I was divorced about five years ago, and it’s been a bumpy road. This year, I am finally settled and it was so nice to feel like I finally had a home again for my family. We had the nicest Christmas we’ve had in many years. I am so grateful.

> but have the equipment to do the work themselves for many projects...

They did a sewer repair near my house, a truck rolled in with Henrico stickers hauling a paver thing. Could have been a henrico-only road contractor who just bought the stickers but it looked like county vehicles.

Sorry to hear about that. I’m house sitting and the same thing happened to my client’s house. I’m glad I was here or it would have kept flooding for another 24 hours.

> compared to city roads that were built a century or more ago

It seems like they just pave asphault over the cobblestone, right?

Well all I got is the same story you did, but maybe we're interpreting differently.

I'm reading it as the landlord has no knowledge of the space heater, perhaps it isn't adequate for this particular unit, and the landlord hasn't attempted to provide such an alternative (given the timing of everything, who knows if providing an adequate alternative is achievable).

It's hard to say exactly how the law would apply here considering the VDHA document indicates a heating emergency such as this requires immediate repairs by the landlord but is fuzzy on the acceptable window of time and the law is also not clear on if the landlord is required to provide an alternative.

Of course, while not ideal, it may be prudent to temporarily put the OP into a hotel until the repairs can be made.

Figured both of you might be interested in this. I live over in Fulton and the first time I mowed my lawn, I took the grass clippings to the woods. I walk back and find this little man made stone pool in the woods. It’s a spring that filters thru Powhatan hill.

When I asked my landlord about it, he said that 40 years ago , when he was a kid, he went to dig out a retention pond because the woods were all marshy. When he started digging, he found the stone pool that someone else had dug sometime in the 1800s. I thought it was super cool.

Thank goodness

It is a drain line - the pipe burst at a 90 degree corner. I will probably try and replace it with a sharkbite 90 degree corner if I can.

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That tail and fur! What a gorgeous kitty. Oh and nice tree too!

I'll check with them in the morning, thank you!

It's a 2017 Hyundai so idk how much luck I would have but it's worth a shot

You must not be paying attention to some of these conversations. By the way, the OP does have a space heater. What else shall this landlord offer to this specific tenant?

LMAO

I don't know how many tenants would expect a miracle fix like that, but more that their landlord would provide some alternative heating sources until repairs can be made. You purchased space heaters, something the landlord should be providing if that's an acceptable solution.

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I am a landlord, yes. I am also a tenant and have been a tenant longer than I have been a landlord. The home I am in actively has no heat. I would never expect my landlord to magically fix a problem on Christmas Day. That is completely unrealistic. I set up my heaters, discussed a game plan with the landlord, and have set my expectations accordingly. It’s not their fault that no contractor in the area is available on a major holiday.

I’m gonna say yeah, they should have an emergency 24/7 contact that can fix basic needs like heat in the winter.

At a minimum, they should be prepared and ready to provide alternative solutions when immediate needs can’t me met. If that’s space heaters provided until central heating can be fixed or alternate accommodations until the issue is fixed. They should at least make an attempt to remedy the serious problems immediately.

Assuming your unit is heated by a heat pump with electric backup heat, your electric bill will probably be lower than if you were running on the electric backup heat this whole weekend.

found the landlord lol

You did indeed post a document with how to handle this situation as a tenant. My response was to the person above, not to you.

Sorry to hear that! My pipes are currently frozen solid, not sure if we have a burst pipe just yet. Let me know how things go!

All I did is post public documents on how the law applies in this particular situation which includes methods for remedy and/or redress - I'm not giving any legal advice.

Otherwise, I'm definitely not blaming the HVAC crews dealing with a high volume of calls on a holiday weekend.

Edit: perhaps I should read your reaction was to the poster commenting to my post above yours - however, it's up to OP and their landlord's response as to whether or not there's any need for legal redress.

How are you supposed to plan for heat going out over a major holiday weekend when contractors aren’t working? Are they supposed to have a contractor that specializes in everything on retainer and on call? I hope when someone is bestowing an unrealistic expectation on you, you remember this conversation and apply the same words you put on someone else onto yourself.

🤷‍♀️ they should have prepared better. maybe don’t be a landlord if you can’t provide the absolute bare minimum to your tenants.