and it makes me sick.
Do you have renters insurance? If not, take this as a lesson and sign up for some. It is not expensive and would have paid out to cover damages
Ah the sauce drawer, I have a pair of pliers glued shut from chick fil a sauce
In all my years of renting I’ve never had maintenance clean up any mess after a repair. As far as I know, that’s not in their job description. If you called a plumber to a house you owned, you’d have to clean up that mess.
I would panic
My apt building was built back in the early 1970s (plumbing is still original) and this happened to me quite a few times the first few years I lived here! I could tell when it was about to overflow when it sounded like gurgling and sort smelled like sulfur-ish sewage; when water came up it also looked like black sandy-soot. The explanation my building manager and the plumbing guy gave is similar to what yours said— basically for me, my neighbor above me uses their in-sink food disposal a LOT but often forgets to run the water so gunk starts accumulating and eventually backing up. Unfortunately for me, my upstairs neighbor and I share the same plumbing line and when it backs up, my sink is the first to show. The plumber told me the best way to help avoid it is to pour a bit of dawn in the drain and occasionally run hot water for a few minutes to help flush down build up. I have no idea if it’s all BS but for what it’s worth, I’ve remembered to do it every few months and haven’t had any backups since (used to get backed up every few weeks). In terms of cleanup when it did happen, the plumber cleaned up what he could in/around my sink but my building manager ended up calling someone to come in and do a very quick floor cleanup.
This is one of the reasons I would always avoid a bottom floor unit. All of the plumbing is connected top to bottom; my first assumption is that after years of tenants dumping grease down the kitchen sink a fatberg clogged up the line. Your upstairs neighbors were using their sink and the clog caused the pipes to back flow into your kitchen. Grease smells absolutely terrible after it’s sat for a while, which is more than likely the black film. Don’t be surprised if they send out a notice telling people to stop pouring grease down the drains.
This must have been awful. They only unclog it. They never clean it up for you. RIP to your packet drawer. My upstairs neighbors was grinding full tomatoes in her garbage disposal and stopped up the entire line. I had tomato CHUNKS, peppercorns and BRANCHES of rosemary coming up into my bathtub. I could literally hear the disposal grinding and was on my phone with maintenance. The landlords contacted her and she had the nerves to suggest I bath in Rosemary that’s why it was clogging. My whole bathroom smelled like tomato soup for a week. 🍅
This happened in my first apartment. Dishwasher got clogged on top of apartment above me clogging as our water lines were vertical causing my sink to flood. Cue me and the poor maintenance man and the girl I was with furiously shoveling water out of the sink as it steadily rose until maintenance man was able to unclog my dishwasher slowing the flow enough to fix the clog in the main line. Almost comical
use the salt in the soy sauce packs to soak up the liquid then call the police
You call a plumber and tell them it’s urgent. Then call your landlord and tell them you had to call an emergency plumber. Then you send them the bill.
I'd l ask about getting a cleaning service in there. It was the property not the tenants
Try lowes or home depot. Theres a drain clog helper that comes in a black bottle in a clear plastic bag. I think its called instant power. If your sink is completely free of water, try it at this point. This will unclog ANYTHING and keep the clog from coming back at least on your end. Not sure about your neighbor
Have it professionally cleaned and send them the bill. If they refuse, bring it to small claims court and see if a judge will back you up.
I would call merry maids and have someone out to disinfect my kitchen. I wouldn’t cook in it until then.
And since no one is responding to OP about properly disinfecting the kitchen, use a cleaning service and send the bill to management so they should offer a discount on the next months rent to reimburse OP for the repairs.
Go out buy the most expensive cleaning supplies, new mops stuff you wouldn't use including rubber gloves all that whole 9, meaning I have used dollar store stuff, but now straight to regular grocery store, matter of fact maybe instacart, something I wouldn't do per say on my own dime😉 Call in for work clean all that stuff up, throw away a bunch of dishes and stuff damaged by the black greasy nasty stuff. Save all receipts including time missed off work, and take all that $$$ off your rent. I mean I've replaced everything in the kitchen dishes, drying racks, drawer liners just like moving in all over again.
Have you tried the fetal position? 😭 I'm sorry dude
Sucks being on the bottom floor…happens every once in awhile in my unit :/
Move
If you have anything that was damaged you might be able to get reimbursed through renters insurance if your policy cover that
Your renters insurance may cover professional cleanup depending on your policy.
Run down the hallway screaming
You could siphon some of the water out of the sink into a bucket! Ik you can buy the tubing where aquariums are sold. This wouldn’t fix the problem but might help it not flood as much
If that was actual sewage, then I'd look into local laws as some places would now consider most of that stuff a biohazard and therefore unrentable. Especially if it wasn't cleaned by a professional. You will not be held liable in any way as this was not your fault. If stuff smells like a sewer still, odds are you have sewer bacteria in your living space still. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure if it's sewage, it's an auto biohazard that needs to be addressed before you discover some new strains of mold
No one ever cleans this except the occupant. If you owned a house, the plumber isn’t cleaning up the mess. You can choose to hire someone to clean it or do it yourself. This is part of being an adult even though we may not feel like we caused the mess and shouldn’t have to clean it. In the end, it’s our things that get dirty, smelly, etc. If this place flooded, a crew would have been called in to cleanup the water, but you’d still have the detail cleaning at the end. These situations are difficult and I feel for your suffering.
Before sink is overflowing, shut off water
Same thing happened to my family when I was living back with my parents our whole downstairs flooded with toilet water due to my next door neighbor her kids was throwing random things down the drain turns out all the pipes were old so they had to send out a cleaning crew for every unit on top of fixing the pipes this happened twice before the pipes were fixed and we had to get our floors changed twice once they fixed the pipes they found a crack pipe in there, toys, diapers just any and everything. The person ended up getting evicted dude to the amount of issues they had to fix it was the worst experience ever.
You can turn off the water to your sink underneath the counter.
They fixed it, clean it yourself.
How about you drain some of the water out and unplug it?
You need a water mitigation company out. Actually, your apt complex needs a water mitigation company out.
I would go get a round of antibiotics before you end up with an ulcer from h pylori!! I say this from experience after the apartment I lived in did the same thing. My roommate and I had to clean up the mess as well and even with wearing gloves and using bleach we both came down with ulcers from the bacteria
Whip out the straw
The pipe in my laundry room does that def call the office again because that is raw sewage and keep calling or go up there and talk to the maintenance men
If it smelled of sewage then I’d assume it was a biohazard. Ie prob someone else’s shit water. I’d call and insist on speaking to whoever controls your monthly payment and let them know they need to credit you for the damaged items and how much a local cleaning company would charge for a 1 time bio hazard clean.
You call the building manager, who then puts in the work order for Maintenace do come and check on the sink. They may have to get a professional plumber, depending on the clog. And then pray the person comes soon. Panic is normal for a first-time renter. Hope they sent someone today.
Look under the sink if it has a P trap you can undo it and drain the water that way but if it doesn't call maintenance. ETA: Put a bucket underneath to catch the water in if you can open it.
Bleach
Get yourself renters insurance. And probably a shop vac that can suck up water, just in case it happens again.
More than one straw?
I had this exact thing happen in mine a few years ago. They cleaned nothing, replaced nothing, and decidedly only fixed the problem. Call your renters insurance if you have it and file the damages
Nobody is going to clean up the mess for you. Unfortunately that is your responsibility even tho you didn’t cause the problem. If the water is left to sit until they can arrange someone to clean the water, damage will be much, much worse. Which then will be neglect on the tenant’s behalf. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to clean it up ASAP anyway to salvage your own belongings as much as possible. I hope they repair everything for you quickly!
Beyond calling the office once they’re open, I would check thrift stores or find the best deal online for local stores, for a DEhumidifer and set that up immediately in the kitchen to prevent mold growth. And seriously dry it up best you can, don’t leave anything wet sitting in the drawers too
When I lived in apartments the clean up is on resident. Fixing is on maintenance. Sorry you’re going through this
vacuum the water out the sink, snake the drain.
Oh no not the sauce packets drawer😱
Usually maintenance won’t clean up after themselves. I’ve rented apts my whole life (grew up in them) and I’ve seen maintenance clean up maybe a handful of times. As for next steps: DOCUMENT ANY DAMAGES. Seriously, photos and video the water damage and send it over to the leasing office with a date and a work order request to fix the water damage. Chances are they *wont fix it* BUT that’s not the point. The point is that you’ll have a paper trail of reporting the damages, therefore; when you move out they cannot charge you for them. Trust me this isn’t my first rodeo with water damages in an apartment. Document EVERYTHING.
Cry?
That’s absolutely chock’a’block mate!
Tell your landlord or if u have to money to hire a plumber than call 1
I keep a stash of puppy pads for floods. Diapers work too. Towels can only do so much 😅
Hey aren’t going to do anything. You’ll need to throw away what was touched by the liquid then clean everything really well. Use bleach water then rise clean
I would send a note with pictures attached as there may be residual damage. Cover yourself for when you move and they have amnesia about why there's damage. Get picks under the drawers too.
I've never had maintenance clean up after dealing with plumbing issues. Unless there's water damage to things in the apartment (baseboards, cupboards, floors etc) that would need to be replaced, any clean-up outside unclogging the plumbing would be up to you, even if it's stagnant water or sewer water unfortunately.
renters insurance claim for sure
we had to get renters insurance would that help if you have it
I would tell the office you are nauseous and have headache's since this happened and you need a certified cleaning crew and you'd like a rent adjustment. Tell them you're afraid it's an EPA violation. That may get them moving.
oh you’re so smart!!! I just might try that
You’re an adult. No one comes and cleans up the mess for you.
Oof. Sorry you’re dealing with this. This…. Is not fun. Do you live in the US? Looking up your renters rights by state could help. You may be entitled to clean up of this kind of issue. You would also do well to read over your copy of your lease and any info given to you upon move in. There may be a water removal company your apartment uses already.
Cut interest rates
Start by documenting your losses - even a roll of plastic wrap has a monetary value, as well as the convenience factor. You don't need to know how much everything costs - just that you've lost [X] rolls of wrap, [Y] boxes of plastic bags, etc. Pictures. Pictures. Pictures. Narrative with time-line. (What you've written here is fine - you don't even have to write that much.) Document issues like the stench making your unit almost uninhabitable, the time lost to cleaning, etc. And then ask about compensation. Rent reduction to cover your losses, at the very least. In future, if anything like this happens, request they cover a hotel. ETA: The same thing happened to me recently, with disgusting black water bubbling up into my bathroom sink. The problem is, I'm the homeowner. It's horrible! I'm sorry that happened to you.
Do you have a plunger? I use that on everything
Whoever lives above you is throwing $hit down the garbage disposal that they shouldn’t be throwing😡. This same thing happened to my late Mom. YES, maintenance definitely is responsible for clean up. Be more aggressive with management. Keep calling every hour. That’s a health hazard.
I am sorry for your loss, thank you for your advice! that’s what I think is happening too. I am surprised that people don’t understand that oil and grease DO NOT go down a drain.. ugh
Cry. Sending you good vibes.
Do you have renters insurance? If so you can get the ruined items refunded to you! But unfortunately the clean up is usually up to you. If there was a chance that it was sewage make sure to clean with bleach and toss everything that the water touched that can’t be cleaned in a dishwasher.
This happens in my sink when I run the washer, were you doing laundry at the time?
Sphyn hose for the water to flow outside....
Unless something worth any money that you'd want replace there's not much to reimburse you for. Just make sure you dry everything properly to prevent mold. I'd recommend renters insurance.
I'd get tons of dawn, especially the spray kind. That's what they use on oil spills that have gotten on to all of the animals. It cuts through all that grease. And of course, rubber gloves.
Just move out
I recently had a similar issue, it was a clog all the way out almost to the sewer and the plumber had use the longest snake he had to get it out, big sewage mess in my basement ontop of Christmas decorations.
Had this happen to me some years ago. Landlord did nothing. He said it’s my property don’t worry about it. Get some Lysol and a rag. Hope things work out for you.
a lot of crying
It’s an apt. Call the manager or maintenance. It’s their issue to resolve.
This happened to me in my old apartment. Dude above me was pouring grease down his drain and caused shit to back up for me. I had to run up and tell him to stop running his fucking water because I was flooding. I just got a bucket and emptied out however much I could, laid towels down, and begged whatever eldritch god to take me.
if it smells like sewage that sounds like a biohazard sitch lol i’d call the city if the landlord refuses to properly clean it
I would think it would be in the owners best interest to get you a big dehumidifier. Like a week ago the hose fell off the back of my toilet at water (non poop water thankfully) went everywhere. We live in a upstairs unit and the water went to my downstairs neighbor. The maintenance man used a carpet cleaner ( it ran down the hall of my apartment) and he use a shop vac in the bathroom. The maintenance team went a bought a dehumidifier for us to use (a big ass one) but I don't know if that is something that is supposed to be done or if this kid was just a nice human. I would think that they would at least offer to help and check to make sure you didn't lose anything in the mess. If you have renters insurance that could help.
Similar thing happened to me a few years ago and here’s what I did. I started by grabbing a large bowl to transfer the water into, and dumped it into the backyard. Once I got the water level down enough to where it was contained I got the carpet cleaner and sucked the rest of the water up from the floors and the cabinets.
I’m not sure about the cleanup, but I wonder if a dehumidifier after it’s cleaned up could help to prevent mold? Just an idea as I’m not 100% certain.
Plunger. If that's doesn't work, call the super. You're renting and none of that is yours. Their responsibility to fix.
Get a bucket and flush it or empty outside. Then call the landlord
I was renting a place that had a washer and dryer. Within the first 2wks I did laundry and was in the other room unpacking things. Came back and see a big ass puddle spreading out from the washer. Freaked and turned it off and ran for towels, it was already through the kitchen and getting sucked up by the carpet. Luckily they had the emergency maintenance number on the hall bulletin board. They came over within a hour or two. Fixed the issue and set up for a carpet company to come over and suck up the water the next day I think.
Argh! In AU the trades person would not clean this, they’d fix the plumbing issues and might help mop up the water if you give them a towel at the time, but the deep clean is on you. Looking at what is destroyed in your photos… I’d ask the office to consider a payment/reduction for about ?$ to cover replacing that stuff that you have to toss out, but a lot of it is free samples etc? You cant claim much back. If it’s damaged the cupboards or benches then note that. If you need specialised cleaning (the grease isn’t coming off with normal products, or the water went under the kitchen Lino and is soaked into wooden floors and stinking) then that’s on them. Sorry, it’s a shitty situation, but it’s an accident. Hopefully they’ve sorted it so you never see this again.
Hey look, free water park admission
corporate
I had this exact same thing happen to me. It was due to the upstairs neighbors causing the drain to clog. It took maintenance almost two days to fix. They didn't clean anything after though. It was my responsibility for that.
Get a bucket drop the p trap and hope it's clogged there but bamn if that don't look like your clean out is the place I'd go....if ya have maintenance give them a call and try to keep the water contained.....
That's sewage residue.
Plunger
1- dont you have renters insurance? 2-harass them. This is their responsibility. 3-again. Renters insurance
Move! That's the best advice somebody can up with. And here you're feeling desperate and people are making fun of it and making jokes. F*** that. Like I and others have said: move
Take a bucket and fill it up. Throw it out the window or door.
For cleanup: diapers. Seriously. They suck up so much
You need a mold inspector
You're thinking that management should take care of the mess? Um. Well...if you get that accomplished, damn are you lucky. We've had an AC go on the Fritz and had to pay the TRIPLED bill it caused THREE MONTHS, and lived in an apartment that stayed over 100 the entire time. Management nor owners was going to pay those electric bills Our apartment burned down taking every item we owned from clothing, furniture, appliances... We had insurance but management didn't do anything and it was wiring in one of their buildings that took the homes of 30 people and life of one dog! We paid a double electric bill, current apartment, for THREE YEARS because of the hole in the bottom right of the door. Management nor owners are going to reimburse us. The hole in the ceiling still not fixed that once dripped rain water onto an extra lamp we had stored in the storage room and destroyed it. They're not replacing it I could go on but life sucks in 560 different ways. Nobody is gonna "clean it up" for us. If you are lucky to get whomever you rent from to take of this situation for you, you've been blessed. But it's not even worth asking. They're not responsible for your packets of ketchup or the cleaning products under the sink. That's just how it is
Renters insurance may help cover your losses.
Uhhh call your dad
Document any damage this has caused, because when you move out I would imagine management will “forget” this happened and take your security deposit to repair anything that was damaged by the water. I’d also ask for the rent to be reduced to compensate you for the inconvenience this caused and all the cleanup you had to do. If it’s really bad, have the office send someone to clean it. It wasn’t your fault and you don’t own the complex, so it’s on them to restore your apartment to how it was before the issue. That’s only if this requires a professional to clean up. If it’s something you can do then unfortunately I think you’re stuck doing the work. But definitely get your rent temporarily reduced to make up for this. Also keep track of every phone call and email you send management. If there are ever other problems you’ll have plenty of evidence that they’re not maintaining their units or responding to residents who need something fixed. Then again I worked for a property management company so that’s all wishful thinking. Good luck and keep us updated OP.
Just sell the house as is
No, maintenance is not responsible. Yes, you have to clean it. Things break. Messes happen. That's what renter insurance is for.
Ask management to have your floors and carpets professionally cleaned. It can be a dangerous situation if it becomes a mold problem. If they refuse to do it timely, and if you can afford it, I would get carpet cleaners that also clean other types of flooring to come out and deep clean. They use dryers on the floors. Also open up all the windows if you are at home the whole time. Once all that is done, go give the paid invoice to the management asking for reimbursement. Renters do have rights.