I have a question. We own a mobile home park, and we’re in the process of installing water meters at each residence. Initially, we anticipated the project would last two weeks, but it’s now expected to extend over a month. We’ve informed the residents that the water will be shut off from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. Considering the extended timeline, I’m curious about the legal duration we can continue this schedule.
I would ask a lawyer in your municipality. I would also provide bottled water to residents and do the work in sections, if its possible to shut the park off in sections. do the homes have shut offs near the street or are they too far down the line from where the meters are being installed?
If the park is large enough, it would be worth looking into having sectional shut offs installed at some point so this can be avoided when there is a main leak or something else going on in the water lines.
All of our Metron meters were installed ‘live’ with no issues or any prolonged shut offs.
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I would consider installing shutoffs in various sections, if possible, so you don’t have to disrupt everyone. Ideally, each home has a shutoff so you impact one home at a time.
When we do underground work on our 2 inch main line, the plumber uses some type of clamp to shut off the water for only a few minutes, then restores it. That would be ideal to turn off the water to install one meter, turn it back on to re-energize the toilets, then repeat.
Not sure the legal implications of turning off water from 8 to 5 for a month, but the customer service implications are horrible. I have never heard of such a thing. Perhaps look at a different contractor.
I will echo what others have said with some additions. If you are doing a new install, each meter will take time versus just swapping them out. In either case, you should install a 1/4-turn shutoff before each meter. It does not take that long to install a 1/4-turn shutoff at each site and will then give you more time to deal with piping without have all that downtime for your residents. We will be maintaining and/or swapping out meters over time and having the 1/4-turn shutoffs make it quick and efficient. Good luck!
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I would think every home would have it’s own water shutoff. They could easily be buried. When we installed Metron we had to have them dug out and exposed for them prior to installation.
I’ve worked at parks where they have them under the home, and at parks that have them at the edge of the skirting of the home down the line, and some that just didn’t have anything but something inside the house, it’s kind of specific to however the design was, and some park designs are old so the idea of this was before the code requested/required it. Some had one interior and one exterior - like at the water heater and the sinks and stuff.
I think the contractor bit of more than he can chew. He needs more guys. How is the project going by the way, we’re like … .well its way past the 9th and my math brain has punched out for the day.
I can provide some general guidance that may help inform your discussions with legal professionals.
Local Regulations: Check local and state laws and regulations regarding water service interruptions. There may be specific guidelines or limitations on how long water service can be interrupted for maintenance or upgrades.
Tenant Rights: Consider the rights of the tenants in your mobile home park. Many jurisdictions have laws protecting tenants’ rights, and there might be restrictions on the duration and timing of utility service interruptions. Tenants may have the right to access water services for basic living needs.
Communicate with Residents: Keep open lines of communication with your residents. If the project is taking longer than expected, let them know the reasons for the delay and update them on the timeline. Address any concerns or issues they may have.
Alternative Water Sources: If possible, consider providing alternative water sources for residents during the shut-off hours. This could include temporary water storage or distribution points.
Documentation: Keep thorough documentation of all communications with residents regarding the water shut-off, as well as any agreements or notices provided. This documentation can be crucial in case of disputes.
Consult Legal Professionals: To ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, consult with a legal professional who specializes in real estate and landlord-tenant issues. They can provide advice tailored to your specific situation and local laws.
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@Archer40,
She’s drawing attention to her situation, which is good. However, as I went through her FB posts, it seems she’s portraying herself as the primary victim in this scenario and many other FB posts.
Specifically, she mentions the drowning risk for kids due to the tubs being full of water, linking it to your responsibility and the water shutoff. It’s common knowledge that there are other ways to store water besides filling the tub, such as using pots, pans, jugs, and buckets.
She also blames you for her oversleeping and missing showers. Her Facebook page reveals that she often presents herself as a victim or someone facing constant drama.
It’s important to keep moving forward and make things as smooth as possible for everyone involved. I wonder if anyone has reported issues to the local authorities regarding the park. Sometimes, people trying to build a legal case against a park are advised to report various problems to different agencies like the fire department, code enforcement, health department, etc.
From what I see, your liability is minimal. You might need to reimburse some individuals for water purchases, but you could argue that it should be limited to the cost of a 5-gallon jug for drinking water and a 5-gallon bucket for flushing toilets, considering the water is turned on nightly. That might amount to around $20 per space.
You might consider addressing the situation by providing alternative solutions, like bringing in a water truck or a 500-gallon water tank that can be refilled nightly. This could help alleviate concerns and ensure a more consistent water supply for everyone.
Well first off I would avoid getting too caught up in your tenant’s white noise but she is frustrated and angry. She is also your tenant and as her landlord you have responsibilities and obligations to which I am sure you are aware. If you are waiting for some legal advice on how far you can inconvenience your tenants and not be held accountable financially I think you may be missing the point.
I had Metron meters installed in one of my parks 7 or 8 years ago. They sent a guy out from Colorado to install them and he did 20 homes in 16 hours- two days. Prior to his arrival… WE/ME had to crawl under every trailer and dig out the water line 18 to 24" deep to get to each homes water shutoff. Everyone of your homes in your park has one of these. Now it sounds to me (big assumption here) that you made a choice to not do this. It is hard dirty work and maybe you did not have the manpower to have it done for you or lacked the inclination to do it yourself. Either way it seems to me you may have decided to go with the easiest, most efficient solution and just shut the water off at the main to the entire park- every day, during the day, for a month… while your contractor installs one meter per day.
The real irony here is you are going to inconvenience your tenants for a solid month-plus with no water during the day and then when this is all over… you are going to start charging them for water. Yes- you have a PR problem and this will get worse if one of the local papers down there picks up the story. I think at this point if I was you I would have a serious ‘coming to Jesus’ meeting with your contractor and then I would squirrel up my courage and drive down to Pasco and have some face to face humble conversations with my tenants.
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