Email to SOS Property Management:
Sun, Apr 5, 2015 at 5:11 PM
Hello all,
I would really like to wish you all a very happy Easter. I am not having a happy Easter. I woke up to an overflowing toilet, a tub backed up with sewage, and a floor covered in toilet water! I called the after hours maintenance number at 10:34 AM.
This is what it looked like after I was able to mop up some of the water on the floor. The tub and toilet are both backed up with sewage. (Also, the knob broke off of the tub faucet when I went to turn it on to rinse some of the filth off of my hands.)
I received a text from Christian at 12:35 PM, a call from Drain Patrol at 12:36 PM, when they said a plumber would be dispatched within 60 minutes, and a call at 2:10 to tell me he had been dispatched. He arrived not too long afterwards. That's four hours of a holiday where I was unable to use my bathroom (our only bathroom) in any capacity. It's now 5 PM, so over seven hours. The plumber has not yet been able to repair anything. In fact, he has managed to flood the bathroom, and water is running into the hallway and my bedroom. Yes, there is sewage in my house. In my bedroom. In my hallway. I had to destroy two beach towels so far today to try to sop up this mess, and I'm so very much looking forward to the several rolls of paper towels and bottle of bleach I'll need to clean up this mess after it's fixed.
I also want to preface this by saying I am not blaming Drain Patrol or any of the individual plumbers we have had here - I wouldn't want to be cleaning up someone's toilet on a holiday, either. They have all been unfailingly polite and professional, and done their best to clean up the mess inside. They have all told me that there are clogs further down the line that they've reported, and that they're doing the best they can. I do not want any individual plumber (especially the poor guy who is here right now on Easter - I'm angry at the situation and the mess, but it's by no means his fault. He's been on the phone with his supervisor, I've heard him chatting with the neighbors (it sounds like we're not the only ones with this issue, but not everyone seems to bother calling it in, which astounds me. He also said that because we are closest the the street, the backups hit our apartment first.)
This has been going on since I moved in. I wish I had a record of how many times we have had to call the plumber here, I'm guessing at least a dozen. I distinctly recall having him here more than once on Thanksgiving 2013. Every time this happens, it's only a temporary solution. I've been told by a few of the plumbers that there is a clog further up the road that needs to be fixed, and that they've reported it. Also, every time this happens, the backup gets pumped onto the lawn and out into the street. Backup meaning raw sewage - human feces, toilet paper - it's absolutely foul. You may remember that I mentioned this in my previous email. There is a literal river of excrement flowing out from under our apartment, across the lawn, and down the street.
Here's the sewage water flowing out of the bathroom (left) into my bedroom (right).
The boots are mine, I was using them to wade into the bathroom earlier to try to stem the overflow.
That is toilet water spreading into my BEDROOM.
Toilet water flowing out of the bathroom and into the hall, footprints spreading it through the house.
The bathroom flooded with water, towels unable to keep the water in.
Easily an inch of filthy sewage water on the floor.
Raw sewage flowing out of the house, right under the bedroom window.
Close up of toilet paper and feces.
Toilet paper and feces flowing across the yard.
I'm not kidding. There is human excrement in our yard. Sorry if this ruins your dinner, but it ruined mine too.
Water flowing down the sidewalk.
Sewage flowing down the sidewalk - hey look, there's your logo and phone number on the sign, right in the middle of this river of sewage!
Sewage flowing through the neighborhood. A neighborhood full of kids. ON EASTER SUNDAY.
I hope I don't need to tell you that this is absolutely unacceptable. Did I mention it's a holiday? Our day is ruined. This is absolutely revolting. It's also not the first time. Or the second, or third. I'm furious. My family is furious. This is not how I want to spend any day, let alone a holiday. This should not be happening. The underlying issue should have been fixed. It absolutely must be fixed.
I know that it's Easter Sunday, but please acknowledge receipt of this email and let me know that you will be addressing this first thing tomorrow morning, and that it will be actually fixed thoroughly and completely without any more bandaid fixes.
Thank you,