Water leaking from Garage Apt into alley/backyard/garage

[JeffM]

A few months ago, I purchased my first home in Owen Park (1928 bungalow) and noticed weeks ago there was a water leak I first thought was coming from my house.  I called the city and county and don't remember who told me, but my place had no leaks....

However, the largely neglected garage apt directly behind me has been leaking to the point that there are puddles of water in the alley, and I've started to notice some moisture? seeping into the floor of my garage.

I've found out the tenants in a house that's on the same property as the garage apt have had really high water bills but the landlord hasn't taken action.  The little garage and apt are in such bad shape, I can't imagine it ever being used for tenants.... yet drip, drip, drip.... I guess I was told my next step is the "Mayor's hotline?"

Ideas?

[Conan71]

Ahhh, the joys of homeownership.  See if you can locate the landlord and figure out their willingness to fix this.  If it's leaking or running out on to a city street or alley, then I'd think the city would get involved.  Try the Mayor's Action Hotline and see if that works.  A friend of mine who lives over in Brady Heights had lots of luck cleaning up his neighborhood and dealing with derelict landlords going that route.

[rdj]

Ahhh, the joys of homeownership.  See if you can locate the landlord and figure out their willingness to fix this.  If it's leaking or running out on to a city street or alley, then I'd think the city would get involved.  Try the Mayor's Action Hotline and see if that works.  A friend of mine who lives over in Brady Heights had lots of luck cleaning up his neighborhood and dealing with derelict landlords going that route.

I've started utilizing the Mayor's action hotline to report bad landlords in Reservoir Hill. 

You can locate property owners name by performing an address search using the assessors property search function on his webpage.

[sauerkraut]

It looks like a underground water leak. We had alot of those in my neighborhood, some were rather bad and the street flooded. Yeah the joys of home ownweship- I sometimes wish I was renting less hassle and responsibility and you can pack up & move easy. I live near the Admiral Twin Drive-in.

[heironymouspasparagus]

There is no Admiral Twin Drive-In.

[Townsend]

There is no Admiral Twin Drive-In.

Have they started on the re-build yet?  I was under the impression they'd gotten their loan and would start construction soon.

Hey Kraut...would you jog on over there and take some pics of any progress or lack-there-of and post them on here?  I'd like to see what's going on there.  Thanks

JeffM, I've had really good luck with the going online with the city and posting for help with my neighborhood.  Give it a shot and see what happens.  http://www.cityoftulsa.org/reporting/reporting-problems.aspx

[sauerkraut]

Have they started on the re-build yet?  I was under the impression they'd gotten their loan and would start construction soon.

Hey Kraut...would you jog on over there and take some pics of any progress or lack-there-of and post them on here?  I'd like to see what's going on there.  Thanks

JeffM, I've had really good luck with the going online with the city and posting for help with my neighborhood.  Give it a shot and see what happens.  http://www.cityoftulsa.org/reporting/reporting-problems.aspx

Nope so far no const. has started, it's still due to open up in July they say- I live only a block away from it. Last week alot of power company trucks were working on the lines in that area and inside the drive-in grounds, don't know why. The last I heard is that they plan to make the screen a bit smaller they have got some private business funding, the new screen will be made out of steel. Once the work starts it should go up fast.

[custosnox]

Nope so far no const. has started, it's still due to open up in July they say- I live only a block away from it. Last week alot of power company trucks were working on the lines in that area and inside the drive-in grounds, don't know why. The last I heard is that they plan to make the screen a bit smaller they have got some private business funding, the new screen will be made out of steel. Once the work starts it should go up fast.

No pics?

[Conan71]

No pics?

Takes a couple of weeks to get 110 cassette film developed.

[sauerkraut]

No pics?

No Pics! There is nothing to see just a empty lot full of  speaker boxes on white poles  with no screen... I don't even know how to post pictures anyhow. 

[Hoss]

No Pics! There is nothing to see just a empty lot full of  speaker boxes on white poles  with no screen... I don't even know how to post pictures anyhow. 

Not surprising.

[JeffM]

Ahhh, the joys of homeownership.  See if you can locate the landlord and figure out their willingness to fix this.  If it's leaking or running out on to a city street or alley, then I'd think the city would get involved.  Try the Mayor's Action Hotline and see if that works.  A friend of mine who lives over in Brady Heights had lots of luck cleaning up his neighborhood and dealing with derelict landlords going that route.

I contacted the Mayor's action line in mid-May... I checked in mid-June and called in an update, since the water problem seems to get a little worse, then a little better, and has nothing to do with the weather...

Finally, the landlord about three weeks ago accosted the guy I have living in my spare bedroom, demanding to know who reported him... he then claimed no knowledge of the problem despite the fact that his tenant already told him about receiving a water bill of $200 back in March... he had somebody cut the weeds down, exposing the mold and standing water/insects, etc... I think his tenant is either VA or section 8 and may be afraid to confront the guy....

Last week, an inspector from the city was walking around (I was at work, but my tenant saw him).... shaking his head, taking notes, walking around the alley....

This afternoon, the landlord/slumlord was talking to my neighbor when I spotted him... he now claims that the tenant has a pool which they drain twice a week which was causing the problems... he blamed that AND the rain... and told me he had an old tree stump? and uphill neighbors runoff causing the problems.... I climbed to the top of my wall/fence.... no pool, no tree stump.  go figure.  

[Conan71]

I contacted the Mayor's action line in mid-May... I checked in mid-June and called in an update, since the water problem gets worse, then a little better, and has nothing to do with the weather...

Finally, the landlord about three weeks ago accosted the guy I have living in my spare bedroom, demanding to know who reported him... he then claimed no knowledge of the problem despite the fact that his tenant already reported to him receiving a water bill of $200 back in March... he had somebody cut the weeds down, exposing the mold and standing water/insects, etc...

Last week, an inspector from the city was walking around (I was at work, but my tenant saw him).... shaking his head, taking notes, walking around the alley....

This afternoon, the landlord/slumlord was talking to my neighbor when I spotted him... he now claims that the tenant has a pool which they drain twice a week which was causing the problems... he blamed that AND the rain... I climbed to the top of my wall/fence.... no pool, period.   

There's got to be some way to deal with this nuisance of a landlord short of a .45 slug.  Who is your city counselor?

[Breadburner]

What frigging rain......

[JeffM]

What frigging rain......

I got more than a little angry... told him I have moisture in my alley garage that wasn't there when i bought the house last December.... I told him I didn't want to hear any more bull-smile excuses... just fix it.