ReclaimDeposit logoReclaimDeposit
ToolsLearnSign In

Can a Landlord Charge for Bathroom or Plumbing Issues?

Plumbing problems are often maintenance, not tenant damage. Learn what may be chargeable (clogs from foreign objects) and how to dispute unsupported plumbing bills.

1 min readUpdated January 2026

Most plumbing issues are building maintenance. A landlord may try to charge a tenant for clogs or damage, but they should show evidence the issue was caused by tenant actions (not aging pipes).

When the charge can be legitimate

  • Clogs caused by foreign objects (wipes, toys) with plumber documentation
  • Broken fixtures caused by impact or misuse
  • Damage from tenant negligence that caused a leak (case-specific)

Red flags

  • Charging for slow drains or aging fixtures with no cause evidence
  • No plumber report describing what caused the problem
  • Bundling plumbing work unrelated to the unit's condition

What to ask for

  • Plumber report describing cause of the clog/leak
  • Invoice and parts list
  • Photos (if any) taken by the plumber/landlord

How to dispute

  1. Request the plumber's findings and invoice details.
  2. Dispute charges that look like maintenance or aging infrastructure.
  3. Ask for proof the problem was caused by tenant actions.

Start with the dispute template, then escalate to a demand letter if the landlord won't correct it.

Tip: Use the Deduction Checker to sanity-check how the landlord calculated the charge.

Next step

If your landlord missed a deadline or charged questionable deductions, you can generate a demand letter and evidence checklist in minutes.

Use the deduction checkerStart free analysis