Rental company saying im in charge of septic drain
landlord tenant attorney California Jul 22, 2026
Location: California this is what my rental company wrote me saying I am in charge of emptying the septic. There's no other addendums saying anything about septic maintenance or draining only this and if the plumbing was misused or damaged by negligence, that I would be responsible for fixing. Are they right? If I dont get it done, they are going to deduct it from my security deposit. Per Section 9 (UTILITIES) on page 2 of your signed Residential Lease Agreement: "Tenant agrees to pay for all utilities and services, and the following charges: Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas & Electric..." Because this property uses an local septic system rather than a municipal sewer line, the "Sewer" service clause directly covers the maintenance and routine pumping of the septic system. Pumping the septic tank is the operational equivalent of paying a standard municipal sewer bill to process waste generated during your tenancy. Please proceed with scheduling the required septic tank pumping as requested to remain in compliance with your lease terms. Once completed, kindly provide us with a copy of the receipt/service invoice for our records.
